Eyes: Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara in "Very Black"

Hi all :) I mentioned *alonglongtimeago* that I was planning on doing reviews on two Maybelline mascaras I have, and here is the first: Maybelline's Full 'N Soft Mascara. 

To start, this was my first mascara ever as of a few months ago when I actually started wearing mascara. I did some research and decided on this one because I was paranoid about mascara making my eyelashes so stiff that they would fall out during removal. I also didn't find the idea of 'spikes' for eyelashes very appealing, so when I read the claims on the Maybelline website, I was sold: "full, healthy-looking lashes" with a formula that (a) helps "soften and nourish lashes" with Vitamin E and (b) "prevents loss of lashes with Quick Dissolve System" (as quoted from here).

I purchased the regular formula (as in not waterproof).




THE BASICS

Color: Very Black (J200)
Net Wt.: 0.28 fl. oz./8.2 mL
Price: ~$7

The Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara comes in a black tube with a plastic silver cap and silver lettering. The bottom of the tube has the color name and number.

The brush is on the fuller side and is therefore a bit tricky to use on bottom lashes. The bristles, packed in small clusters, are what give the brush its fullness.

WEAR/ON MY EYES:


I do notice some lengthening being achieved with this mascara when comparing my eyes with and without it, as you will see below. However, in terms of volume, my eyelashes almost look sparse due to the fact that the formula of this mascara seems to bind some of them together rather than coating and separating each lash (this could be a result of the packed bristles). In other words, the claim of full lashes is actually false - at least on my eyes.

With that being said, the mascara is indeed easy to remove - sometimes washing my face with soap and water is enough.

The following are pictures of my eyes before and after curling and applying the Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara.


((I want to say that my eyelashes are quite long and full on their own but are stubborn when it comes to curling. I currently use a Revlon eyelash curler and am considering switching to a more curved eyelash curler because (as you may notice in the following pictures) it seems that my current curler does not catch all of my lashes!))

My eyelashes as they naturally are.
**My skin looks oily because I had just finished using makeup remover wipes to remove the mascara.**

My eyelashes curled and coated in one coat of Maybelline Full 'N Soft mascara.

LEFT: Right eye with eyelashes curled and Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara.
RIGHT: Right eye bare.

LEFT: Left eye with eyelashes curled and Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara.
RIGHT: Left eye bare.

So far, the Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara makes some difference in length, especially on the lower lashes. The issue with volume, however, is apparent in the picture above of my left eye, where my eyelashes almost always bind together and end up looking sparse. Don't the eyelashes on my right eye look fuller than my left? I'm not sure why this happens, but I can rest assure you that my eyelashes, though not identical on both eyes, are not that different in fullness.

The following pictures show that the Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara is a kind of natural mascara. In other words, its effects on the eyelashes is not dramatic or demanding of attention. It essentially enhances my eyelashes. Don't expect the impression of falsies with this product.

Eyelashes curled and with Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara.

Eyelashes bare.

Eyelashes curled and with Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara.

Eyelashes bare.

These pictures show how natural the mascara is on my lashes.The length and volume are by no means dramatic. Even the color, "Very Black," is not radically different from the dark brown color of my bare lashes.

One last note: I would like to mention that because the formula leaves lashes feeling soft, I do notice that the little curl I do manage to get out of my eyelash curler slowly disappears over the course of the day, making the mascara even less noticeable. In that sense the mascara is almost too natural.


OVERALL:

In terms of the mascara's claims, this product is a hit and miss, though it hits more claims than it misses. It does remove easily and keep lashes soft as opposed to stiff. It does not make lashes appear fuller.

This mascara did serve the purpose I wanted back when I did purchase it since it kept my lashes soft, however it did not make my full and long lashes stand out as much as I wanted it to due to its almost too natural enhancement.

I would recommend this mascara to anyone that wants my-lashes-but-better, natural-looking lashes or to someone just starting to use mascara. I would also recommend this mascara to someone that prioritizes the ease of removal in their mascara. I would not recommend this mascara to anyone expecting dramatic fullness or even an impressive amount of length. I also would not recommend this mascara to anyone who wants the curl from their eyelash curler to be held, as the formula is much too flexible to keep a curl.

Hope this review was helpful and thank you for stopping by!

'Til next time, ('<>')>

~nikki

What do you look for in a mascara?