3x mascara: Make Up Studio, Rimmel, Maybelline

Mascara is one of the most frequently bought make up items. Even if you’re not into make up, chances are that you are using a mascara. Since it is the number one beauty product, brands go absolutely crazy thinking up new formulas and brushes and as a consumer you’re left to wonder: which one should I get? Today I hope to answer that question in part, as I’m reviewing 3 different mascaras: Make Up Studio 4D False Lash Original, Rimmel Wonder’Full Wake Me Up extreme black mascara and Maybelline Volum’ Express The Rocket.

Make Up Studio 4D False Lash Original
Rimmel Wonder’Full Wake Me Up extreme black mascara
Maybelline Volum’ Express The Rocket

None of the mascaras I’m reviewing are brand new per se, but these are all still on sale and hence part of the mascara offerings. There is one more higher end mascara and two drugstore ones. Two of these I received in a goodie bag and one I bought myself. I gave each mascara a fair shot: before this review went up, I had either finished the or used them for at least 3 weeks. Just to make sure these mascaras were tested under numerous circumstances and conditions.

Make Up Studio 4D False Lash Original

The first one I tried was this one by Make Up Studio. This is a Dutch brand that caters to a mid range price tag. Prices are similar to MAC and this mascara retails for €19.90. The brush on this is a not too big, neither too small rubber bristled brush. It consists of both shorter and longer bristles for adding length and volume at the twist of your hand. This mascara promises to be deep black while giving your lashes volume, length, curl and separation in one go. In short, it should be the perfect mascara and a good allrounder.

Left: nothing on my lashes
Right: Make Up Studio 4D False Lash Original

This mascara is indeed jet black and the texture isn’t too wet, but mostly creamy. The product latches onto my lashes nicely and the brush is easy to work with. It took some getting used to as it is quite small compared to most mascaras on the market, but this worked very nicely for me. As you can see in the pictures above, this mascara gives a nice curl, clearly defined lashes and a decent amount of length. Personally, I didn’t find this to be the most volumizing mascara, but I liked how it automatically lifted my lashes, which made for a quick and easy eye lift all in one go.

Rimmel Wonder’Full Wake Me Up extreme black mascara

The second mascara by Rimmel is a slightly more affordable mascara but at €13.99 it isn’t that much cheaper. The brush on this is massive and has interesting curved edge to it. The bristles are most like the traditional mascara spooly of the bunch. This mascara promises to add volume to your lashes while remaining clump free and giving some extra length. What is special about this one, is that it contains vitamins and cucumber extract to condition your lashes at the same time.

Left: nothing
Right: Rimmel Wonder’Full Wake Me Up extreme black mascara

First of all, this mascara isn’t super duper black. Mostly because of the wet formula, I felt the color on this wasn’t too intense. It adds length and volume and makes my lashes look fuller without making my lashes clump together. This mascara has two major downsides to it. The staying power of this is next to nothing. It stamped my lid in the pictures above and after a full day of wear this would look smudgy and smeared, especially on the lower lashes. What was worst however, was the awful, cucumber smell. I’m sure it was intended to make your mascara smell fresh, but after a few weeks of use, it just made me feel nauseous every time I used it.

Maybelline Volum’ Express The Rocket

Finally, there is the mascara I am currently using. Maybelline is one of my favorite mascara brands, I love their Falsies Flared mascara and this is one I loved before. I just hadn’t used it in a long time, which is why I decided to pick this one up again. At €14.49, this is again quite out there, but Maybelline is on sale often, which is why you never have to pay full price for this. What this mascara promises to do mostly is to give you tons and tons of volume, while being clump free.

Left: nothing
Right: Maybelline Volum’ Express The Rocket

Well entirely clump free? Not really, I find this mascara does stick my lashes together. The brush on this is quite big and spiky and when I first started using this, it kind of hurt. That was just me using it the wrong way though. Once I got the hang of it, it went on like a dream. This mascara gives plenty of volume, but not so much length. My lashes do look fuller and more curled with this, and that is personally my favorite sort of lash look. I find this wears all day long and can be quite hard to remove, despite this not even being waterproof. I guess that has to do with the formula: it is a rather thick and creamy and this is one of those mascaras that works best after it’s been open for a little while.

Top left: nothing
Top right: Rimmel
Bottom left: Make up Studio
Bottom right: Maybelline

On to a side-by-side comparison of all three mascaras. If you just go by these pictures, then the Rimmel Wake Me Up mascara would come out on top. It makes my lashes look the best of all three, but because of its horrendous smell and ditto staying power this ended up being my least favorite of the three. In fact, I used this for a few weeks to test it out and then tossed it. My favorite here has to be the Make Up Studio one. It is similar to Maybelline’s The Rocket and while I like the effect that gives me, I much prefer the slightly more lifted and defined effect of the Make Up Studio 4D False Lash Original.

What is your favorite mascara brand?