L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara

As far as drugstore mascaras go, L'Oreal and Maybelline are sort of my go-to's. Since L'Oreal's Voluminous has been one of my favorite drugstore mascaras, I decided to try Volume Collagen, which is like an amped-up version of Voluminous.

It was not originally offered in the U.S., and I got my first tube from my dear friend Aurelie (thank you!) L'Oreal claims that this gives up to 12X the volume, and that it also moisturizes and cares for the lashes.

Packaging/Brush

The packaging of this is quite elegant. It is a sleek, black plastic tube that is quite substantial. It is a bit wider/thicker than a regular mascara -- similar to the fat tube of Cover Girl Lashblast (except much chicer) and has a large teddy bear brush. The brush is thick and cushy -- almost the size of Benefit Bad Gal or DiorShow, but not as tapered at the tip as either.

Formula/Performance

I had this in the Black color, but L'Oreal also offers this in a Blackest Black color, and a Brown/Black, I believe. The Black is pretty deep, and it dries to a shiny finish.

The formula is slightly "sticky," if that makes sense. It feels a little bit more waxy/gluey than a regular mascara, which I'm not sure why, since this is not a tubing mascara. It does leave the lashes quite soft after application, but is no good at holding the curl, unfortunately.

As for the "12X Volume," well... the good thing is that this did not turn into a huge, clumpy mess. (like some volumizing mascaras go) -- but at the same time, I didn't get more volumization than, say, Maybelline Full 'n Soft. It was a very natural effect, and I had to apply several coats to get volumization. It also did not provide any lengthening (not that I was expecting any.)

There was a very subtle chemical scent, but not too unpleasant, and it faded soon upon application.

Verdict

Overall, this is a decent mascara, and if you can get a good price (ie. it's available at Target for under $7), you should try it. It's quite moisturizing to the lashes. However, I do think that for volumizing, Maybelline Colossal and Cover Girl Lash Blast as far superior in terms of drugstore brands, and I would recommend those 2 over Volume Collagen.