Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara review: we put the volumizing formula to the test

This Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara review was an ideal assignment because I’ve decided to leave my makeup comfort zone – and an everyday beauty essential like mascara is a great place to start.  

As a midlife woman experiencing hormone fluctuations that play havoc with my skin and hair (that includes lashes), I know I’m not alone in my endeavor to find the best mascara that will give my thinning lashes a boost. Regardless of age, we all share the desire for thicker, fuller-looking lashes, and Lancôme’s Monsieur Big Mascara could be just the solution.

I don’t think anyone could go far wrong choosing a mascara from this brand, which is well known for launching top-selling formulas such as Lancome Lash Idôle and Hypnôse. I’m hoping Monsieur Big's promise to amp up lash volume by 12 times will give those of us looking for the best volumizing mascara a reason to stop our search

A beauty editor’s Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara Review

LANCOME MONSIEUR BIG MASCARA PACKAGING

This mascara tube is not as sleek or sexy looking as some of Lancôme’s other mascaras, such as Lash Idôle. It doesn't quite have the finesse or style I have come to expect from high-end makeup brands and the pink and black colorway, although eye-catching, looks as if it was designed to attract a younger consumer. 

That said, I didn’t think this is necessarily a wrong move from Lancôme (unless that renowned elegant packaging is what you covet) After all, we all deserve a little makeover now and then and I liked how the weighty tube felt easy to hold in my hand.

FORMULA AND INGREDIENTS

As I kicked off my Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara review and saw it glistening away on the brush, it was clear to see that this mascara was designed to be a creamy, conditioning formula. The main players are its long-wearing polymers and softening waxes. These are said to adhere to the lashes with each stroke, imparting a volumizing and softening double whammy.

I always check out mascara ingredients to make sure they’re suitable for those of us who need the best mascara for sensitive eyes, due to allergies or dry eyes from too much screen time (it’s also one of the least known menopause symptoms). Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara is free from nasties such as parabens, formaldehyde, dye, and ammonia and it’s also nut free which is an important consideration for many allergy sufferers. 

The gorgeous sooty blackness comes from intense black pigments, which are cleverly formulated to last up to 24 hours. However, if you’re fair-lashed and prefer a brown or other less intense shade, I’m afraid you’re out of luck with this one-shade-suits-all mascara.

APPLYING AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS

On testing, I hoped that the uber-creamy formula wasn’t going to leave my lashes overly wet and clumpy but I need not have worried. Taking the wand from the tube, it releases with a satisfying ‘pop’ and I appreciate that, although quite chunky in size, the tapered bristles on the brush are fully loaded without the messy residue that I’ve experienced with larger mascara brushes.

The first coat glided on smoothly and dried to a soft finish, immediately giving my eyes a wide look. If you are a fan of a natural daytime look – which is what I tend to go for most of the time –  you could leave the application at one or two sweeps. But, I wanted to test this power product to the max to see whether I could get to the promised 12 times more volume. I’m pleased to say that after a few more layers, my naturally spindly lashes really looked as if they’d had a workout, as the lifting and separating brush fibers took the mascara to its full capacity. 

Would I go for the full pelt application every day? Maybe not – but that’s because I'm used to the less is more look. For those who want all-out va-va-voom and have mastered how to apply false eyelashes to get it, you’ll have no trouble achieving a similarly dramatic look with Monsieur Big.

HOW DOES IT WEAR?

Considering I went for the most impact possible by layering it up, I expected my lashes to feel heavier than normal, but once Lancôme Monsieur Big was on, it was so lightweight that I forgot I was wearing it – until I walked past the mirror and my wide-awake reflection looked back. Considering I’d had a day of deadlines and long hours at the screen, I was delighted I didn’t look as tired as usual. 

I'm not used to having such long and dark lashes, but because they looked natural I have become a fan. Conducting this Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara review over the course of a couple of weeks meant I could see whether it stayed put in situations most of us find ourselves in day to day. Most notable was a clumsy poke in the eye during application one morning, which unwittingly proved its top-notch smudge-proof capabilities.

LANCOME MONSIEUR BIG MASCARA REVIEW: W&H VERDICT

If longer, more volumized lashes are your goal – you’ll achieve that and more with Monsieur Big. I felt it lived up to it's volumizing claims and also provided flake-free smudge-proof day-long wear. 

This would be a great choice for dramatic lashes without the palaver of applying falsies but it is also great for a daytime look if you apply just one or two layers. I think my love affair with barely there lashes is over. Monsieur Big could be the one.