Mascara is my desert island beauty product. It’s the one product in my makeup routine that I never skip, and even though I have long lashes without it (thank you, Revitalash, my favourite eyelash growth serum ever), I feel practically naked if I leave the house without at least a couple of coats.
So, rather fortuitously, I’ve spent the last 11 years working in women’s magazines which – despite being decidedly less glamorous than you might think (Miranda Priestly I am not) – does mean I’ve trialled hundreds of beauty products. And had access to some of the best-stocked beauty cupboards in the business.
From the high-street heroes that have stood the test of time to the luxury labels worth forking out on, I’ve met some decent – and few exceptional – mascaras in my time. From tubing mascara to brown mascara and waterproof mascara.
Despite the variety, I’ve often found that when a mascara delivers on one key requirement, it sacrifices another. It will provide high-impact volume, but clump your lashes together in a sticky mess. Or, it will help whisk your lashes to stratospheric heights, but end up flaking onto your cheeks after a couple of hours’ wear.
That was, until recently. I was so impressed by a drugstore launch because it genuinely didn’t skimp on any key qualities. Now, I won’t stop raving about it to anyone that will listen. I’m not here to gate-keep, so I thought I’d share my secret to long, fluttery lashes that stay with the masses. But, before we get into it, I’ll let the before and after pictures speak for themselves. Just look at that length. Miss Bunny from Bambi could never.
L’Oréal Paris Volume Million Lashes Panorama Mascara before & after pics:
Okay, no more gate-keeping. It’s the L’Oreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Panorama Mascara which retails for £12.99 but – as part of the Amazon Prime Day beauty deals event – is currently on sale at Amazon for less than £7. Impressive, huh?
L’Oréal Paris Volume Million Lashes Panorama Mascara at a glance:
- Price: £12.99 at full-price, but it’s reduced to less than £7 for Amazon Prime Day 2024.
- Shades available: black and brown.
- Clump-resistant? Yes.
- Smudge-proof? Yes.
- Brush: “Designed with multi-level bristle brush technology,” according to LookFantastic.
- Application: For best results, use the thinner tip of the brush for the shorter inside and bottom lashes, then thicker body of the brush for longer middle lashes. Apply a second coat when semi-dry for added volume.
The GLAMOUR verdict:
The L’Oréal Paris Volume Million Lashes range has been around for years, but the new Panorama Mascara is definitely the brand’s best. Promising to make your eyes look 1.4 times bigger (though I’m not entirely sure how they measured this), the wand is thick and long with plenty of short bristles.
I find this type of wand – as opposed to the ones with thick bristles – really helps to separate your lashes to avoid clumping, and gets product onto every single lash, even the pesky corner ones. The result is perfectly fanned-out, fluttery and natural-looking.
As for the formula, it’s not too dry and not too wet. By that I mean: it’s not tacky enough that it weighs your lashes down; and not dry enough that it ends up flaking off later in the day. This means it’s perfectly buildable if you want something with a little more ‘oomph’.
In short, believe the hype. This mascara really is as good as half the internet says it is.
Save when you shop with these LookFantastic promo codes and Amazon promo codes.