What is it? Maybelline's Intense XXL Mascara Volume + Length Microfiber Mascara "is a 2-step mascara designed to lengthen your lashes up to 40%. Begin with the microfiber basecoat to lengthen your lashes, then follow with the richly colored microfiber topcoat to color your lashes and increase volume. Contact lens safe. Ophthalmologist tested." Available at drugstores for about $7.50.What did you think? I recently wrote a post about how eyelash primers. In that post, I said I don't think primers are 100% necessary and that they just add another, somewhat unnecessary step to the makeup process. I stand by that claim. So it was with some apprehension and a tiny bit of eye-rolling that I tried out Maybelline's Intense XXL Mascara.
Maybelline's Intense XXL Mascara is a double-ended tube: one side is the white primer (step 1); the other side is the mascara (step 2). I tried using both steps, ending up with very long, very lush looking lashes. I also tried the mascara by itself, without using the primer, and found my lashes equally dazzling. This mascara does what all mascaras should: it provides both long lashes and fuller, thicker, darker lashes. I was expecting to be dissatisfied with this product simply because of the addition of the primer, so I was shocked to find myself doing a double take at my lashes throughout the day. Yes, they did look that good!
Final verdict? For less than $10, my lashes looked amazing. For that reason alone, I love this product. However, I still believe that an eyelash primer is a waste of time and product space. Maybelline should just double up on the amount of mascara and take away the primer...then they'd have a darn near perfect product on their hands. Still, though...if you want you lashes to look beautiful, this is the product for you. I stand strong in my belief that for a drugstore brand, you can't beat Maybelline in the mascara department.
