June 1, 2012

Maybelline Volum’ Express the Mega Plush Mascara Review

Maybelline Volum’ Express has extended their line to include the new Mega Plush formula for Summer 2012. Maybelline Volum’ Express The Mega Plush Mascara has a flexible brush and a gel-mousse formula that supposedly adds super volume to lashes.

I liked the idea of a flexible brush as you get that added wriggle action in for plucking lashes up and out but after using it I’m thinking I’d have preferred to do without as I feel like I loss a little control over application.

Let’s take a look and see what I loved and didn’t love about the new Maybelline The Mega Plush Mascara.

Actually I like this but be careful if you have oily lids, it smudges all crazy like. I have drier eyes and never have many issues with smudging so Mega Plush worked fine for me. My best friend Jai purchased it as well and looked like Behemoth after a really hardcore show (not that looking like Adam Darski is a bad thing but most of us aren’t really into having a smudgy mess of mascara under and above our eyes)! Yeah, it was some scary smudgy goodness going on there and that was about an hour into the wear. Blame the humidity maybe? As we were out on a rather warm night…!

As for me….I was cool. It lasted fine on me without a hiccup.

The formula is super lightweight so no stiff, crunchiness to contend with. The lighter formula creates fluttery, curly lashes. The brush is pretty rad in the fact that it has larger, softer bristles that comb through and pull lashes forward creating some really great length. Although at first I thought the wriggle action from the flexing brush was cool I started to quickly become irritated with it as I’d rather it remain steady as I comb through my lashes. I felt like a. I’m going to poke out an eye with it because of the way it wiggles as I apply and b. I just don’t really love how it moves, it’s a bit unnatural and not how I personally apply mascara so I’d prefer just a stiff, straight wand for application and I’ll handle the wriggle part myself, manually, thanks.

The entire “Mega Plush” name doesn’t live up to the challenge of creating super volumized lashes. If anything at all I thought it worked best as a lengthening mascara rather than a volumizing one but hey, I’ll take what I can get as I was happy overall with the results.

All in all Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara isn’t going to break any mascara greatness records but it isn’t all bad either. If you typically have no problems with smudging I’d recommend trying it when it goes on sale (I paid $8 bucks and thought that was too much as typically the Maybelline Volum’ Express Mascaras are around $5-$6 but I guess they jacked the price on the new formula) however if you have oily lids or skin, don’t bother, it’ll prove messy!

This one boils down to personal taste…some folks will love it, some won’t but don’t write it off completely as I said above as it isn’t all bad.

Tried it?

Do share!

I purchased this item.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • jenna

    thanks so much for reviewing this! i’ve been “MEGA”-curious to see how it performs. hehe. love the new formatting of the site BTW! 🙂

    • the Muse

      lol jenna! your MEGA curiosity is now cured ;-D yay glad you love ;-D

  • KC

    Hahahaha I love Nergal!! I really like him with short hair now, he rocks that haircut. Too bad about the mascara though as I do indeed have oooooily lids. And yes the site looks amazing!

    • the Muse

      ya know something, I hate to say it, but actually, yes with short hair he does kinda look good….! it takes away from some of the experience for me but it isn’t bad either…it’s kinda mature lol! ;-D he’s hot either way…just something about him makes me tingle ;-D Aw thanks KC!

  • Margo

    Love the flexible brush but the formula might be too high maintenance for me. Great pics though!

  • The Peach

    The brush itself looks awesome! But I don’t think I’d like the fact that the wand wiggles 🙁 Thanks for the review!

  • WENDY S PEREZ

    What about the waterproof version? Does that one smudge too?
    Loving the new page design!

    • the Muse

      hi wendy thanks glad you likey! dunno haven’t tried it but miss d just went into a little brief review of it above! 🙂

  • Nydia

    I have oily lids and tried this – YUCK! By the time I got to work (about 2 hours after applying it), my lids and undereye area were all smudged! Is the one in the yellow tube (Voluminous I think) any better?

  • Chynna

    I was hoping I’d like this, but it gave me raccoon eyes. It’s been in the 90’s and humid here in central Texas, which is tough on any mascara. It might work better on cooler days… which we’ll see again in November.

  • GAPeach

    I don’t have oily lids but do live where it is very humid most of the time and this smudged like crazy under my eyes within just an hour or so of application :(.

  • Cindy

    I picked this up as soon as I saw it because the brush really intrigued me. I don’t enjoy it that much by its self, but if I layer it with another mascara under it, it works good for me. The brush really helps singling out the lashes and it doesn’t leave clumps.

  • A

    HMMM It looks like it didn’t do s! haha I’ll be passing on this one

  • Mia D

    I actually read another blogger who didn’t like this ’cause it smudged. Yet [they] didn’t purchase theirs in waterproof. I think that’s kinda a “duh” part. It’s just strange. It wasn’t listed as waterproof & it smudges, what did you expect? Can you tell I love this mascara? Yep. It’s wonderful for me. I have long lashes that aren’t thick. They kinda stick up & out but not that curled-up look I like. A note is that I use a very light hand when applying this and I wipe off the wand (warning: if you don’t it will clump; I’ve never had a mascara you could pull out of tube & have it apply perfect). This mascara provides a little bit of thickness, makes them look less sparse, provides a little volume & holds curls nicely. Also the ****waterproof**** version provides all day wear without budging. I’ve worn mine to work and it didn’t budge (while I was sweating). I’m sure if I wore it on a ninety degree day, without silica powder, it would have melted down my face. With the silica powder it stayed put though.

  • Tiffany Martin

    I hate mascara that doesn’t stay. HATE it. I will pass on this one, so thanks for the review!

  • Darijo

    I tried one of these volum’ express mascaras a few years back and it had a horrible ink smell to it. Does this one have that smell?

  • mymakeupaffair

    thanks for the review… i really like maybelline mascaras and i’m excited to try this one out!

  • Daisyv316

    I got this mascara 2 weeks ago and I really lie it! It kinda reminds me of MAC’s plush mascara. I too have oily lids but have yet to experience any smudgyness (sp). I will repurchase this again 🙂

  • Jayne

    I liked the formula, but it didn’t really do a whole lot for my lashes. Like you said, it lengthened them, but didn’t do much else…I was a little disappointed…oh well!

  • Tina Stock

    I LOVE this new mascara & believe me, when I say I have tried them ALL! I bought the waterproof, very black Maybelline Mega Plush, while on vacation. The first thing I nticed was the fun “feather-duster” like brush. It was so easy to apply & gentle to my eyes. The waterproof stayed on all night , at least 8 hrs. THE BEST MASCARA I have ever tried, BY FAR! Than-you Maybelline. 🙂

  • calie

    I just got this mascara in a search to find a more wallet friendly replacement after running out of my buxom mascara. It’s become my hands down favorite. I prefer the small plastic brushes a la buxom and others but I can live with the flexy brush. What has won me over is the gel-mouse formula. No more flaky spider eyes… ever! I have natural full curly (at times unruly) lashes and the gel formula allows me to get a few coats on and really getting my individual lashes to separate and stand at attention for some POP! but without the dry flaky spider eyes look. I think I might even like it better than the boxum mascara. Who ever though up a gel-mouse mascara…. pure genius!

  • calie

    an addition to my comment…. I use the waterproof version. In general, I never even mess with the non-waterproof stuff since I also wear contact lenses. The waterproof version lasts through eye rubbing, runny eyes, and eye drops without smudging.

  • Kimberlyn

    I tried this an it smudged a lot on me…any mascaras anyone would reccomend for oily lids??

  • Becky

    I know this is a very old review, but I just purchased this mascara on Saturday. I needed to throw away my previous mascara, L’Oreal’s False Fiber mascara, because I got pinkeye earlier this year and could no longer use it.
    I didn’t want to spend ten bucks on another tube of a mascara I thought was “okay”, I decided to try a new one. I was a little wary of this one, since Maybelline’s Falsies mascara turned out to be a bad choice for me. I was expecting to have to return this, but I was proven wrong!
    It made my lashes look long, curled, and fanned out with a touch of volume. Plus, my eyelashes don’t feel stiff or sticky, and there is zero flaking! (Flaking was the issue with my L’Oreal)
    Just thought I’d put in my input. Awesome mascara. 🙂