Beauty L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara: Original vs Curved Brush Duel
Voluminous Original and Voluminous Curved Brush share the famous volumizing formula but use different brushes. We compared them to help you pick the right tool for your lashes.
| Factor | L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascar | L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Curved Brush Ma |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Check price | Check price |
| Brush | Classic dense volume brush | Curved lift-and-curl brush |
| Best for | Maximum thickness | Straight lashes needing lift |
| Volume level | Very high | High with curl |
| Ease of use | Simple, one-coat | Needs curling technique |
Our Verdict
Original wins for most people. Its classic dense brush delivers the maximum-volume effect the line is famous for, with the simplest technique. The Curved Brush wins for straight lashes that need lift, since the curve physically boosts curl as you apply. If your lashes already curl, Original gives you more of what you want. If your lashes point straight down, the Curved Brush solves your main problem. Both cost under ten dollars, so trying both is reasonable. Start with Original for the iconic experience, then add Curved Brush if lift is what your lashes lack.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: The blackest, most dramatic lash look.
L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara
- Deepest carbon black pigment
- Volumizing formula
- Maximum drama
- Same trusted brush
Pros
- Intense black payoff
- Great for evening looks
Cons
- Too intense for some daytime
- Same clump risk if layered thick
Best for: Hazel eyes wanting subtle enhancement.
L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara Deep Green
- Subtle deep green tint
- Same volumizing formula
- Flatters hazel and green eyes
- Office-safe color
Pros
- Makes eye color pop
- Reads nearly black daily
Cons
- Green subtle in most light
- Niche shade
Best for: Brown eyes wanting a brightening pop.
L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara Cobalt Blue
- Cobalt blue lash tint
- Volumizing base formula
- Brightens brown eyes
- Fun but wearable
Pros
- Unique eye-brightening effect
- Drugstore price to experiment
Cons
- Blue not for conservatives
- Less versatile than black
Want the Full Picture?
Voluminous on Oily Lids: The Smudge Problem
The Voluminous formula's most common complaint is smudging on oily lids, and it deserves a direct answer. The rich, volumizing formula that builds dramatic thickness contains oils and waxes that migrate when eyelid skin produces oil through the day. On dry to normal lids, it wears cleanly for hours; on oily lids, the under-eye transfer can start by midday.
The system that fixes it: prime the lids first with an eyeshadow primer or a light dusting of translucent powder on the lower lash line area, which absorbs the oil before it reaches the mascara. Waterproof versions of the Voluminous line resist migration far better and are worth the harder removal for oily-lidded wearers. Blotting the eyelids with blotting paper midday, without touching the lashes, extends wear dramatically. If smudging persists despite all this, the formula is simply too rich for your skin type, and a tubing mascara, which forms polymer tubes around lashes instead of painting them, is the structural solution. For safe removal of the waterproof version, our makeup removal guide covers removing makeup without damage.
Removal Ranked by Lash Loss
How you remove mascara determines how many lashes you keep, and the methods rank clearly. Gentlest: tubing mascaras removed with warm water alone, which slide off without rubbing. Next: oil-based removers or dual-phase removers on regular formulas, with a sixty-second press-and-hold before wiping; the soak does the work so your hands do not have to. Harshest: scrubbing waterproof mascara with makeup wipes, which tugs the lash line and breaks lashes over time.
For the Voluminous Original, an oil-based remover with the press-and-hold method removes fully with minimal fallout. For the Curved Brush waterproof version, accept the longer soak; impatience is what costs lashes. Never pump the wand in the tube, which pushes air and bacteria in; twist instead. And never sleep in mascara: overnight, the dried formula makes lashes brittle and the morning removal breaks the ones the night did not. For wand and formula education, our volumizing mascara guide breaks down how brushes and formulas create volume.
Mascara Hygiene Beyond the Three-Month Rule
"Replace every three months" is the whole of most hygiene advice, and it misses the actual contamination mechanics. Every wand pump pushes air, and with it bacteria, into the tube; the dark, moist interior is an ideal growth environment. Sharing mascara is the fastest route to eye infections, bar none, and testers at makeup counters carry the same risk.
Signs of contamination: the formula smells off or gassy, the texture turns clumpy before its time, or your eyes itch or water after application when they did not before. Any eye infection means discarding the tube immediately, not after recovery. The three-month clock starts at opening, not purchase; mark the date. At the Voluminous line is cheap enough to replace on schedule without pain, which is an underrated feature. Expensive mascaras kept too long are worse than cheap ones replaced on time. The Voluminous line's drugstore price is a hygiene feature in disguise: replacing on schedule never hurts, so there is no excuse to stretch a tube past its safe life. Fresh mascara performs better in every way: smoother application, truer volume, and zero infection risk.