When it comes to makeup products I use on the daily, mascara is always near the top of the list. Even if I feel like doing the bare minimum, a few coats of mascara always make me feel a little bit more pulled together. That being said, I'm pretty ruthless about the types of mascaras I'll use. I want something that will give me blacker than black, pumped up lashes that isn't going to flake, smudge, or make me look like a raccoon at the end of the day. And with my stockpile of products to test and try, if a formula doesn't deliver, I'm not going to waste my time with it.
Up until the last month or so I'd gone back to using my trusty Maybelline Lash Sensational, which you all are probably sick of me talking about at this point (it's just so good, forgive me). And then I got some amazing news. Influenster was going to be sending me the Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara to test out! I'd never tried a Marc Jacobs product before, although I've made googley eyes at their displays for quite some time now, and what better place to start than with one of my most tested beauty staples? I had high hopes and high standards for this mascara to live up to, and had my fingers crossed that it would be every bit as amazing as it sounded.
So I'm just going to come out and say it. This mascara flippin rocks. I was totally impressed from the very first use and have pretty much been using it non stop since I started.
First, let's talk packaging. As one would expect from a style icon like Marc Jacobs, the design is chic and sophisticated. My only complaint is that it's slightly bulky, which means taking up more space inside your makeup bag or on your vanity. I think the hexagonal shape is really unique, but I would have appreciated if the tube was ever so slightly slimmer.
Then there's the brush. If there's one thing that I think can make or break a mascara for me, it's the brush. This one, though, is seriously awesome. It's got a slight hourglass shape, which makes it incredibly easy to pump up your lashes at the center of the eye, while still getting all the tiny lashes at the inner and outer corners. It uses natural bristles (versus the plastic-y ones) and deposits just the right amount of product. I also find that it combs through the lashes fairly well, which helps to prevent clumping at the tips.
And then, of course, is the formula itself. This mascara is deeply black in pigmentation, and creates beautiful, buildable volume. It's slightly prone to clumping, as it's quite thick in texture, however the brush makes it pretty easy to comb and separate out the lashes so that they don't end up looking spidery. While you'll get quite a bit of length, definition, and volume with this mascara, the only thing it doesn't really deliver is a natural curl. If your someone whose lashes are fairly straight, I would highly recommend curling them with an eyelash curler before applying this mascara to get the best finish.
I personally have pretty fine, straight lashes with a slight natural curl. Here's a before and after shot so you can see exactly what this mascara does for me.
I honestly really love the way this mascara makes my lashes look, and how easy it is to apply. It also holds up really well throughout the day, with very minimal flaking or smudging. That being said, this is not a waterproof formula, so if you're rubbing your eyes, or they start watering, its more likely that you'll notice a tiny bit of black underneath them.
If you want to get your hands on your own Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara you can find it on the shelves at your local Sephora. It retails for $26, which is about average for a high end mascara. Normally I stick to more budget friendly options, so a pricey formula really has to impress for me to be willing to shell out the extra cash. However, I think this is one of the more memorable products I've tried in a while, and would definitely consider repurchasing it in the future!
What's your favorite mascara?
*This product was sent to me complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes, however all opinions expressed are my own. This post contains Sephora affiliate links. For more information regarding my affiliations and disclosures, click here.
