Drugstore Mascara Showdown: Great Lash BIG vs. Colossal Volum Express Cat Eyes

Wow, next time I think I might choose products with shorter names! Whatever happened to calling it "black mascara"?!  Tongue-twister titles aside, I have started my drugstore mascara showdown this week.  I'm going through my drawer and making myself use all of the mascaras I already own, plus I'll be adding some new ones to see if I can find a new fave from the drugstore!

Remember, my current favorite drugstore mascara is L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black. It has been my go-to for quite a few years now, but I can never resist trying different offerings from the beauty aisles!

My first contestant this week is Maybelline Great Lash BIG, in blackest black.

 

If you're a fan of the classic Great Lash, you'll probably love this, if you can get used to the fat brush...

(Great Lash BIG, bottom. Volum' Express Cat Eyes, top.)

The second player this week was Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Cat Eyes, in Glam Black.

As you can probably see from my dead-eye expression, I'm not as in to this mascara...haha!

Both mascaras have a nice dark, black color.  Both brushes are traditional bristled brushes, which is what I usually prefer.  The Great Lash BIG brush is fuller and provides quite a bit of plush volume.  The Cat Eyes brush seems a bit skinny...it provides adequate definition and separation, but not much volume.  Don't forget...I love big, thick fake-looking lashes!!

The brush on my Great Lash BIG is also not the way it came...originally it was straight, just like the regular Great Lash, but I bent mine at the base of the bristled part for a bit more control in my application.  That being said, it still doesn't change the fact that I needed at least three to four coats to feel like I had some mascara on! (I always wear this much, though!)  With the Cat Eyes, I stopped at five(!!) since I just didn't want to be standing in front of the mirror any longer, and the extra coats didn't really seem to make a thickening difference.

I grudgingly kept grabbing these two tubes this week, and I did get happier results when I layered the Cat Eyes over a few coats of the Great Lash BIG, but really, they're not my favorite mascaras. This is probably why they've been rolling around in my mascara drawer for so long...;)

My winner for this round is...

Maybelline Great Lash BIG

Ok. I'm so excited to grab different mascara for next week! And I'm really looking forward to buying some new offerings in the beauty aisle...any recommendations?

Cheers to culling my collection!

Lindsay