A new Maybelline mascara launch is always an exciting time for me. Long time readers will know that Maybelline has made some of my absolute favourite mascaras. And whenever a new one launches, I have to test it out. So, imagine the joy on my face when back in May, GiGi Hadid was spotted using a new Maybelline mascara for her Met Gala makeup look. That mascara being the The Falsies Surreal Extensions. I picked it up as soon as I saw it land Down Under. And I’ve spent the last few weeks playing with it behind the scenes. Let’s get into my thoughts.
MAYBELLINE THE FALSIES SURREAL EXTENSIONS MASCARA – $27.99 – chemistwarehouse.com.au
Starting with the packaging, the Surreal Extensions Mascara is housed in the same style of packaging as last year’s Colossal Curl Bounce Mascara. It’s the same flattened tube, but this time the colouring is lilac with mirror chrome and dark purple detailing. The original Falsies mascara comes in a purple tube, so they are keeping with the theme. The Surreal Extensions Mascara has a vegan formula. But I will note that Maybelline is owned by a company that takes part in third party testing. The Surreal Extensions Mascara contains 10ml of product.
The wand of the Surreal Extensions Mascara is one that I’m sure that I’ve seen from Maybelline before. It’s very straight, with a slight taper towards the tip. It’s also a long wand. Which from my experience, I’m usually not big on because I can find them difficult to use. The wand itself using synthetic fiber bristles that are twisted to help grip onto the lashes more effectively. And the separation between the bristles is evenly spaced.
Getting into the actual formulation now. And this one does have some exciting stuff going on. It’s described as having Hybrid Fiber Technology. With different sized fibers dispersed throughout the formula to assist with lengthening lashes. The fibers themselves are tiny (the biggest is 3mm). But you can see on my hand swatch how they have gripped onto the hairs on my hand. There are also a few conditioning oils in this formula as well. The pigment is rich and black, but a little on the thicker side once built up.
When it came to applying this mascara, I found out very quickly that this is a mascara that benefits from multiple layers. I say this because the first time I applied this with a single coat, I will admit to being pretty underwhelmed as it wasn’t doing much for me. I then went in with a second and third coat. That’s when I saw the magic happen. The Surreal Extensions Mascara’s main talking points is it’s lengthening and volumizing properties. But the thing I was most impressed with was it’s lift. This is a slightly thicker formula, so I was surprised to see how well this held a curl. Overall, I loved the effect that it gave.
Which brings us to the wear test. And I will say this up front. Maybelline makes my favourite mascaras. I do hold them to a higher standard than other drugstore mascaras. Which is to say, overall, it wore really well. But I do have some quibbles that hold it back from being a slam dunk. First of all, on me, this does flake. Not dramatically by any means. But I would notice the odd flake on my face by the end of the day. I also experienced some lash droop on my right side. And depending on the foundation I was wearing that day, I did experience some transfer under the eye. Never on a bare face though.
The big issue I had with this mascara though was the removal at the end of the day. I didn’t buy the waterproof version. But the more of this mascara I used, the harder I found it to remove. This is a formula that really clings to the lashes. I had to go in with both a cleansing balm and a specialised eye makeup remover and I still felt like that didn’t remove it all. And I’ve spoken to a few friends who have had the same problem with this mascara. So, this is definitely something to keep in mind.
All in all, while I can’t say that this is as good as the iconic Falsies Lash Lift (still Maybelline’s best mascara), There are enough things that I liked about the Surreal Extensions Mascara that I do want to give it my recommendation. Maybe go into this one with slightly lower expectations and a really good makeup remover. Have you tried the Maybelline Surreal Extensions Mascara? Let me know in the comments.
Cheers and love
Emily xo