When I first heard about this revolutionary new Mega Effects mascara from Avon, I was filled with a rush of excitement that only a make-up junkie could comprehend! I was thrilled to be chosen as one of the first ladies in SA to try out this brand new take on the daily make-up staple; mascara.

Open up the box and the first thing you'll notice is that it comes with instructions. Yep - for mascara...who would've thought?! Don't do what I did and ignore them - save yourself the hassle and read their "how-to" leaflet :)

It's pretty simple actually - remove the pink lid and hold the pink handle, gently wiggling the wand from side to side to get it out the tube. Got it. Step 1 down, now to apply it...

I honestly thought the application would be much easier than what it was. My first encounter with this cool, modern-looking mascara wand was tricky and a bit frustrating, though I'm sure with practice it gets easier.

What did I love about it?
* First things first, the hot-pink & black packaging is stunning - great colour choice and the design is amazingly sleek and compact
* You can bend the handle of the wand to get the most comfortable angle for application
* The brush fits well and comfortably along the lashes and their natural shape
* I'm always looking for the blackest black mascara I can find, because often your regular black mascaras end up looking a bit grey in the light - the AVON Mega Effects lives up to its promise!
* It did not flake, crumble or smudge once during the day! :)
* It didn't irritate my usually sensitive eyes
* It doesn't clump

What I didn't enjoy about it:
* It was difficult to apply and definitely requires some time and a bit of practice to master
* Even though you can bend the handle to fit comfortably, it all felt quite awkward and unnatural - I guess that's just because the design is just so new and different to the regular wand I'm used to holding
* The application was quite messy, despite trying to be careful I had to clean up a bit around the lashline on my top eyelid
* Although it lengthened my lashes nicely, it didn't provide the volume it promised or that I really want from a mascara (even after applying 2-3 coats).

With it's eye-catching design and unique concept, along with a friendly price-tag of R99.95 (on www.avon.co.za) I definitely think this product is going to be a big hit!

Overall I say well done to AVON for making history with their creative and out-of-the-box idea and, of course, thank you to Beauty Bulletin for selecting me to test and review the product.