Imju Fiberwig Mascara…big in Japan! But on my lashes?
Like most Asian women, I have short, stubby eyelashes. I’ll try any mascara that hits the market with promises of full, long or voluminous lashes.
From time to time, I’ll harass my beauty editor friend for recommendations to make sure she hasn’t discovered a magical formula that I haven’t seen at Sephora yet.
The last few times I asked her she emphatically recommended Imju’s Fiberwig Mascara ($22). According to the packaging, corporate website and Sephora.com’s product blurb, “Fiberwig is the top-selling mascara in Japan – beating the competition with remarkable, “false eyelash-like” results”.
Even with all that going for it, my skepticism of full-of-promise mascara marketing kept me from picking up a tube. It took my recent trip to Asia over the Christmas holidays to get me to finally buy one.
In Taipei, the girls are obsessed with long lashes. I saw long, glorious, spider-like lashes framing the eyes of nearly every trendy young woman. Some of them were wearing false eyelashes while others were just mascara-enhanced.
A quick trip to the local Watson’s (Asia’s hybrid of an American drugstore’s beauty section and a smaller department store beauty counter area) confirmed that Fiberwig was a major contributor to those sultry lashes I’d seen all over the city. I gave in and slapped down $440 New Taiwan dollars (approximately $13 US dollars) and took Fiberwig for a spin.
I applied Fiberwig as instructed on the package on bare, uncurled lashes.
- Using the tip of the brush, apply to lashes by stroking upwards from roots to tips, layering repeatedly until the desired effect is achieved.
- Be sure to dip the brush into the tube between layers for a fresh coat of length-building fibers, every time.
Purchased: January 5, 2009
Formula Consistency: Thin and liquidly, more so than other formulas
Lash Length: Normal, no longer or more noticeable than other mascaras
Lash Volume: No noticeable volume as this is marketed as more of a lengthening mascara
Lash Clump: Yes, lashes are tangled at the roots and clumped together at the tips forming pointy eyelashes
Lash Curl: No curling properties promised nor delivered
Overall, this is just another mascara. I’ve been practicing with Fiberwig for about three weeks now (to make sure I am not pre-judging it before the wand has been broken-in) and have not noticed anything remarkable relative to other mascaras.
I truly thought my Taiwanese makeup sisters had pointed me to the Holy Grail of mascaras. Sadly, I was mistaken and this is just another less-than-promised mascara. However, Fiberwig will be a nice addition to my “second layer” mascara bin but will not replace my Lancôme Hypnose as my go-to mascara.
Have you tried Fiberwig? Did you like it? Do you have recommendation on techniques that can make it a better performing mascara?
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On January 26th, 2009 Vampy Varnish said:
Hi! I have tried Fiberwig and was not impressed at all. It did nothing for me and seemed like it was all hype. I am sticking with my DiorShow for now!
On January 26th, 2009 Sasha said:
I’m a mascara junkie as well, but I haven’t tried Fiberwig. I can usually get the lash results I desire with certain drugstore mascaras, but that doesn’t stop me from buying nearly every new one on the market, lol.
I have to say that Lancome’s Hypnose is the closest thing to HG for me so far (but then I’ve never tried the ever-popular Definicils!).
On January 26th, 2009 mars said:
I was very disappointed with Fiberwig too. The clumping of lashes effect reminds me of Japanese harajuku girls though.
Of all the mascaras I’ve used (another mascara junkie), I like Majolica Majorca’s the best. A friend who tried it once told me it really works for her. I’ve been using them for 2 years now so I can’t tell any differences from usual mascaras but MM’s wand is different, which probably explains the ease of applying and RE-applying coats of mascara. It is plastic and flat with rigged edge (like a knife). I have about 6 different mascaras stashed in my makeup box but I only use MM
On January 26th, 2009 shihyin said:
I am not impressed with Fiberwig either because it did not hold my curve at all. I would highly recommend Japanese brand “Kissme” long and curve mascara. My Holy Grail, and never find anything else to beat it.
On January 27th, 2009 Anna said:
I also wasn’t a fan of Fiberwig. I found it clumped badly – especially if you tried for a second coat. And it irritated my eyes, especially when washing. So afterall… just another mascara for me too.
On January 27th, 2009 Kaycee said:
I did the exact same thing when I went to Taiwan! went to Watson’s and bought Fiberwig, thinking that I had gotten such a great bargain since Sephora sells it here for $22.00. At first I thought I was doing something wrong, but I eventually gave up since the mascara was so runny and wet and would take so long to dry I just didn’t have time for it in the mornings… I dunno why taiwanese girls like that mascara so much.. anyways, sounds like u had fun over there.. i miss taiwan there’s so much cosmetics over there!
On January 29th, 2009 Cathy said:
I have the Fiberwig also, and i absolutely love it! Not the best volume its alright though, but it gives me wonderful length and staying power. But thats just my 2 cents!
On February 2nd, 2009 Gloria said:
I’ve tried the fiberwig before, and people thought I was wearing falsies. The trick is in having a light hand and layering it on only the tips.
On February 2nd, 2009 Gloria said:
oops, I wish I could edit my comment.. but Taiwan is awesome when it comes to cosmetics!! Every time any of my sisters go back, I give them a list and some instructions to find me new things for me to try! They’ve gone to Watson and Sasa already. I hope I go for myself sometime!!
On February 2nd, 2009 Tessera said:
I have found that Fiberwig works best when applied over a lash primer. Since the Fiberwig doesn’t do a lot the thicken lashes, the primer fattens the lashes and the Fiberwig adds length. The effect is quite glamorous. You need to work quickly with the Fiberwig mascara because it dries very fast on the lashes and you cannot comb through it once it has dried. I also like Fiberwig as a “top coat” mascara applied over another favorite mascara to create ultra long dramatic lashes.
On January 29th, 2010 Tiffomelon said:
Hmm.. I never read the instructions in the back of the box… but I found that Fiberwig works really really well on lengthening my stubby asian lashes. I tried using the one from Asia (HK) and it is a little different than the one I usually get from Sephora. I’m not sure why. It works of the tubular system (which i was freaked out by initially). I found that it wasn’t as voluminous as Dior… but it didn’t leave the black circles around my eyes like Dior (even waterproof!) and it did give me long lashes. I did curl my eyelashes first before applying. Are you not supposed to? I felt that it made a big difference when you curled!
On December 2nd, 2010 Yukirat said:
You need to apply several layers, peeps! works awesome if u get the strings going