Belvada sliding mascara - fad or fantastic?

I spend too much time in Boots. I know the aisles off by heart. Sad, but true - it's my mecca and I worship there most days on the way home from work or at lunchtime. So when something new turns up there, I tend to notice right away.

I was curious to see a fixture full of a new brand of mascara, Belvada, sitting atop of one of the display shelves. Clocking the £20 price tag I decided it must be either a cult brand or something of exceptional quality. (Or it could be both, of course.) Sadly I lack the disposable income to pick one up to try out offhand, but I resolved to find out more about it.

Belvada is a brand with a unique selling point - their packaging, which exposes the product for use via a sliding mechanism on the handle. It's one-handed application. Great for people with disabilities, but is this strictly an improvement on the standard unscrew-pull out-apply mascara system? Well, the company seem to think so, since they have a patent pending for their design.

Belvada's website claims that "this unique one hand applicator will change the way you use mascara forever", citing the following as evidence:

• One Hand Application
• Mascara Loads Uniquely from Tip to Bottom
• Greater Stability and Control
• Optimum Volume
• No Pumping Necessary

Hmm. Without trying it myself I don't feel able to give a verdict, but on the strength of these claims I'm not wholly convinced. I'm interested in the tip-to-bottom loading though, and whether it makes a difference to have the brush pushed through the product rather than dipped into it.

I found some more information at Packaging Design, where I learned that the packaging has a "double-wiper system" to prevent overloading which can lead to clumps. It also seals air away from the product to keep it from drying out. That does sound good. But £20 worth of good? Bear in mind that we're advised to keep mascara for just 3 months anyway, so drying out shouldn't be that much of an issue if we follow that timeframe.

Belvada also make concealer and lipgloss with the same push-up mechanism, presumably with a similar pricetag. At the moment you can buy the mascara in the UK at Boots, priced at £20.

Has anyone else tried Belvada mascara? Please let us know your thoughts if you have.