l'oreal voluminous noir balm mascara (first impressions review)

My makeup collection is a mixture of high end and drugstore items. A lot of eyeshadow palettes and cheek products are higher end. However, when it comes to everyday essentials (foundation, mascara, brow products, powder, and eyeliner)...the drugstore wins out time and time again. The products tend to be on par or superior to the higher end offerings. Plus, everything is a lot more affordable. Though my all-time favourite mascara is The Super Sizer from Cover Girl, temptation won out and I decided to try the L'Oreal Voluminous Noir Balm Mascara. With lots of impressive product claims, it was a little too much to resist. Ready for a first impressions review? Find out how this drugstore mascara from L'Oreal performed. 

Where to start? How about with the product claims. According to the brand, the L'Oreal Voluminous Noir Balm Mascara is a mascara that is "formulated with 99% natural origin ingredients and lash-caring benefits." It is a balm-in-mascara that claims to deliver volume, length, and definition. In fact, L'Oreal claims that lashes are 7x fuller. Plus, this is supposed to be flake and smudge resistant, allergy tested, fragrance free, hypoallergenic, and suitable for sensitive eyes. Clearly, there are a lot of impressive claims. It's nice to see cleaner beauty items available at the drugstore. It is also wonderful when mascaras are suitable for sensitive eyes. In the past, I've tried various mascaras that are scented and irritate my eyes. Though the product claims are impressive and intriguing, what really matters is whether the mascara performs as described. 

Let's start with packaging. This is aesthetically pleasing but fairly standard. The L'Oreal Voluminous Noir Balm Mascara comes in a sturdy mascara tube with a gold and black design on the outside. The wand is flexible and has lots of small bristles. As described, this mascara has no scent. In terms of the actual performance? Wow. Wow. Wow. This drugstore mascara absolutely lives up to the product claims. It is a rich black colour, the wand is really effective and easy to use, and the volume! Oh, the volume. This adds a ton of volume to the lashes but doesn't skimp on the length. One coat of the mascara creates a wispy and natural look. A second coat transforms the lashes into dramatic perfection. I love that it is possible to create two very different finishes. (Since I am all about drama on the lashes, it is probably going to be two coats for me always, but it's nice to know that a more natural look is possible as well.) The mascara does not irritate the eyes and looks downright gorgeous. At about $16 CDN, this is $3 CDN more than The Super Sizer mascara. So, it is a little more expensive, but it really works well. I do not regret purchasing this L'Oreal mascara at all. It is something that I can see buying every now and then and adding into the mix. 

Have you tried the L'Oreal Voluminous Noir Balm Mascara? What did you think of the product?