I’ve been using L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black for years now. The price (<$10) is nice, I love the brush, and it works well for my needs. Although I try other things occasionally, nothing has convinced me to stray.
A (temporary) Choice
Last time I needed to repurchase, though, Target was out of the Carbon Black (black tube) variety I typically go for. I settled for Blackest Black (gold tube) and called it a day.
The Difference
I’ve been using L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara Blackest Black since about November, now. Overall, the shade isn’t as dark as Carbon Black. It’s far from a crisis and literally no one but me notices. I’m not unhappy with it, but it isn’t quite the same.
I find that the classic L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara formula does not lengthen (or appear to lengthen) my lashes as effectively as the Carbon Black formula does. It does give some slightly-enhanced fullness, but fullness isn’t a concern for me right now.
The Impact of Pigment
You can tell that Blackest Black is the same base formula as Carbon Black. Interestingly enough the bit of extra pigment in Carbon Black doesn’t only make the (obvious) difference in shade, but it influences how the product ages. The stability of the Carbon Black variety seems to be better over time (and exposure to the conditions I expose it to).
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, Telescopic Carbon Black is still my mascara of choice. The classic Telescopic formula is nothing to cough at, but I’d prefer to buy what I like.