Michelle Obama wore Glossier’s lash slick to the inauguration – here’s our verdict on the £14 mascara

When the former first lady gives a formula her stamp of approval, you know it’s got to be good

The cult-favourite mascara claims to deliver ‘extensions without the extensions’ (The Independent/Getty)

When Michelle Obama attended the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the US on Wednesday, viewers went wild for her head-to-toe burgundy ensemble by LA-based designer Sergio Hudson.

But, with Bernie Sanders stealing the fashion limelight with his oversized knitted mittens, it was Obama’s beauty look that really caught our attention.

In addition to her bouncy curls, the Becoming author wore a face of reasonably priced beauty products, with one cult item in particular playing a major part in her inauguration look: Glossier’s lash slick mascara.

Obama’s long-time make-up artist, Carl Ray, told The Cut that the water-resistant millennial favourite was used on her top and bottom lashes “in case of wind, or if elements came to play”.

He added that because the former first lady was wearing a face mask for the duration of the ceremony, the eyes and lashes had to be the star of the look. “For TV, we really need to make things a little more dramatic, so her eyes shine,” Ray said.

But, is the mascara really any good? Having launched in 2018, lash slick was Glossier’s first foray into mascara, with the brand claiming it delivers “extensions without the extensions”.

According to Glossier, the formula took 18 months and 248 tries to get just right, and is made with a mix of Japanese fibre technology, biotin to condition and strengthen your lashes, and polymers that help add shine.

(Getty)

The brush, meanwhile, is flexible and rubbery with tiny tiered bristles designed to grab every single lash.

If you fancy replicating Michelle Obama’s beauty look but want to know if lash slick really lives up to the hype, read on for our honest thoughts on the everyday mascara.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Glossier lash slick: £14, Glossier

(Glossier)

Up there with balm dot com and boy brow, there’s a good deal to love about Glossier’s first ever mascara. 

True to the millennial-pink brand’s “skin first, make-up second” philosophy, Glossier lash slick has a pared-back approach, enhancing your lashes to create what it calls a natural-looking “baby extension”.

The lightweight and easy-to-apply tapered brush curls, sculpts and lengthens lashes (even barely-there ones) without any clumping at all, and even after layering coat over coat. 

While it’s not waterproof, it is water-resistant, meaning the mascara lasts basically all day without any smudging and is pretty easy to take off at night. All in all, it’s an exceptional everyday mascara.

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In addition to the Glossier mascara, Ray gave Obama’s eyes even more definition by adding a set of camera-ready Lilly Lashes to the look.

While we can’t vouch for this particular brand, the Morphe mesmerised premium lashes (£12, Morphe) landed the top spot in our round-up of the best falsies. 

Our reviewer described them as “full and fluffy”, scoring the perfect balance between looking natural and dramatic.

(Morphe)

“They’re designed to last for ten to fifteen uses and definitely keep their quality if you take good care of them, staying fresh for the longest period out of all the lashes we tried,” they said.

Ray also used Fenty Beauty’s match stix (£21, Boots) to create Obama’s flawlessly contoured base. The matte version of the product was included in our guide to the best contouring products, with our reviewer praising them for delivering a creamy, easy-blend finish. 

For more beauty inspiration, read our guide to the best French skincare brands