The universe of mascaras is infinite. It is probably the most used product even by people who don’t regularly wear makeup. If you make a poll, most would say it is the only product they would choose if they had to live forever with only one makeup item. It lifts the lashes, framing the eyes, giving luminosity to the iris. The L’Oréal Telescopic mascara has been one of my favorites ever since the launch. No matter what, I always have a spare one in my makeup drawer. I can try every time a new one and I still come back to this iconic mascara. The first Telescopic was launched in 2005 and the latest version, which I am comparing the OG to in 2025 which is the Extensionist version. You will notice more differences than similarities between the two products.
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After making this comparison and really entering the small details, I know how each one performs and they both stay as my favorites, just to use for different looks.
L'Oréal Telescopic OG
I will start with the OG Telescopic mascara and when I will talk about the Extensionist one, you will see exactly how each one performs and why I think these two are the most iconic mascaras from the brand
The OG Telescopic mascara comes nowadays in 3 shades, plus a waterproof must-have version:
Black Noir
Black Brown
Blackest Black
I had my fair time of play with brown mascaras and the best one to use for my hair tone and lashes is the black one actually, because it emphasizes the color of my eyes and makes my lashes more visible and voluminous. The waterproof version of the OG mascara comes in a blue packaging, but I never tried it, as I believe it’s more for events and I don’t enjoy the hassle of taking it down at the end of the day. The OG Telescopic Washable mascara comes in a already very recognizable metallic gold tube, in a lengthy conic shape.
Did I mention it is a drugstore product? That means it is widely available and also at a decent price, although it will not cost 2 dollars, but more towards the 15 dollars bar, now in 2026. The OG washable formula promises longer lashes, suitability for sensitive yes, 24hr wear. About the 24 hours wear claim I can say that it does stay on your lashes, but the overall look of the eye is no longer so intense after 6-8 hours. Although you will not have fallout, it feels like the intensity of the lash color fades and the volume also is not as high as in the beginning. It’s like after 8-10 the mascara gets tired, just like us:)). The mascara doesn’t smear around the eye area, so it lives up to the expectations and will not fail you. If you have some natural lash length, the mascara will make them stand out. For me, that I also have a natural curled las, it enhances this curl and keeps it for the whole wear time, but if your lashes are stubborn straight, it won’t do too much on this part.
My eyes don’t sting and don’t water during the use. I do have very sensitive eyes, so strong light or wind will make my eyes water, but not the mascara itself. in fact, with all these tears, the mascara stays in place and doesn’t run underneath the eyes.
Can we talk about the brush? I think it’s one of the most important aspects when it comes to a mascara. The OG Telescopic brought innovation when it first launched. The applicator is a flexible, precision elastomer brush that has a main purpose to rather lengthen and after volumize the lashes. This is not a “spidery” lash look mascara, although you can build it up to some level that it can become clumpy, but this is not the look I would go after. I like long, curled, separated, natural (not spikey) looking lashes, but defined. There is a comb side of the brush that will separate the lashes for this purpose specifically.
I like the fact that I can use the mascara from the first time opening it, because the formula is not too watery like it happens with many other mascaras. A little tip I’ve learned from some very well-known makeup artist is that, if you want your lashes to look fuller, you need to line in between the lashes with a gel liner or just dark eyeshadow and then apply mascara. It makes a huge difference. The mascara will wash away at the end of the day with my normal double cleanse method( step one cleansing balm+ step two cleanser). For a simple skincare nighttime routine, read my blog post HERE. There are only a few steps you need to follow and it will make your evening routine much shorter and efficient. The only thing you need is switching products according to your skin needs.
L'Oreal Telescopic Extensionist
