I happen to have all of CoverGirl’s LashBlast mascaras in my stash, so I thought I’d do an overview post to show the differences between them, and my preferences.
From left to right, the order in which they were released, and their claims, they are:
Volume (orange tube) Jan 2008 “For bold, high-volume lashes”
Luxe* (deep pink tube) Feb 2009 “High-volume lashes tinted with shimmer”
Length (yellow tube) Sept 2009 “Makes lashes up to 80% longer looking vs bare lashes”
Fusion (purple tube) Apr 2010 “Volume + Length in one stroke”
24 Hour (black tube) Jan 2012 “Power hour after hour. Bold, intense volume”
Clump Crusher (green tube) Nov 2012 “200% more volume + length, zero clumps”
Full Lash Bloom (pink tube) Dec 2014 “Exceptional lash fullness that’s soft to the touch”

For this overview, I am just looking at the non-waterproof formulas. I typically do not wear waterproof mascaras for regular usage.
* I just realized that I’m missing Luxe in my stash, the darker pink tube. But I can speak to it since I’ve tried it many moons ago – it’s a gimmick to have shimmer in mascaras, it doesn’t shows up on the lashes unless there’s a spotlight on them. The only place you’ll notice the glitter is on the cotton pad when you remove your makeup at night. The Luxe version is literally the original LashBlast Volume with glitter dumped into the formula.

There are 3 basic variables to a mascara: 1) the wand, 2) the tube and 3) the formula. Cosmetics companies tinker around with each of these components to come up with a “new” mascara or a line extension.  In the case of the original LashBlast Volume, Cover Girl released a new wand, tube and formula, and then extended the LashBlast line by changing up 1 or 2 of the 3 variables. Let’s have a look at the wands across the LashBlast line:

The Wand
The original LashBlast Volume was revolutionary for its silicone wand. Volume, Fusion and 24 Hours all essentially have the same wand – a large bulbous full shape with staggered and evenly spaced bristles.  In the case of Length, Clump Crusher and Full Lash Blooms, the only similarities they have with the original wand is that they are all still made of silicone.  The Length version has short fine bristles that are spaced closer, the Clump Crusher has a curved shape and very short bristles, while the Full Lash Bloom has varying lengths of bristles, as well as bristles at the ends that form a little spiked ball.

The Tube
The second aspect of the mascara is the tube.  All of LashBlast mascaras are housed in a thick bullet shaped tube, except for the Length version, which is in a long skinny tube.  More important than the tube shape is the opening, or mouth of the tube.  The mouth has an inner ring which removes product off the bristles as it is being pulled out of the tube – the smaller the opening, the more product will be removed off the wand.  In my experience, the 24 Hour version has the widest mouth – this allows more product to remain on the wand – hence this is why I find the 24 Hr one to be the most clumpy of all of the LashBlast.  The Length and Clump Crusher both have the smallest opening which helps to prevent clumps.

The Formula
Lastly, the formula.  There is not a huge amount of difference between the formulas within the LashBlast family.  The most noticeably different formula is the 24 Hr which seems to be made of house paint (I kid, it’s oil-based rather than water-based; very very longwearing, but does not claim to be waterproof).  The Full Lash Bloom differs from the other in that it contains Beeswax – I suppose this provides softer feeling lashes as claimed. The rest all list the same top ingredients with a few switched around in the listing order.  My favourite remains the original Volume for dramatic lashes, but Clump Crusher has also won my heart as a great everyday mascara.  I’ve just started using the Full Lash Bloom and it’s just ok – I find it doesn’t provide much length and doesn’t hold a curl very well. Another thing of note, the LashBlast mascaras (all except for the Length) have a whopping 13.1ml of product, compared to most mascaras with around 8ml (Length has a measly 6.5ml).

For the Brits out there, Max Factor is the sister brand to CoverGirl and offers the equivalent mascaras in different names / packaging.  For example, CG Clump Crusher = MF Clump Defy in the purple tube.  I’m personally still not over the loss of Max Factor 2000 Calorie mascara in North America…

In 2009, CoverGirl released a press release celebrating 6 million tubes of LashBlast Volume sold in the first year of sales, and it continues to grow. Last year, CoverGirl LashBlast mascara sales totalled $57 million, making it the #1 mascara in the US. If CoverGirl ever discontinues LashBlast Volume, I think there would be riots.

Here’s a comparison chart with ratings based on my experience:

What say you?  Do you like CoverGirl’s LashBlast mascaras?  Which one is your favourite?