Kat Von D Sin-full Mascara

I always feel like I am on a never ending search for that perfect mascara. I want one that creates volume, length and is very black. I have found a few I like but none that I particularly love. About a month ago one of my model friends tweeted about how she was using Kat Von D's Sin-full mascara and strangers were asking if she was wearing fake eye lashes. I immediately went to Sephora and purchased the mascara. I love Kat Von D products and wondered if I had been missing out on the holy grail of mascaras.

The Sin-full Mascara is only available at Sephora, like the rest of the Kat Von D line and it retails for $19. I consider that a bit pricey for mascara but I figured if it works, it will be worth it. It comes in a black "tattooed"  box and is visually appealing like all of the products in her line. The description states that mascara "turns up volume by curling, lengthening, and thickening each and every strand." Perfect, I thought! Those are the exact things I am looking for. Here is a photo of the product:

I was ready to apply to my fresh clean lashes and be impressed. There are actually instructions for the best application method. I followed them to ensure that I had the best looking lashes possible. I held the wand horizontally and worked from the lash root to the tips of the eyelashes. You need to let the first coat dry before you apply a second. Most people say that you only need one coat. I applied two. Here are my before and after photos.

 After I applied the mascara, I was less than thrilled. Maybe I had convinced myself that it was going to be stellar and therefore nothing may have allowed it to meet or exceed my expectations? There are things I liked about it though. It certainly delivered on the curling and lengthening performance. It was also very black which was striking. What bothered me was that it was clumpy. It caused my lashes to stick together at points and made my lashes look like thick stubs. I checked the reviews on Sephora.com and those who did not like the mascara cited the same issue I experienced. I have tried it a few times since then and there have been moments where it has delivered and has not clumped to this extent. For the most part it has disappointed. I primarily use Maybeline's Falsies mascara which definitely lengthens and creates volume without clumping. It is not my dream mascara by any means but for more than $10 less, I will stick to that for now. The quest for my "perfect" mascara, however, will continue.