14 mascaras put to the test

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- When it comes to mascara, does it really matter how much you spend?

The ladies at the Upper Hand Salon helped us with an experiment to test several different brands of mascara to see which brands deliver the best look.

"What we wanted to find out was if it made a difference on how much you spent on the mascara," salon owner Rachel Gower said.

Our mascara model Gaby Barboza tested out 14 different mascaras ranging in price from $6 to $32 a tube. When shopping for the products to use, there were dozens of mascaras with claims that include super volume, the false lash look, and super lengthening.

"Some of the claims that we saw were things like extra volume. This one says it's almost 2,000 percent more volume than your regular lashes. This mascara claims no clumps whatsoever. And this one claims it will make your lashes look like a butterfly," Gower said.

When it comes to having the wide eye and winged effect, Barboza tested the $24 Benefit Roller Lash versus L'Oreal's Voluminous Butterfly Intenza for $9.

Although Barboza preferred the Benefit brand's mascara, she admitted it was not a $15 difference.

For the false lash look, we paired the Urban Decay Lash Perversion for $22 against Rimmel's Scandaleyes Retroglam for $6. The higher end product provided a better look than the drug store version, and Lash Perversion ended up being

Barboza's favorite mascara out of all 14 tested.

"It gave me the look that I always go for, which is the bolder the better," Barboza said.

Gower says for only $6, the Rimmel brand is a great find at your local drugstore.

"This will give you a nice overall look and really dark lashes," Gower said.

For the popular fiber-filled extension look, IT Cosmetics' Hello Lashes mascara, which retails for $24, went head to head with L'Oreal's Voluminous False Fiber Lashes for $9. There was not a clear winner because both looked great on the model. But because of the price difference, L'Oreal was a winner overall.

"This mascara has fiber in it, so it really gives you the length and the volume for an overall great look," Gower said.

As far as the least favorite mascara, Barboza said Maybelline's Great Lash Real Impact had very little impact.

"The brush wasn't as better for my lashes. It was kind of skinny and a skimpy brush. It was one of the more cheaper ones we bought. It gave more of a natural subtle look, and that's just not the look I go for on a regular basis," Barboza said.