Beauty Grandiôse Alternatives Compared: Volume Mascara Vs Length
Monsieur Big and Définicils are two Lancome icons with opposite strengths. One builds bold volume, the other builds clean length. Your lash goal picks the winner.
| Factor | Lancome Monsieur Big Volumizing Mascara, | Lancome Definicils Defining and Lengthen |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Monsieur Big mascara | Définicils mascara |
| Main benefit | Big dramatic volume | Defined length and separation |
| Brush | Large soft bristle brush | Precision comb applicator |
| Best lash type | Straight or fine lashes | All lash types |
| Look | False lash drama | Polished natural |
| Wear time | All day, minimal flaking | All day, minimal flaking |
| Typical price | Check price | Check price |
Our Verdict
Pick Monsieur Big for maximum volume and dramatic lashes. Pick Définicils for clean length and defined separation. Both are top tier Lancome mascaras, so choose drama or definition.
Hooded Eyelids: Where Volume and Length Fail Differently
Nobody tests mascaras on hooded eyelids specifically, where transfer to the brow bone and lid crease is the main failure mode. The two formulas here fail in opposite ways on hooded eyes, which makes the choice clearer. Monsieur Big's large brush deposits a bold, wet film that stays tacky longer, and on hooded eyes that tacky film stamps onto the brow bone with every blink until it sets. Définicils, with its precision comb and drier defining film, sets faster and transfers far less, making it the safer default for hooded lids.
If you want Monsieur Big's drama on hooded eyes anyway, the technique compensates. Apply with eyes open and looking down into a mirror, which keeps the lashes away from the brow bone during the tacky phase. Let the first coat set for a full two minutes before the second, and keep the second coat thin near the tips where contact happens. A tubing topcoat on just the tips can also lock the film for hooded wearers. The general principle: on hooded eyes, dry-setting defining formulas beat wet volumizing ones for transfer, even when volume is the goal.
Mascara for Sparse, Aging Lashes: Volume Versus Definition
Mascara for sparse, aging lashes gets almost no serious coverage, yet the choice between volume and definition formulas matters enormously here. Aging lashes are sparser, finer, and more widely spaced, which changes the math. A bold volumizing formula like Monsieur Big can overwhelm sparse lashes: the large brush deposits heavy clumps with visible gaps between them, emphasizing sparseness rather than hiding it. A defining formula like Définicils coats each lash individually, and the separation itself creates the illusion of more lashes.
The counterpoint is that very fine aging lashes sometimes need the extra fiber and film that volumizing formulas provide to be visible at all. The test is simple: if your lashes are sparse but each lash is still dark and distinct, choose definition. If your lashes are sparse and each lash is fine and pale, a volumizing formula in thin coats builds more presence. Either way, condition first: aging lashes are drier and snap more easily during removal, so a lash serum at night or a conditioning primer base keeps them flexible. Skip waterproof for daily wear on aging lashes, the removal friction costs more lashes than any formula gives back. Our volumizing mascara guide covers more options for fine lash types.
The Heated Curler Combination for Straight Lashes
Heated lash curlers get one passing tip in most guides, but nobody tests curler-plus-mascara combinations for all-day curl hold. The order is fixed: curl first, mascara second, never the reverse. Mascara baked by a heated curler turns brittle and snaps during removal. With these two formulas, the curl-hold difference is real. Définicils' drier defining film grips a curl better through the day, since the stiffer film resists the lash's tendency to fall straight. Monsieur Big's heavier, more emollient film adds weight that pulls the curl down faster on very straight lashes.
If you use Monsieur Big on straight lashes and need the curl to last, apply one coat, let it set for a full minute, then add the second coat only from mid-length to tips, keeping weight off the curl point at the base. A traditional (non-heated) curler used before a heated one, the double-curl method, gives the most dramatic lift for stubbornly straight lashes, but use it sparingly, daily double-curling stresses lashes. And never pump the wand in the tube: the added air dries both formulas and makes them clump on curled lashes. For gentle removal after a full day of curled, coated lashes, the makeup removal guide ranks the least damaging methods.
Monsieur Big vs Définicils Questions
Yes, and lash artists do it often. Apply Définicils first for separation and definition, let it set for a minute, then add Monsieur Big from mid-length to tips for volume. The defining base prevents the volumizing coat from clumping.
Définicils. Its drier-setting film resists lid oil far better than Monsieur Big's richer volumizing base, which softens and transfers by afternoon on oily lids. Dusting translucent powder along the lash line before either formula extends wear further.
Définicils. The precision comb reaches short lashes at the base without depositing excess, while Monsieur Big's large brush can overwhelm short lashes and stamp the lid. Short lashes need definition first, volume second.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.