Finding your perfect mascara is a minefield. Everyone's lashes are different, everyone wants something different, and what works for one person is irrelevant to another. But I've tried enough of them to know a gem when I see it—and with thoroughly average lashes, I'd argue I'm a reliable test case.
Merit has a habit of launching things that actually deliver, so when Clean Volume landed on my desk, I was already half-convinced. It's a tubing mascara, which is my preferred formulation, and if you haven't tried one yet, I'm not sure what you're waiting for. They don't smudge, they don't budge, and they slide off with warm water at the end of the day. The only mascaras I'll actually wear in real life are tubing ones—panda eyes simply aren't a risk I'm willing to take.
