I've usually found Maybelline mascara to be a solid, affordable option. This is a really great offering from them.
I received this to trial in shade 223: blackest black. Despite being white haired, I still have black lashes and so this was great.
Packaging wise, I don't like the gold colour at all (personal preference, I think it's tacky) but I love the fat tube because it instantly makes you think 'Cool this has some oomph to it'. I'm actually used to mini mascaras, because I bin them strictly every three months, so it did take a little getting used to the bigger tube, but I love it now.
The wand is long, with a curiously conical handle. This actually fits nicely into the hand. The wand has a couple of bulges on it - not sure what these are for, but they're there! The applicator has wider parts at one end and a narrower tip, which makes it easy to apply well on the different lash lengths we each have.
The product is jet black, as promised, with a mid-thickness formula that - so far - hasn't clumped or bled on my eyes at all.
Application isn't QUITE as straightforward as the 'one coat is all you need' claim - it very much reads as 'swipe once and you're good' but you do actually need to do a proper COAT, ie wiggle the brush, make sure the lashes are coated etc. It applies no differently than other mascaras in that sense, but when that first coat is on you can see the effect.
I have naturally long lashes and this still amplifies them, giving extra length, volume and definition.
By the end of the day it's not flaking or bleeding off, yet wipes away easily with my oil cleanser.
I'm not one to buy full sized mascara but if I were, I'd definitely repurchase this.
I didn’t like this mascara. The wand was too big for my personal preference and didn’t apply evenly. I found it felt way too heavy on my lashes and unlike my preferred mascara I noticed I was wearing this one from its heavy formula.
Tips: Maybe try using this mascara with a different application wand if the formula is to your liking.