June 1, 2017

L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara Review

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

At the moment L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara ($9.99) is being called the next Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara which doesn’t mean much to me. Why? Because I hate Better Than Sex Mascara! From the metallic pink packaging to the hourglass shaped applicator, Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara definitely has a a few of the same characteristics as Too Faced’s cult favorite mascara.

There’s a major difference for me though.

I actually like L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara where as Better Than Sex Mascara is a totally miss for me! I’m a little picky with mascara! Well, that’s not true! I’m a lot picky with mascara. I’m especially a snob when it comes to drugstore mascaras as I haven’t found many formulas that I love. I’m always hearing how mascara isn’t a splurge item but for me it’s a total splurge and I’d rather spend $20 versus $10 or more on a drugstore one. But sometimes on a rare occasion I run across a formula I like and L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara falls onto my like list.

This formula promises volume and length with a 200 bristle hourglass shaped applicator. For all intents and purposes it does in fact look a lot like Better Than Sex. This is formulated to give you a fanned out, feathery lash look while adding volume and length.

The applicator is a little straighter and less curvy compared to Too Faced’s more promiment hourglass shape but honestly, you’d have to stare really hard at the two side by side to notice the difference. L’Oreal pink metallic barrel is spot on the same as Better Than Sex but Too Faced’s packaging has more weight behind it versus the lighter packaging of L’Oreal’s version. L’Oreal’s is a little smaller at 0.25 oz versus Too Faced’s version which contains 0.27 oz. However, L’Oreal’s version is a hell of a lot cheaper at $8-$10 depending where you buy it compared to Too Faced’s $23 price tag.

Too Faced’s formula clumped up during application for me not to mention it tends to flake off during the wear. I purchased the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof and didn’t experience any of these issues. The waterproof version is actually a pain to remove and you need a good waterproof eye makeup remover to get it completely off. This is good news for those who did experience smudging or flaking with the Too Faced formula. It’s also great if you have oily lids or skin that makes your mascara smudge up as this stuff is pretty much bulletproof.

Application was fairly easy for me and I didn’t have any problems with clumping at all. I got great volume after two layers and lashes appeared very full and fluttery. I do wish this gave me a tiny bit more length but I find if I curl my lashes prior it does a better job with length. I wouldn’t say it gave me a spaced out or feathering appearance but I still got great volume from it. The formula is a bit on the “crunchy” side of the fence but it didn’t make my lashes droop or lose curl.

Too Faced Voluminous Lash Paradise definitely outperforms Better Than Sex on many levels. I wouldn’t say the length will wow you on this formula but the fullness you get here give lashes a gorgeous, fluttery appearance with an incredibly long wear.

L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise is available now at drugstores, at amazon.com, ulta.com, and target.com.

Have you tried it?

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

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

  • Dora

    So excited to try this. I also do not like BTS — for the same reasons as you — it flakes and smears terribly on me. Also, I actually tend to prefer drugstore mascaras — using the L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof right now (and I guess Lash Paradise is technically an addition to that line?) I may wait for a coupon or BOGO offer, but definitely want to try. Thanks for reviewing!

  • Christina

    I agree. I liked this way better than the Too Faced mascara. I also am not a fan of drugstore mascara and always buy higher end. For me, the L’Oreal isn’t bad. I can’t pinpoint why it’s not my favourite, but it’s good enough for $8.00. LOL!

    • Isabella Muse

      I agree! Good enough for eight bucks ;-D Wouldn’t say it was OMG great but it isn’t bad either. Nice fullness, nice price, and way better than TF!

  • kimkats

    Lol – I love the regular Voluminous (which I know you hate with the fire of a thousand suns) and I liked the BTS one a lot, so I’m hoping I’ll really like this one (when I find the #)*!@^!? stuff – target.com says it’s at my local target, but it aint! Grrr….) Can’t wait to find and try it – seems to be gettin’ a lotta lovin’ from a lotta people!

    • Isabella Muse

      LOL kim! ;-D that made me laugh 😀 Let me know whatcha think when you try!

  • Dee

    I got this a few weeks ago and like it. I’ve had good results with some of the Cover Girl mascaras so those are my favs from the drugstore, but I’ll repurchase this one for sure.

  • ChynnaBlue

    Thank you for this! I’ve been so tempted by the Too Faced version but have never purchased because I was afraid of the smudging. I will definitely give this and the Tarte sweat-proof mascara a try.

    • Isabella Muse

      go with the Tarte first! That stuff is the bomb dot com 😀

  • Elaine

    Oh this is awesome! I also hate the Regular too face better then sex! I don’t get it, at all I never buy full size because my eyes are very sensitive to mascara. I have bad allergies and it has to be waterproof. I am a huge snob as well when it comes to mascara I do love Too Face waterproof better then sex. They are not the same. I gave away the regular one, it was a hot mess on me. So I will pick this one up to try since it’s half the price They dry out on me before I can even get to the expire date and that is a waste $$$. I got an email this week about Nordstrom 3 for 1 again. Which I believe last mascara event was 2 for 1? I have 3 mascara’s to still go thru Channel, YSL, Charlotte Tisbury from the last one. I am fishing up Dior now and Too Face. I love to mix them as well I always have since I was 20 Thanks 4 the cheaper tip

  • Susan

    I hatehatehate TF’s BTS mascara. I’ve never bought a full-size, thank goodness but for a while it seemed like I was always getting samples of it at Ulta. It’s the flakiest mascara ever.

    But this L’Oreal is great, found it at Target and gave it a try. It’s my new fave drugstore mascara; for higher end I like Bare Minerals Lash Domination in the smaller wand.

  • Sarah

    OOOO. Gonna have to try this. I love Better Than Sex, but I’m always up for a cheaper option! I just love the look I get, and I prefer drier mascara formulas anyway.

  • Chanty

    I hear ya muse! I try all the new mascaras when they come out and the only thing I’ve noticed is that maybellines mascaras are the only ones that seem to work for me, so I just stick to buying that brand.

    • Isabella Muse

      Maybelline has some good picks but I tend to go splurging with mascara 😀 Just seems like mid-range brands work better for me!

  • LouAnne

    I absolutely love this! I have the Waterproof version and I have already bought a back up tube. This may be my HG for the simple reasons that are 1. It lasts all day, 2. It does not smear under my eyes by the end of the day, 3. It builds pretty good volume for me and a big number 4. It is easier to remove than the Japanese mascara I was using that did not budge either but was a bear to take off.
    I am beyond thrilled with this. I have allergies and finding even a waterproof mascara that did not smear with my allergy prone, watery left eye has been a battle. BTS waterproof did smear under my eyes.

  • Leslie

    I’m actually very loyal to Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black. It runs a VERY close second to Lancôme Hypnose original, which I purchase when I feel like spending money, otherwise I buy Voluminous lol. It gives me very thick lashes (which I love because my lashes are not very thick) and it does give satisfactory length and I never see any flaking. I’m going to purchase Lash Paradise as soon as I can find it in my local drugstores. I haven’t come across it yet (not sure why). The WP formula is just in time to try for summer. 🙂

  • Alicia

    Funny I was just using this mascara and thought to myself-it looks a lot like the too faced one but works better! Then I got your newsletter!
    I’m enjoying it too! Haven’t found it in drugstores yet but bought it off amazon.

    Have a nice weekend and hope you’re having good weather!

    • Isabella Muse

      yay happy you like too! 😀 Yeah, def has that TF vibe 😀 You have a great weekend too and enjoy this lovely weather!

  • Kimberly

    Hey Girl! Have you tried the new Thrive mascara? I have and it is AWESOME! It might be worth your time to give it a review. I, too, am not super thrilled with BTS, so I might give the Lóreal one a try, too.

    • Isabella Muse

      I’m actually never even heard of it! EEP! L’Oreal makes it!?

      • Kimberly

        No-it!s by a company called “Thrive”–I’m a mascara junkie, and it is one of the best out there! It is Thrivecausemetics.com and it is Liquid Lash Extensions. Their waterproof liner is great, too!

        • Isabella Muse

          oh yes wait I know thrive haha 😀 I’ll have to give it a try thanks for the rec 😀 I thought it was something new from L’Oreal duh!

          • Kimberly

            LOL! Great–I really think you’ll love it!

          • Isabella Muse

            🙂 Def will try! Appreciate the rec Kimberly!

  • Michelle

    I have worn Chanel or Armani mascara for as long as I’ve worn mascara. Having said that, I as well am very skittish about about drug store mascara, as I have found that if it works well out of the gate so to speak, it usually is a short lived experience, where I end up with a disappointing result over all. However, I have long lashes so I’m blessed in that regard. I do, however, appreciate volume and separation in my mascara, so I will give this L’Oréal mascara whirl and see how it goes.

    I really like reading your reviews! This one inparticular, as it quite literally mimicked my same thoughts on drug store mascara; so I’m thinking if The Miuse can do it, so can I!
    Wish me luck!

    • Isabella Muse

      Likewise! Twins 😀 People think I’m nuts when I saw I rather splurge on mascaras but I have very little success with drugstore mascaras. Let me know what you think Michelle 😀 GOOD LUCK!

  • Carol G

    I love this stuff! I was hoping it was a BTS dupe or at least similar because I do like the waterproof BTS version because it does not smudge. I am beyond thrilled with this which is great because now I can save a ton of money buying this instead of BTS.
    PS- I would not call this an exact dupe to BTS, but it is very similar and works well for me so anyone wanting to try this should and maybe you’ll like it enough to switch and save some $.

  • Silvia

    I keep hearing the Voluminous one is great! Hooray for drugstore they are kicking ass lately! Lol!
    The Essence white round highliter omg! Is so great! Living that brand lately. For real cheap and is turning out cool!

    • Silvia

      Oops! By tdeway I ended up returning all those Revlon lipsticks found at Big Lots the staying is bad and flavor yuck! Lol!

  • wendy

    funny, I thought it was one of the worse Voluminous releases to date LOL

  • Michelle

    So which mascaras are your favorite? Dior dc’d Extase, which was my long-time favorite. I’ve been using Estee Lauder since I used up the last of my Dior. Any recs? Mascara is my one big splurge in makeup.

    The only drugstore brand I like is Rimmel. And that’s only if I’m desperate.

  • Elle

    Hi! So yesterday I bought the Lash Paradise in Black and Waterproof and when I opened it, I noticed that it had a strong and odd/funky smell, did yours have a certain smell to it or did I get a bad one? Also I noted that it was the wand that the smell was the strongest, not the tube. The product itself (black ‘liquid’) have a way less strong smell. Also I noted that my Lash Paradise compared to my Physicians Formula Naturals and Maybelline Colossal Volume have a way more stronger smell.

    • Isabella Muse

      Yes! It’s not strong but it does have a magic marker-like scent!

      • Elle

        What does a magic marker smell like? Is it almost like a sharpie?

          • Elle

            does the smell fade over time or will it always be there? also is that safe, putting something that have a strong smell near your eye?

          • Isabella Muse

            It disappeared for me after the first use. If you have sensitive eyes it might be an issue I imagine!

  • Lo

    Hey girl!! Love this review, as usual! I actually JUST picked this up at Target this week! I haven’t seen it anywhere and was so excited to get my hands on it I just had a baby a week ago and anything that makes me feel a little more glam and a little less mom I’m all for lol. Anywho, I LOVE it! I’ve never tried BTS so I don’t have anything to compare it to but L’oreal rarely disappoints for me and us actually my go-to mascara brand. You have to try their Telescopic mascara, it’s my absolute fave, the perfect every day mascara. I’ve recommended it to idk how many friends who now use it every day! Also their Miss Manga mascara is legit..it packs a lot of punch in just a couple of coats. Hope you’re having a great summer!
    xoxo

    • Lo

      PS: I’m super picky about mascara too and honestly rarely find one that I love. Besides L’oreal, I’ve always loved Lancome Defincils..but L’oreal owns Lancome so maybe that’s why

  • Michelle Luna

    So this is a “regular” bristle brush, yes? I absolutely detest those new plastic spiky applicators!

    Voluminous has been my go-to for over a decade whenever I can’t get my hands on the mascara type I really love (Mark lash tattoo (anyone remember this? LOVED it!!!), UD big fatty, Tarte lash injection/the Jordana dupe, Benefit badgal… whatever you call that type of mascara, the shit with a huge wand that is on the drier side of formulas and really plumps things up and sticks around). How does this compare to Voluminous? I’ve had my eye on the BTS mascara for awhile but have been on a no-high-end-mascara buy for awhile, so it’s drugstore only for me.

  • Catherine

    You should try L’Oreal False Fiber Voluminous Lashes (all gold tube) if you haven’t already. It is by far my most favourite mascara. I have short straight Asian eyelashes, so I curl them, put on mascara, then curl them again and this formula is the best. It dries fast, doesn’t flake and it’s not too wet. Makes my eyelashes stand out the most out of any mascara I’ve ever tried. Love it ! I definitely want to try this mascara though because it’s tough to find L’Oreal ones with actual brushes now. I’m not a fan of their regular grey voluminous mascara…too wet, clumps and flakes like crazy. Thanks for the review!

  • Monica Adorno

    I have a love hate relationship with this mascara. I love that hold a curl w my lashes and it gives me length. But it flakes on me