When it comes to mascara, I’m all about the volume. I’ve been blessed in the curl and length department, but my lashes can look a little anemic at times. Thus, my never ending search for the perfect volumizing mascara.

This month Maybelline is releasing 2 new mascara’s that promise to plump and fatten lashes: XXL Pro Volume and Lash Stilletto Voluptuous. I happened upon both of them at CVS several weeks ago, and snapped them up for review. (I warn you in advance: my eyebrows look a fright in these pics, but they have since been tended to! Lol)

First up, Maybelline XXL Pro Volume mascara. The XXL line of mascaras isn’t new to Maybelline, but they have revamped the line by adding a new collection of XXL mascaras. The new collection has a mascara for pretty much every lash need, but I opted for the Pro Volume version.

Now, I don’t normally go for 2-step mascaras, because they just feel like I’m adding an unnecessary extra step to my beauty routine. I can do my makeup in 5 minutes (without a mirror, it I have to!), and swiping something on my lashes twice is not what’s up. However, I decided to give it a go since it promises to give “up to 11x the volume”.

Step 1 (pictured on the left) is a primer that claims to build lashes, while step-2 (pictured on the right)  gives “intense color”. As you can see from the photos, brushes for the two steps are very different from each other. Step 1′s brush is larger, with fanned out bristles, while step 2′s brush is thin and rather standard. But did these varying formulas and brushes make a difference in my lashes? Not so much.

I think my lashes look pretty darn basic, if you ask me. There isn’t any real volume to speak of, and my lashes look rather clumped together. VERY underwhelming performance from this mascara. In fact, I took this mess back to the store.

This brings us to mascara number two, Maybelline Lash Stilletto Voluptuous.

I heard some pretty positive things about the original Lash Stilleto mascara, so I was curious about the new volumizing version. The brush is curved in an s-shape to give m0re volume, much like Lancôme’s Hypnôse Drama Mascara, but at a much lower price.

To tell you the truth, I really didn’t have big expectations for this mascara. Maybelline mascara’s have never been anything to write home about, in my humble opinion, and I didn’t think Lash Stilletto Voluptuous would be any different. Boy was I wrong!

I was very impressed with this mascara! While I do believe my lashes could have been fatten up some more, I think Lash Stilletto Voluptuous did a very admirable job! I don’t think it lengthened very much (which doesn’t matter much to me), it did give my lashes volume and definition. Pretty good lash fringe for under $10, huh?

In fact, I’ve been using it pretty regularly, and I plan to experiment and use it under L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara (I’ve found that if you use a volumizing mascara under LTEM, you get FAT lashes). I would totally recommend Lash Stilletto Voluptuous as a basic, everyday mascara!

Will you try either of these mascara?

What is your go-to volumizing mascara?

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Amber

Amber M. is the Editor of Brown Bombshell Beauty, and is also a freelance beauty writer and makeup artist. Always online, Amber is an Internet marketing and social media specialist with Web Diva Media, an Internet marketing consultancy. **From time to time, brands and PR firms provide press samples of products for our consideration. These brands are not guaranteed a review on Brown Bombshell Beauty, nor do we accept payment of any kind for our reviews. For more on our disclosure policies, please see our Legal page.**

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