Almay One Coat Multi-Benefit Mascara Review

Last month Husband and I purchased new contacts from Clearly.com and to my pleasant surprise, each contact package came with a free sample of Almay's One Coat Multi-Benefit mascara. While I'm not a big fan of Almay, I'm always up for trying out a new mascara, especially one that promises almost everything.

According to Almay, the "multi benefit formula delivers..." "massive volume, length, definition" and nourishment thanks to the inclusion of keratin as an ingredient. Often a mascara makes you choose between volume or length so I was pleased to see that this product offered both of those qualities.

Unfortunately, it didn't really deliver. Okay, this mascara did add a bit of length but nothing spectacular. And while it did better at providing volume, I wouldn't say that it gave me "massive volume." I did try applying multiple coats (despite the "one coat" name) and while that did add more umph, the level never exceeded appropriate-for-a-conservative-office.

As for definition, well, that depended on the order that I applied the mascara. The lashes on whichever eye was mascara-ed first usually ended up stuck together and clumpy, thanks to this mascara's less-than-ideal formula. But the lashes on the other eye did end up defined, separated and not bad looking (though a little underwhelming due to the lacklustre length and volume).

While this mascara does have a tendency to be gunky, at least on the initial application, I do need to point out that it never left my lashes looking or feeling stiff (so maybe there is something to Almay's claim about including nourishing keratin as an ingredient).

One claim Almay doesn't make about this product is that it has staying power, which is smart because this mascara started shedding within minutes of me applying it. It didn't smear or give me racoon eyes but it also didn't last. By the end of the day, my lashes looked like they'd never experienced mascara.

This product retails for around $10 and for that price, you get typical drugstore mascara packaging. It's nothing fancy or pretty but it does get the product on the lashes. While I tried this mascara out in black, it is available in three colours and in a waterproof option.

Would I buy this product: No.

Should you buy this product: Nah, there are better "drugstore" mascaras that you can buy.