Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara

Maybelline claims that its new mascara adds “4mm of measurable extensions” due to its use of “fiber extensions.”It’s quite a lofty claim and one that I was eager to put to the test.

So did Maybelline pass that test? What do you think? Do beauty products usually live up to the impressive claims that are dropped in advertisements? Of course not.

Any “4 mm” of length that my lashes gained from this product was purely accidental. Yes, this mascara does coat your lashes in fibres but the fibres generally didn’t end up attached to the tips of my lashes. Instead, they tended to attached themselves to the upper third of the lash, which did result in a bit of length, though nothing special.

 By playing around with this product, I was able to figure out a way to maximize its lengthening powers. I would apply one coat from root to tip and then apply a second, and sometimes third coat, but just to the ends of my lashes. This method resulted in more fibers sticking to their tips and took this mascara from being a mediocre product to one that visibly perked up my lashes and “opened” my eyes.  

Playing around with this mascara also taught me that it will not at all help you if lash volume is your issue. Applying more than two coats got clumpy fast and never did actually fatten up lashes. However, I did discover that pairing this item with a good volumizing mascara could result in more dramatic eyes that almost were worthy of this product’s “illegal” name.

One thing I did quite like about this mascara was that it was very smudge resistant. It also didn’t flake all over my face as the day progressed, which surprised me considering that the formula does contain visible fibers. But, when it was time to come off, it did wash off with just warm water and my regular cleanser; no need for an eye makeup remover even though I was wearing the waterproof version.

If you’re someone with naturally thick lashes, who’s looking for a smudge-resistant mascara that’s going to give you a daytime-appropriate boost, you may very well want to check this product out. At around $10, the price is certainly right. But you’re anyone else, pass on this. There are too many other mascara options out there to settle for this one.

Would I buy this again: No.
Should you buy it: Probably not.