L’Oréal Paris Volume Million Lashes Balm Noir Mascara

I was selected to be part of this trial team, and I am pretty fussy with mascara so I was keen to see how this new product would go on my lashes!

Firstly, the packaging was really simple- black and gold on the box, and the same for the tube. I liked the simple colour scheme and the simple labelling on the mascara itself. The mascara is super easy to open, it’s one of those ones that locks when it’s closed, which makes it really easy to open!

The tube has a good suction, so there isn’t too much product on the wand. The wand itself was easy to use, it is shaped mostly straight and has short silicone spikes (not a brush type applicator), but they were still flexible. The mascara goes on really nicely and smoothly, and I found that it didn’t clump! It also separated my lashes nicely, which I liked! It did add some volume, although not as much as I had expected, and my lashes deflated throughout the day, so this was somewhat disappointing. (Note, I do curl my lashes, they are quite straight). I didn’t find this mascara made my lashes stand out all that much, and it was more of a “natural” look- it didn’t really intensify or amplify them as much as I hoped. After two coats they still looked sort of thinly coated- this was disappointing.

This product is made without silicones, parabens or mineral oils. It claims most of the ingredients are of natural source for eyelash care, which was impressive. The brush is also said to be made from recycled plastic too which is awesome!!

Overall, I didn’t really think this mascara is for me. It did add some volume (not as much as I expected) and did separate my lashes, as the box claims. However, it didn’t really amplify or intensity my lashes. The natural ingredients and recycled plastic is awesome!

I regularly get L’Oreal mascaras from Farmers when I need a new one. My fav formula is the L’Oreal Telescopic Waterproof formula that got discontinued a while back. So to receive this one to review was fantastic as I love trying something new from them.

The mascara packaging is nice. I like that they do quite slim line mascaras - as it annoys me when they are bulky for no reason. The brush for this is a plastic bristle one - rather than a brush type of applicator.

The formula of the mascara is quite dry - so I do wonder how long it is going to last until it gets clumpy and dries out. I did like the drier formula though in that it was easy to apply and not get mascara over the rest of my face. I found it created a nice natural lash - I don’t know About their claim of 7 times more volume though! Hilarious that that claim was only tested on 26 subjects - that doesn’t seem like very many. I really like that the brush was sourced from recycled plastic, although I wonder about why the rest of the packaging wasn’t made from recycled plastic. I found the applicator brush was very good for separating my lashes and was not clumpy at all.

I tend not to repurchase mascaras as there is always something new to try. But I do enjoy the L’Oreal range - and this was no exception.

Firstly, the packaging of this mascara looks great, it's sleek and looks more like a lip product due to the clear tube. I love the brush, it has super fine bristles, which separated and fanned out my lashes very well. The first coat gave a fuller and darker appearance to my lashes, but it still looked natural which I like. The formula feels thinner than other mascaras I've used and I think this along with the fine bristles is why it rarely clumps. There was minor clumping once for me, but I had put it over a dry first layer that time (See tips below). It does take longer to dry than other mascaras in my experience. The second coat gives a much fuller look but I wouldn't say 7x more volume personally. Neither coat made my lashes feel stiff. My lashes aren't naturally curled and don't tend to hold a curl very well. I found that this mascara gave a slight lift to my lashes without a curler, and when I curled my lashes, it did hold most of the curl. I think if the formula dried faster it would hold a curl better. I like the shape of the brush, it was easy to coat all my lashes including my lower lashes without getting mascara everywhere. It lasted all day for me, and didn't irritate my eyes which can be sensitive to eye makeup. I forgot I was wearing it at one point and rubbed my eyes because I had a migraine and it flaked a little. I think drugstore mascara prices are getting really close to some high end brand mascaras, but I do love that the ingredients in this one are 99% natural origin and it is suitable for sensitive eyes. Overall, I really like this mascara and will continue to use it. I might even replace it when I run out.

Okay, so I’m really fussy when it comes to mascara. I spend ages searching for a perfect mascara. My must haves include: length, definition, non clumpy, dark rich black colour. And this mascara has it all! I love the mascara brush too. It separates the lashes while still providing definition and length. Super easy to apply. The mascara formula is smooth and is longer wearing and removes cleanly too. Highly recommend!

After using this product for nearly a week straight, it has out-performed my usual go-to mascara, which I was pleasantly surprised by. The colour is very black, which is exactly what I look for and the consistency is thick and easy to work with, without being overly thick or clumpy. The applicator brush is great and with the right amount of product (it picks up a lot of product and I ended up consistently having to scrape LOTS off to prevent overloading my lashes), but once you've got that right it applies easily and lasts all day. However, despite only applying two thin coats I had a little flaking happening under my eyes, and some rub-off on my orbital bone a few times, nothing major, but I didn't expect that to happen with using such a small amount. It did not perform very well in the gym though, which is kind of to be expected with a mascara that isn't waterproof, but came off very nicely when I use my TO Squalane cleanser. I don't know about the claim of 7x more volume though... how would you even gauge that? It definitely defines the lashes well and didn't clump up for me, but I always do only 2 thin coats, so would be interesting to see the result with more coats I guess. All in all it performed well and make my lashes look amazing, I just had to check for specks from time to time when I went to the bathroom.

Finding a mascara that glides on smoothly, lasts all day and has minimal clumping is hard to find, but this product did just that for me! The mascara didn't overload itself on the brush and there wasn't an excess of it going onto my lashes. This made it easy to control how much I wanted to use and it went on really smoothly. I found one swipe to be enough, especially for the daytime, but could easily apply a second coat if I wanted a more dramatic look. I only noticed one or two minor instances of clumping, but this was easy to remedy and was still a lot better than some other products I've used in the past. The price is fairly reasonable for a good quality mascara, and I expect it to last a while too. I would definitely repurchase this mascara again, and the thought of it having lash-nourishing ingredients in it is comforting!

The consistency is really nice, and it goes onto lashes easily. The built-in wiper works well to remove excess off the brush except the tip, so if you use the tip to get into corners be prepared with a lash comb to remove excess product.

It didn't smell of much which is nice and it didn't irritate my sensitive eyes. I didn't test it with contacts so I can't say if it works well with them.

It stayed put pretty well through the day with no panda eyes, although there was some flaking that I had to wipe off. It removes pretty well at the end of the day with just cleanser, minimal panda eyes the next day.

Pros: Easy to apply and remove Separates lashes really well Stays put without panda eyes No fragrance or irritation

Cons: Doesn't provide masses of volume Flakes a bit

As an avid fan of the higher end mascara products, I was definitely super sceptical of this product from L'Oreal, as I am admittedly a bit of a brand snob sometimes.

However, this little number really surprised me! I really liked the flexibility and design of the wand, you'll be hard-pressed to have clumpy lashes with this wand. Moreover, the formula of the product is really smooth, silky and applies beautifully. I have naturally really long eyelashes and will always curl before application but this mascara makes it look almost like I've had a natural set of eyelash extensions (yes, it's that good). I usually wipe the end of the wand out of habit but with this product, you really don't need to do that (the claims are mostly true).

I think that when you consider the price point as well, this product really outdoes itself. It beats its more expensive counterparts and if you're on the hunt for a wallet-friendly mascara that really does add length to your lashes, this is your pick.

The only thing I will say it doesn't do as much is creating excessive fullness. However, this isn't something I personally mind as I'm a huge fan of adding lashes on top to achieve that effect.

I generally struggle with finding eye make up that will suit my sensitive eyes. I was excited to trial L'Oréal Paris Volume Million Lashes Balm Noir Mascara for that very reason and also because it has 99% natural origin ingredients.

The package and tube is like a typical mascara.

I loved that it was easy to apply, it just glided on and did not clump.

I got just the right amount on and instantly volumized my lashes.

I like that it's fragrance-free and after having it on all-day , it did not cause my eyes any irritation. It was quick and easy to remove at the end of the day.

I would definitely recommend it and purchase it again, it certainly gave my eyes a pop and perked up my face.