Mascara Review: L'Oreal Paris Voluminous x5

Ok, I know I might be quite late on this one. 

The L'Oreal Voluminous mascara is a mascara that I've heard talked about in blogosphere for a while. Actually, to be honest, it is a mascara that I've heard raved about in blogosphere. A lot. So obviously at some point, I was going to have to try it out and well, now I have!

I've been wearing this mascara daily for over a fortnight now and I thought I might as well type my thoughts out here. . .

Firstly, the packaging is sleek and classic. This is a mascara that looks like a mascara with simple, subtle gold and black colouring and branding. Both the casing and the wand are conventional, simple, light and portable. Basically, it looks like a mascara that will probably do it's job.

Promising!

Also, the wand is simple and flaff-free to use. I found it very easy to use this wand compared with the one in the Bourjois, Fan-tastic mascara and some of the heavier wands that I have recently used. It was easy to get in to the lash and pull the mascara through the length of the lashes with the L'Oreal Voluminous wand.

My mascara claims to be extra black and volume building (x5) with no clumping. Well, there is certainly no large clumps and I like how this mascara seemed to separate and define each lash. I'm not sure how much blacker then black, extra black can be (though I always pick up the Extra/ Very black shades of mascara) but yes, there is no doubt that this mascara is black and makes my lashes look so. If we zoom in and focus just on the lashes then my actual finished lash line looks really tidy and groomed. My lashes probably also look ever so slightly longer.

Without mascara

With one layer of L'Oreal Paris Voluminous


With two layers of L'Oreal Paris Voluminous 

However, I do not think that this mascara volumises my lashes x5, if at all. In fact, although done tidily, the definition this mascara gives, actually highlights the gaps in my lashes. Even when I try to layer this mascara, there is not much difference between two layers and four. I would say that this mascara reminds me a lot the Lash Extension one from Max Factor except for one thing, my bug bear, the smudging a while after the mascara has been applied, just below the eye. I can be driving in my car a hour or two after make up application and suddenly see an inky smudge below my eye that was not there on my last mirror check. This mascara never seems to completely dry and I can't understand why it smudges so but doesn't clump much maybe because I'm using glasses for driving again?!!

Finished look! Note: I would not use this mascara on bottom lashes, too inky!

All in all, I would say this L'Oreal Mascara sits at a great price mark (around £8-10) and would be great for work and day to day use as long as you carry a little mirror around with you but it is not one that I would recommend for those occasions when excess lash action is required. For that, stick to L'Oreal, Volume Million Lashes!

Mascaras; perfumes and bags, these are my things. What mascara are you using? What mascara do you recommend? I'm not sure I've ever used a Maybelline one but know Tanya Burr is a fan, do you rate their mascaras?

I hope the week is going ok for you all!