Maybelline Collosal Volum' Express Mascara Review
Maybelline Colossal is Minimal
Maybelline Collosal Volum’ Express Mascara ($5.99) boasts that it creates 9x the volume in one coat without clumping. I tried it out in Glam Black, hoping for some volume-tastic lashes with a nice black color. Unfortunately, my experience wasn’t nearly as exciting as “9x the volume.” Not even with multiple coats!
What Colossal did for my lashes was add just a touch of length/thickness and blackness so they stood out jmore, but in terms of volume, there wasn’t much. When I look at my natural lashes compared to the lashes with the mascara on them, the biggest difference is that they’re blacker. On all other points (lengthening, volumizing, thickening, curling), I didn’t notice much, if anything. I was really disappointed in the results of this mascara, particularly since it was supposed to volumize and didn’t even see that. I could be more forgiving if it at least did what it said to do (I mean, 9x is a bit OTT for me, but noticeabe more volume is good enough for me).
The best thing I can say for this mascara is it doesn’t clump and the level of black pigmentation is decent–it definitely darkened my lashes and made them stand out more, but they just looked like natural lashes really. If you’re looking for a more natural mascara, perhaps this might be something to consider. I just wouldn’t have expected “natural” out of Colossal. I’ll also point out this mascara is very budget-friendly!
One of my all-time favorite mascaras is by Maybelline (Full ‘n Soft), so I was really looking forward to trying this one out and hoping for the best. What are your favorite Maybelline mascaras?
- Product: 4/10
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Packaging: 7/10
Recommendation: Pass on this one and opt for one of Maybelline’s more proven formulas like Full ‘n Soft!
Availability: Drugstore.com
See results and comparisons…
Natural lashes
With Colossal
Side-by-side comparison
Natural lashes
With Colossal
Wow, the lashes look fuller without the mascara than with it on! Well, to me anyway.
It was REALLY hard to judge just what it *did* do to my lashes. I chalked most of it up to adding blackness.
That’s an offense to your lashes, Christine! They just make the mascara wand/packaging colossal and expect us to fall for that?
I love my Maybelline Cil Definition (the green one) for some great length though! It kicks lashes!
LOL!! That made me giggle! Mascara can definitely work differently on others, but this one really stunk on me, LOL.
*fizzle sputter* Yup, it earns its D+ grade. Not bad as a natural mascara…but volumizing? Nope.
Yeah, I would have given it a better rating IF it was advertised as a natural mascara (which is the only reason it even gets any points for product rating…). 9x, I don’t think so!
i like this mascara. i guess it depends on how you apply it and what your lashes look like to begin with. i got this for free from a blog friend and the first time i wore it, my friend thought i had on lashes. it’s not expensive so i think people should try it.
It’s great that it works out well for you, Ash! I’m happy it does for you 🙂
this mascara works wonders for me. sorry it didn’t work for you
I’m glad it works for you, though! Different mascaras for different folks, lol!
That is a let down! So not worth it!
Yeah… if they had touted it as natural, it would have been fine, LOL! (But then I probably would never have tried it!)
I noticed the same thing when I used it. I was like, this would be okay regular mascara. Too bad COLOSSAL is all over it. Hmph.
LOL! Exactlyyy.
This mascara makes my lashes looks massive, guess it’s different for everybody.
Lucky! I wish 🙁
But mascaras definitely work differently on everyone. DiorShow is crap on me! Smudges, flakes, YUCK! But it’s one of the most popular mascaras!
awes, diorshow does the same to me.. but strangely, colossal works great, go figure ^^
Better luck on their next product I hope 🙂
LOL! Well, at least I’m not the only one who didn’t like DiorShow!
Too bad this mascara didn’t work for you. I really like this mascara because it works on me personally. It adds volume to my puny little Asian lashes but it doesn’t really add length I find. I like to mix this with Rimmel Glam Eyes for both volume and length.
I’m actually really happy it’s working out better on others — so disappointing for me, BUT it just goes to show you how personal mascara can be!
I loved it when I got my first tube but on the second one it was like the fomula has changed. It did nothing. I never use it now. weird
That is WEIRD! I wonder what happened…
Happy to see your review. I’ve heard so many others love it to death, but I wasn’t too keen on it since Maybelline’s ads tend to be very misleading.
I haven’t tried too many Maybelline mascaras, but I’ve always loved their Full ‘n Soft, so I was *hoping* to have success with this one. Full ‘n Soft really gives you soft, feathery lashes – longer, prettier, but not OTT lashes. IMO, the name is very accurate: full and soft lashes!
Ill definitely have to check out Full n Soft 1 day. Im still going through a couple of tubes of Zoom Lash that I had stocked up.
Zoom Lash is a good one 😀
I got this mascara a couple months ago when i was in texas. And I honestly didn’t like it either. The product didnt do what it was suppose to do and even with primer it made my lashes look clumpy. I still have it with me and im thinking about throwing it in the trash! Btw the scent on this mascara is strong to me. Kinda made my eyes watery.
I don’t remember the smell, but I can’t remember many mascaras that smell good, haha.
Sorry it didn’t work for you either!
Wish Id seen this beforeI bought it, I was very disappointed!
Aww!
this is actually my 2nd fave of all time, sorry it didnt work for you!
What’s your first? 😀
it worked for me but i hate the it clumps up very easily and the wand clumps up too!
Oh no! That was the only problem I *didn’t* have, LOL.
I thought this mascara did work well on me but WOW does it ever smell bad! I actually threw mine out because I thought it had gone bad! I REALLY like maybelline define a lash volume (shiny hot pink one). It defines your lashes and gives them volume just like it says it will!
LOL! Sounds like this one can be a bit of a miss for some of us, but others love it!
WOW! I cant believe it did so little for you! Collosal makes my lashes superrrr long and full! Then again, everyones different!
You’re SO lucky then 😉
Count me in on those who really liked this mascara. I think it builds volume really well and washes off easily. Yes, the smell is a little funky, but you put it on your lashes, not under your nose!
I think you get the best results in 2-3 coats.
I’m glad it works for ya, Laura! I think I gave up at after three coats!
This is one of the first mascaras I tried after using Great Lash for such a long time. I actually fell in love with it, but for some reason the bottles seem to pop and I’ve had about three! So I decided to move on, I’ve tried a few different ones but my all time favorite is still Maybelline Lash Stiletto. I think it works very well, you definitely have to try it out Christine! I also recently purchased MAC’s Plush Lash, which I know you love and I’m actually very crazy about it. But, I got a faulty brush and I haven’t had a chance to go to my MAC counter and see if they would be able to give me a new one.
How did you like Great Lash? Gosh, that’s one of my least favorites of all time, LOL.
I’ll definitely try Lash Stiletto!
I love, love Plush Lash. SO BLACK. I hope you can get a replacement soon!
i found this mascara to be very crumbly on me…i had to keep checking every few hours and sweeping black flecks off my cheeks…binned it in the end!
Yuck! Crumbly is definitely no good!
This is my favorite mascara! It makes my lashes go KA-POW! Its too bad it didnt work on you, Christine.
Sigh! I wish 🙁
Yea, I had high expectations for this one too, but it was soo disappointing. I even used it for two months hoping something would improve about it with use. lol
LOL! Wow, you were DEDICATED to making it work! I gave it three chances – and then it was OUT!
I couldn’t believe the review when I saw it – Colossal works wonders for me! That sucks that this didn’t work out for you.
Trust me, I wish! I am always looking for the next best mascara!
Full N’ Soft was my favorite mascara for years! I still always keep a tube handy. It’s interesting how companies can be so right with one formula and so wrong with another one.
Same here, Amy! It’s just a really reliable and pretty formula. Not false lashes, but natural yet feathery, elegant, longer lashes.
Wow, I guess that mascara really is a personal thing, and that it differs on everyone. Colossal worked wonders for me–it gave me the fluttery volume I usually get from LOreal Voluminous, but it gave me much more length. I loved it, but my lashes basically lost their curl in a few moments. Its probably because I have dense lashes; I usually use waterproof. If Colossal came in waterproof, I would grab it in a heartbeat.
It definitely can be! I wish, I wish it worked as well on me (or even half as well on me!) as it did on you.
Ive been using this mascara for a few months now, and your review stated exactly what I think about it. I like it because it doesnt clump but it hardly gives volume like its supposed too.
I’m surprised you’re still using it! It’s not even close to good enough for me, so I gave up after three uses.
Maybelline makes great mascaras but this was a big NoNO for me. It didnt do anything for my lashes at all
I feel good knowing that I wasn’t the only one who didn’t like it, lol!
Wow, I love that mascara but the pictures clearly show that it didn’t work for you 😮
On me, it’s comparable to what DiorShow does to my lashes!! It gives me soooo much volume and length at the same time 🙂
Wow! I’m happy to hear it’s so incredible on you, Zoffe 😉 It’s great when you find one that works!
I LOVE that mascara! It makes my eyelashes amazing. But you know, I think it works a lot better on people with naturally long eyelashes.
That might be it!
This mascara was horrible!!!!!! I had to go buy a new kind after a week. I always get covergirl but thought I would try something new. Looks like Im back to Covergirl!
LOL!
I know this is a very, very old post, but I have this in the waterproof and LOVE it, the waterproof is just too hard to get off [ i got waterproof on accident].
I wonder if they’ve improved the formula or what?
Its a shame, because this mascara always works wonderfully for me… :/
Aww I’m sorry it didn’t work out so well for you. It works great for me :/
i love this mascara!!!! it makes my eyelashes look very voluminous and long 😀