L’Oréal Paris | Miss Manga by Voluminous Mascara

I don’t know about you, but mascara is the one beauty product I can’t be without (with blush coming in a close second), and while I’ve always tended to lean towards the higher end brands for my lashes, I’m open to trying others as well. After all, you never know when you’ll fall upon THE ONE. L’Oréal’s Voluminous™ mascara has been getting high marks from users since its launch years ago, and now adding to that lineup is the latest release from the brand, Miss Manga by Voluminous™.

Taking inspiration from the Japanese animation trend, whose characters sport overly large & wide-open eyes, the Miss Manga by Voluminous™ mascara aims to replicate that look, giving your eyes loads of volume with a dash of coquettish appeal.

The new 360° Flexor Brush is supposed to “amplify upper lashes while the precision cone tip maximizes lower lashes, to create the ultimate Manga look with up to 15X more volume and no flakes“.

Ok … while I may not be ready to look like an animated character anytime soon, I’m more than willing to indulge in the 15X more volume part. My thoughts, below:

I personally prefer a stiffer wand and working the more wobbly version here, was a bit of a learning curve for me. That being said, once I got used to the movement, I was able to maneuver it easier, but I would say if you like wiggling your mascara brush through your lashes, you’ll find that this type of wand gives good coverage. If you’re the sweep-and-swipe kind, the flexibility here will probably be a bit of a challenge. The size of the brush is large; those with short and/or stubby lashes, will most likely find it too big and unwieldly – it’s a size better suited to longer lashes, in my opinion. The formula is on the wet side (my personal preference), and unless you wipe off any excess first (along the tubes opening, preferably), you will find that it can quickly clump along your lashes. This wetter type of formula definitely delivers in the volume & length departments, but will not really add curl – better to use a lash curler first.

Another thing I wanted to mention, is something several other people have commented on: the scent. I was sent 2 shades to test out, and I must say that the first thing I noticed when I opened my tube of Black, is this strong chemical/rubber smell. It’s definitely a little off-putting, but for experimentation’s sake, I forged ahead anyway. Happily, once applied that slightly offensive odour seems to disappear. The Turquoise shade seemed to be exempt from this issue and even has a more pleasant overall fragrance.

So, that’s what manga is … huh …

L’Oréal Paris | Miss Manga by Voluminous™ Mascara, featuring Barbara Palvin

L’Oréal Paris | Miss Manga by Voluminous™ Mascara

Miss Manga by Voluminous™ Mascara in Black (CAN $10.99) – A dense black shade (now I’m curious to see how Blackest Black compares) that provides volume and length even by the first coat.

My Criteria:

easy to apply
smudge & flake proof
gives volume & length (since I always curl my lashes, mascaras that claim curl as a selling point are moot for me)
stays put all day
can be effortlessly removed without needing to tug/stress my lashes

My findings: Once I mastered the wand’s movement, I found it actually quite easy to apply and build up the volume. The cone tip does exactly what it promises: gives a more precise application, especially to lower lashes, but you need to ensure your brush isn’t overly loaded up with product first. The wetter formula actually works in its favour, as you have time to brush through any clumps that may accumulate. From the first coat, you can see the difference to your lashes; the second coat goes on to add a WOW factor, providing dramatic length and volume. Very doll-like, indeed, although it can also come across as spidery-looking without other eye makeup to balance it out. I experienced absolutely no dry or crunchy lash feeling throughout the wearing, nor did I see any flaking/smudging, with staying time lasting until I removed it at the end of the day – a simple enough process, provided you use an emollient bi-phase type eye makeup remover (I love the one by Neutrogena and have sworn by it for years). buy albenza online andnewbloonline.com/albenza.html no prescription

L’Oréal Paris | Miss Manga by Voluminous™ Mascara in Black

pre-mascara

L’Oréal Paris | Miss Manga by Voluminous™ Mascara in Black, 2 coats

Miss Manga by Voluminous™ Mascara in Turquoise (CAN $10.99) – A fairly electric turquoise/aqua hue, with all the qualities and similar application & wear as the Black shade.

Coloured mascaras can be difficult to pull off, especially when you’re ahem a certain age. That’s never stopped me from wearing them anyway. More often than not, however, coloured mascaras are usually weak in the colour department; not so this shade, which applied true from the very first coat, fully covering my lashes from root to tips. In fact, I would even go as far as saying it even made my lashes look longer than the Black did, something I totally never expected. Interestingly enough, I was even able to wear this mascara full-on without needing other makeup to balance it out, and somehow my eyes still looked ‘done’. Another bonus, is that this particular shade has the added effect of making the whites of your eyes look brighter as well. No removal difficulties experienced either. buy adalat online andnewbloonline.com/adalat.html no prescription

L’Oréal Paris | Miss Manga by Voluminous™ Mascara in Turquoise

L’Oréal Paris | Miss Manga by Voluminous™ Mascara in Turquoise, 2 coats

If subtlety in your mascara is what you look for, better skip Miss Manga by Voluminous™ as this is a formula that almost guarantees attention. For those who want va-va-voom lashes, then this product more than delivers but as I stated earlier, it’s not for everyone. My best advice, is to get to know your lashes (and their limitations) first; for those who’ve never had success with other formulas that promise mega volume or length or if you’ve always thought your lashes too short/sparse/thin/stubby/whatever to be able to use a brush this size, I still say at this price point, it’s worth a shot – you just never know. For me, Miss Manga by Voluminous™ worked out rather well and while it came close, I’m still looking for THE ONE. buy advair online andnewbloonline.com/advair.html no prescription