Drugstore Mascara Roundup: Rimmel, Maybelline and L’Oréal

Over the past few months, I have been trying out loads of new drugstore mascaras because I had not really branched out from my favorite Maybelline ones. Today, I thought I’d round up the most recent three and give you mini reviews of each. I’m not one to wax poetic about mascaras (maybe if I find THE ONE) so I think this format might be more useful than doing individual reviews. Let’s get into it shall we?

First we have the Rimmel Wonder’Lash Lift Me Up Mascara, a lovely option for natural looking lashes. It gives nice volume and quite a bit of length for defined lashes that are fluttery. Because the formula is quite wet to begin with, I found it got better with time as it got drier. One thing I have to say however is that it is quite heavily fragranced with a cucumber scent so you might want to think about it if you have very sensitive eyes (I didn’t have a problem with it though). Overall, a really decent offering from Rimmel at a super affordable price. 

Next we have one of the most recent launches, the Maybelline The Falsies Push Up DramaMascara. Sadly I didn’t get on with this one, the formula was very heavy and dry, but at the same time it was also quite goopy and made my lashes clump together. The really short bristles of the brush did not help either so I was left with clumped lashes, no added length or definition. It also really weighed down my lashes, they couldn’t hold a curl. I was very disappointed by The Falsies Push Up Drama (a shame since Maybelline usually makes such great mascaras) and I suggested you go for the The Falsies Flared or the Mega Plush, both are really great.

Lastly I have the L’Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara, I have been looking at this for years but never picked it up for some reason. Similarly to the Rimmel one, the formula starts off quite wet (typical with L’Oréal mascaras) and it really gets better once it’s dried a little. The brush is great at offering maximum definition and combined with the length-boosting formula, it gives you really great lashes. Even though you won’t get a lot of volume out of this one, it still looks like you have a lot of lashes because of the very defining brush. Another great option from L’Oréal and I might actually try more from the Million Lashes range soon.

I hope you have enjoyed this insight into my most recent mascara buys and have found it helpful. All the products mentioned are available from the drugstore and any store that stocks the brands. 

Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl

Who does not love a good mascara? I personally think the drugstore has loads of great offerings, but like everyone else I feel the appeal of high-end mascaras with their beautiful packaging and compelling ads. That being said I always feel a bit guilty spending a lot on mascara, see my eyes are very sensitive so I can rarely finish a tube and obviously no one likes to throw away something you spent good money on. This is why I love buying minis from Sephora or getting samples from my favorite counters. As you might know, Dior is my favorite luxury brand so I was beyond excited when I received a mini Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara as part of a gift with purchase.

The original Diorshow Iconic is a favorite mascara of mine and I love curved mascara brush, making the Overcurl version a must try on my list. The combination of the brush and formula is supposed to give great volume and really curl your lashes. The formula is on the drier side which I love, it makes applying it to finer lashes super easy and the black color is nicely pigmented. The curved brush really follows the contour of your eyes, so it really helps define them by separating every lash and the application is easy.

Now for the results, I got lots of volume with this and because the formula is drier the volume looks like your lashes are naturally bigger instead of giving you a wet clumpy look. As for the curling power, it does initially lift your lashes but the effect did not last for long on me. By the end of the day the curl had dropped, but the volume was still present and helped keep my eyes defined. I think my lashes might be too fine for the formula, but if you have thicker lashes or can handle slightly heavier mascaras I think you might like this. The volume you get is impressive enough so I would give it a try if the opportunity comes up or if you can get a mini tube.

The Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara is available from any Dior counter, the Dior website,  Sephora and Feelunique. 

Lancôme Définicils Mascara

When it comes to high-end mascaras, Lancôme is often considered the top brand. Years ago, I used the Lancôme Définicils mascara and loved it, so I when I received a sample of it around Christmas I thought it’d be great to revisit this cult favorite and see how I got on with it.

Définicils claims to provide length and definition with the help of a brush that helps separate every lash. I really enjoyed the size of the brush, it’s on the smaller side and really helps separate and define all of your lashes because you can really get it close to the roots. So in terms of definition, this is definitely a winner, but it does have shortcomings. I didn’t get much length at all from the formula, my lashes just looked very natural with added definition and color. This isn’t bad a thing, your lashes will look pretty but I was expecting a bit more from it. Définicils doesn’t claim to offer any volume and you don’t get any from this mascara, however since your lashes are really well separated, you still get great definition around your eyes.

I have to say this mascara did not live up to my memories. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a nice product that offers a really nice natural look, but I’m not sure I would want to repurchase it when taking its expensive price into account. Nonetheless, if definition is what you seek I would recommend going to a Lancôme counter and asking for a sample before you take the plunge.

You can get the Lancôme Définicils from any Lancôme counter, online and from Sephora for about 32$

Maybelline The Falsies Flared Mascara

The Maybelline The Falsies is quite a talked about drugstore mascara and I wanted to share my thoughts on the flared version with you today. I personally love Maybelline mascaras, they always offer great results at a great price and they usually perform as well as (if not better than) high end mascaras.

Maybelline The Falsies Flared promises volume and flared out lashes to increase the appearance of your lashes. I found that the formula gave me great volume, very decent length and coated each lash with very black pigment. The curved brush fanned out my lashes and it helped them hold a curl nicely all day long. The overall effect was an opened eye look that’s not too dramatic and actually makes it look like you have naturally amazing lashes. Don’t worry though, it gives enough drama to work for both day and night.

You can find the Maybelline The Falsies Flared mascara in any drugstore and it is quite affordable, being priced at around 7$.