Testing RIMMEL London Mascara

Normally, there are only two mascaras out there who makes the cut. I’m incredibly picky when it comes to my eyelashes and for very good reasons. What works best for my eyes and my own criteria of what makes a good mascara usually land in the high-end spectrum: CHANEL or YSL. 

When you do what I do, you tend to get a whole load of mini mascaras on your desk to try out. Every time there is a new launch I eagerly test it out in hope that it will give me all of the following:

  • volume
  • thickness
  • NOT too long lashes (as they are long by themselves, and longer means that they will wipe against my glasses and smear the specs.)
  • NOT waterproof; I refuse to rub and pull to get my mascara to come off at night, knowing that I will stress the delicate skin around my eyes and beg for fine lines.
  • Kind to my sensitive lashline. I wear contacts no and then, but even with glasses, I easily get sore lashlines. The itchiness and tight feeling is a battle for me and one of the reasons I can’t be bothered with false eyelashes (a part from the fact that I also don’t know how to apply them correctly!)
  • No flakiness. Seriously, what is it with mascaras that seem to drop particles every time I blink, make me sport panda-eyes or simply ends up in my contact lenses?!

As you can see, I’m a bit demanding when it comes to my eyelashes and I want my mascara to work well without having to add 20 layers of product and use an eyelash curler.

Earlier this weekend, my CHANEL Le Volume Mascara gave up. I had to throw it away and therefore, when the door bell rang, I was happy to receive a chic package with the new mascara launch by RIMMEL London! 

I will be perfectly honest with you, I seldom buy mascara at the supermarket or pharmacy, but when I do, it is RIMMEL i choose. Maybe it has to do with the fact that their long term relationship with supermodel Kate Moss makes me feel that the brand is quality-driven, or maybe it is because some of my most comfortable lipsticks are actually by the brand, either way I feel that RIMMEL often get it right and delivers good quality for their price point.

The new RIMMEL Scandal’eyes Reloaded Mascara comes in a thick, neon orange tube. I might not necessarily like the design and color of it, but I love the form. I like a thick, bulky mascara as my hands enjoy the easy grip. I also really like the satisfying plopp-sound  that the wand makes when you pull it out of the tube. Those small details adds to the whole impression.

How about some facts?

RIMMEL claim the new mascara to be dangerously bold, 24-hour wear and smudge-proof. They say that in addition to being sweat-proof and humidity-proof, it shall also be clump-free and still easy to clean off and remove only by using warm water!

I wondered a bit about all of this, as I’ve never met a mascara who cleans off all that easy? And if so, how can it be humidity-proof? Here in Dubai, we get 99% humidity during the summer and I can tell you that everything is dripping, even your makeup.

More so, for the formula, RIMMEL states that this mascara holds the “first on the market Patented Technology” called Extreme Wear formula. Made up of a blend of wax grafted polymers, supposedly extra flexible polymers and with added lash-plumping formula of collagen and keratin, this mix is what gives us the deep black laquer effect and the thickness to our lashes.

I read the press release and immediately dived right in. The new brush head has been redesigned to a tapered, thick shape to easily reach all of our lashes and coat them, one by one with a bold, plumped, stretched and separated effect. I will attest to this: the brush does a great job of making my upper lashes look very black with only two coats. I’ve got quite long lashes as said, and I found that the mascara added to the length which for some might be amazing, but for me it made some of the product to grease and stain my glasses hahaha. I really enjoy the thickness of the brush head, it is easy to use for the upper lashes but maybe not as much on the lower ones…

If you got very straight lashes, you will be needing to use a lash curler before adding this mascara as the product is quite “wet” and heavy. It clings to every fringe and the weight is noticeable. On the positive note, you really won’t be needing more than three coats which means that the product will last you quite long (even though we all know to throw our mascaras out after three months or so, to avoid any contamination or eye disease). The scent is almost undetectable, for my sensitive eyes it is a dream to come true (please Lancôme, make your mascaras perfume free!) and therefore I warmly recommend it if you’re wearing contact lenses.

For the sweat-proof part, I took it for a test down at my gym to see about the flakiness and how it would hold for a full night out of dancing. There is some fall down, I won’t be lying. But then again, there are only two mascaras that I’ve ever tried on, who have passed that test! It still works well for workout and it stays on for a full day (please don’t buy into that 24 hour scenario, no one should be wearing makeup without washing it off for that amount of time!).

The bottom line is: I like this mascara! I’m surprised I would, and it is worth trying if you have similar demand as I do. It won’t perform like YSL, but it doesn’t look, feel or behave like a drugstore product either! It is quite lovely and very black indeed, which I love. I want full on blacker-than-black lashes but without any spider-leg clumpy look which I can absolutely say that the Scandal’Eye Reloaded Mascara will provide.

For the “washing it off with only warm water”-part, I say no. Sure, if you want to rub and pull. Yes, it is easier than most mascaras to remove, that I’ll admit, but I still need to use my Bioderma Sensibio H2O to avoid panda-eyes. But I don’t mind that at all! In Dubai, it is launching now in November. Keep an eye out for the halloween-orange packaging. ♥

Product provided for review consideration 
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2 Comments
  1. I’ll definitely try this one!! I might have it and I haven’t cracked it open yet. I have to check. I have been using the new Dior Show formula (FAB) and the new waterproof mascara from Givenchy (LOVE). Also, I adore Lancome Definicils. I’ve always loved that mascara but the other two I mentioned give more volume. The Lancome one is length. Also, Marc Jacobs is pretty good for volume. In Phoenix, it’s super easy to get Panda eyes due to the heat so I’ve tried like everything. It’s so sad. I have had a few blow outs with Marc Jacobs on hot days.

    1. Gorgeous Janine! Thank you for this kind comment and wow, a lot of great tips in here that I need to check out as I know your lashes to always be full, rich and dark: the way I like it! I know that RIMMEL doesn’t work for everyone but as said, from a drugstore product I think it delivers great results. There are many high-end mascaras out there who are simply just bad, so it’s worth a shot! Kisses, hope the daily exercises are paying off! //M

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