Why travel size mascara is better than the full-sized version

Ain't just an old wives tale

Let me let you into a little secret: I use a travel size mascara on a daily basis, not just when I'm abroad. I happened to buy a couple from Bobbi Brown (the best mascara makers IMO) ahead of my holiday last year, but they've lasted and lasted long after I went on the trip.

Shop now: Bobbi Brown Travel Size Smokey Eye Mascara for £9.99 from lookincredible.co.uk

After stumbling on this Reddit thread, it became clear that I'm not alone in preferring a pint sized version of the best mascara or waterproof mascara – and I'm convinced it's a change I'll stick to.

In a thread titled 'I feel stupid for asking this', user ZiggityStarlust sought answers as to whether she was crazy for thinking that the travel version of her favourite mascara was better than the full product.

'Could someone please tell me I love the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara when it comes in a DS tube, but the full size seems like a totally different product?' she wrote. 'It seems drier than the DS and doesn't seem to separate my lashes the same.'

Shop now: Too Faced Better Than Sex Travel Mascara for £10 from Debenhams

'I've used about 6 of the DS tubes and finally in and bought a full size during the VIB sale and I'm having all kinds of regrets,' she added.

It's not just a coincidence, people. There are a number of reasons why you seem to get on better with a smaller, travel size mascara. First off, the tube size means that less air can get in with your mascara; as one user points out, 'Travel sizes tend to last about as long as the product is good, which keeps it from getting to that awful, dried-out state.'

Because the smaller mascaras are less prone to drying out, they can last just as long as your full-sized version – and often they'll cost about half the price.

Meanwhile some think that the brushes are totally different on some travel mascaras. 'Generally the brush on sample mascaras is smaller and more maneuverable than the full size [sic]', another user wrote. And of course, the wand is far shorter on your travel size mascara than its full-sized counterpart.

Convinced? Trust me when I say you'll never look back once you make the switch to travel size mascara.