Milani Mascara and the Milan Idea Behind a Brand That Started in 2002

Let me start with the name, because it tells you most of the story. Milani Cosmetics launched in 2002, created by Ralph Bijou and Laurie Minc, and the brand says it was inspired by Italian fashion and by the city of Milan. You can hear that in the word itself. It is a makeup brand that wants to look and feel like it came from a runway city, without being fussy about it.

 

That is the lens I bring to Milani mascara. The brand's own description of its Highly Rated line is a good place to begin: the Elite brush is said to coat lashes from root to tip, and the formula is listed as free of parabens, D5, TEA, alcohol and perfume. Those are plain statements about the formula, and I like plain statements in a mascara.

 

Milani's Anti-Gravity Mascara is the one I would pick up first. It has an hourglass shaped molded brush and a formula with castor oil, and the shape of that brush is the whole point: it grabs the inner and outer corners and gives you a lifted shape.

 

Then there are the tubing formulas. Milani's Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara and the XL version are the ones to try if you like a clean, smudge-resistant look that comes off in warm water. Milani's Fan Club Fanning Mascara is the opposite mood, a wide spread of lashes that looks a little dramatic.

 

The brand also states that every product, mascaras included, is 100% cruelty free, which is worth knowing before you choose.

A mascara rarely works alone, and Milani seems to know it. The rest of the brand's eye shelf is built like a small kit, and I find it easier to think of it as steps.

 

Start with the base. Milani's Stay Put Eyeshadow Primer is the quiet one, a step that sits under shadow so color looks even and stays where you put it. I reach for a primer on days that are long, and it makes the whole eye feel organized. Milani's Stay Put 16HR Eyeliner is the line to draw once the lid is ready. The name promises a long wear time, so I keep it for evenings and for days with no chance to touch up.

 

Brows matter more than we admit, so keep Milani's Stay Put Brow Color Pomade in mind. A pomade is a thicker, creamier brow product, and you press it in with a small angled brush for a filled look that stays tidy. Milani's Stay Put Liquid Brow Wax is the lighter way to hold brows in place, and the Highly Rated Lash & Brow Serum is the overnight step.

 

For the line itself, Milani's Stay Put Tank Liquid Eyeliner is the sharper, liquid version, and the Highly Rated Anti-Gravity Waterproof Mascara is the one I would keep for humid days.

 

The All-Inclusive Eye, Cheek & Face Palette from Milani is the travel one, a single pan of color for the whole face when the bag is small. Put it all together and a lashes-first routine takes about five minutes.

Now the fun part, a fair side by side. I like to test mascaras next to each other on a single morning, one wand on each eye, and see what my own lashes say. These are the mascaras from other brands that I would line up against the Milani ones.

 

essence's Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara is a bold, curved-brush formula with a name that tells you the goal: a dramatic look. BABE ORIGINAL's 4Real Mascara is the pick if you like a newer name and a friendly, simple wand.

 

Maybelline's Lash Sensational Sky Tubes Tubing Mascara is the one that sits closest to Milani's tubing formulas, and that makes it a useful test. Put the two on side by side and notice whether the film feels lighter or more flexible, and how each comes off. NYX Professional Makeup's On the Rise Volume Lift Mascara in Black is the volume entry, and it tends to give a bigger, lifted look.

 

Maybelline's Lash Sensational Body Volume, L'Oréal Paris's Telescopic Original, e.l.f.'s Lash 'N Roll and COVERGIRL's Clump Crusher Extension round out the line-up, each a classic drugstore wand to test against Anti-Gravity.

 

I would also add a few more wands from outside the drugstore aisle: SWEED, ILIA and goop Beauty, plus Buxom's waterproof Lash Mascara, Laura Mercier's Caviar Extravagant, Stila's Huge Extreme Lash and Kevyn Aucoin's Indecent. Wear the long-wear ones against Milani's waterproof Anti-Gravity and see which still looks lifted by evening.

 

What I would skip: layering a second mascara over a wet first coat to chase more drama. It usually leaves clumps, and a spoolie or a clean wand does a better job of separating lashes. Skip pumping the wand in and out of the tube too, because it pushes air in and dries the formula.

 

Take notes. Which one felt light, which one held a curl by evening, and which one came off without a fight.

Here is how I would actually choose. Decide what you want first: lift, length, separation or a little drama. Anti-Gravity from Milani is for lift, a tubing formula is for a neat, clean look, and a fanning wand is for width.

 

Apply from the roots, wiggle the wand gently, then sweep to the tips. Do the outer corner last, and let one coat settle before a second.

 

Check the mirror again after lunch. If the curl held and nothing flaked, you have your wand.

 

Then keep it simple. One mascara by the door, one in the bag, and a clean spoolie for the mornings when a wand feels heavy. A short routine you repeat beats a long one you abandon. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Milani Blush and Green Mascara.

If you have wondered about the name, I looked into whether Milani is an Italian brand or a Los Angeles one.

When you want a mascara that slides off with warm water, I compared Milani tubing mascara with the other tubes that do the same.