In my search for the perfect mascara, I stumbled across Maybelline Volum’ Express waterproof mascara, as well as Maybelline Full ‘N Soft waterproof mascara. I didn’t know which to get at the time, so I bought both. I tried the Volum’ Express mascara first. It was okay, but nothing to brag about. The next day I used the Full ‘N Soft mascara. I loved it. So I put the Volum’ Express aside for the time being, and continued to use the Full ‘N Soft mascara. After I used up the Full 'N Soft, I was ready to buy another tube, but I decided I’d try the Volum’ Express one more time.

The Container

You can’t miss this mascara. It comes in a fat little tube that is slightly tapered on each end. The waterproof tube is gray. The washable kind comes in a navy blue tube. One might think it would hold more mascara since the container is fatter than most, but it only holds .34 fl. oz. How does that compare? Maybelline Great Lash waterproof mascara has .43 oz. That’s not a lot more, but the looks are deceiving.

The wand is fairly short. The brush is thin considering how hefty the tube is. The brush is long. It’s longer than most brushes I’ve seen. It’s supposed to have multi-level bristles to help prevent clumping. Personally, I didn’t notice anything spectacular about this brush.


What it’s supposed to do

It says on the package Up to TRIPLE the VOLUME instantly That caught my attention since my lashes are pretty thin. It obviously fattened up this tube, so why not my lashes? The “volume building waterproof formula” is supposed to give triple the volume in ONE stroke with no clumps or globs.

What it actually does

One stroke of this mascara did NOT provide triple the volume for me. It provided what I would consider negative volume in a mascara. I applied a couple more coats, and it started looking better. After about 5 coats it made my lashes look full and a even little longer. (Some days it took more than 5.) I didn’t have any problems with clumps or globs. The lower lashes, however, were a different story. Some people don’t even use mascara on their lower lashes. In addition to being fairly short and sparse, my lashes are also light in color. I have to wear mascara on the lower lashes so they will be seen. When I applied this to my lower lashes, they did not get fuller. It was all I could do to get them covered with this mascara. I finally just used a different type of mascara on the bottom lashes.

I used this mascara for about a week. The last night I used this mascara, I noticed my lashes in the mirror just before I got ready for bed. My lashes were actually noticeable! I looked closer in the mirror, and was very pleased with the mascara. It had lasted all day, and my lashes looked fuller than ever. Too bad I had to wash it off.

Would I buy this mascara again?

I was not real thrilled with having to apply so many coats of a mascara that claims to do the job in 1 coat. I also was not too happy with the way it looked on my lower lashes. However, if I was out of Full ’N Soft waterproof mascara, desperate for mascara, and Full ’N Soft wasn’t available; I’d buy this mascara again.

Would I recommend it?

Not everyone is looking for the same thing in a mascara. It seems like this mascara would be better suited to someone with longer, thicker lashes, but that person wouldn‘t need it. Overall, it’s a pretty good product. It was only $3.99 at Target, so it’s worth a try.







Recommended: Yes