Does This Classic £9.99 Mascara Still Have What It Takes?
Image – Courtesy of writer
For as long as I can remember, my mum has been using Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara (£9.99/$18.99). As a child, I used to watch as she applied it, eyes (and mouth) wide open. Her lashes getting longer and thicker with each stroke. I used to marvel at how they’d point upwards and stay like that until she removed her makeup in the evening.
She always said it was the only mascara she’d ever use, and she was right – she never strayed and still, to this day, swears by it. It was the first mascara I ever tried as a result.
Of course, things moved on and I dabbled with other brands and brushes and found a few I felt more suited to. But recently, I decided to give it another go.
My all-time favourite Jones Road mascara was going to cost too much in delivery for me to be able to afford it this month, but I needed a mascara top-up, like, now. So I revisited Mum’s ol’ faithful Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara.
So, is it still up there with the best? Or have I been using more up-to-date formulas and brushes for too long meaning they have officially overtaken, with no going back? Here’s how I got on.
The product details
The mascara promises to be smudge-proof and fragrance-free, so it’s perfect for sensitive eyes. The website also claims you get ‘up to 300% more volume than your bare lashes.’
2000 Calorie – revisited
Imagine the most bog-standard mascara brush you can think of – that’s what this one has. There’s nothing special about it, just your average brush. No curves, no ‘bubbles’, no innovative bristles. It’s the original shape – a medium size on one end then edging towards a point on the other.
When I opened up the tube for the first time in years, seeing such a ‘normal’ mascara brush was a little disconcerting. How would it fit around my eyelashes all at once like the curved Jones Road one does? How would it pick up every lash evenly if one end of the brush is slightly thinner than the other?
It didn’t feel very chunky either, another thing I’m used to with the Jones Road mascara. This was odd because when I first used it as a teen, it felt like I was taking something huge to my eyelashes. How times change.
As I applied it to my lashes, I noticed how slow it was to thicken my lashes compared to what I’m used to although it did lengthen them straight away. This would definitely need a few coats, at least.
Image – Courtesy of writer
I did a coat on one eye, then moved on to the other one. Once I’d finished, I noted how pathetic my lashes looked and that I’d probably never wear this mascara again. You see by now, I’d have a full-lash look with my usual mascara. I’m a busy lady, things need to get done quickly around here.
But thinking of my mum’s fabulous lashes, I decided to persevere, and the next coat was a lot more satisfactory. I began to remember what I used to love about this formula – how smooth it is and how easy it is to layer up into multiple coats. The second one just glided on and this time, my lashes appeared thicker and less wispy. Less pathetic.
There were a few clumps but not loads and they were easy to remove. I felt like I was finally getting somewhere. My lashes started to stick up like my mum’s and after a very brief third coat, I achieved the look I wanted – long, thick, separated lashes that had some personality. Not bad for £9.99/$18.99.
My results – have I gone back?
I still think Jones Road The Mascara is the best mascara on the planet (despite its hefty delivery charge and not being very accessible – grr). But this one is really good for the interim – one you can just pop to Boots for, for when you’re short on cash and need to top up on mascara immediately.
I haven’t experienced any smudging or flaking with it either and when I have allergies (I’m a serious allergy girl – watery eyes etc.), this one doesn’t sting which, as I’ve recently discovered, the Jones Road one does (ouch).
After all these years, Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara still does the job, it just takes a little longer to work than some up-to-date formulas, that’s all.
Image – Courtesy of writer
What other users are saying
It seems others keep coming back to it too. Tanya 111 says, “tried every other mascara under the sun, expensive and cheap, this one by far the best for over 10 years I’ve been using. Nothing compares.”
And Kiki01 writes, “I have been using this mascara for many years now and it is simply the best! No other mascara comes even close to giving me the same length or fullness. Everyone asks me if I am wearing false lashes.”
There are a few reviews about the tube drying up quickly. “What’s happened to mascara recently?” says Nett. “Within a few days the little that’s left in the tube dries out.” I notice this a lot with mascara, not just this one. Try not to pump the wand in and out too much as this adds air into the formula and dries it out. And always store your mascara in a cool, dry place – out of direct sunlight.
Overall value for money
Topping up on my favourite Jones Road mascara would cost me just shy of £30 when you take into account the delivery charge. This cost me £9.99 and a short walk up the high street. Whilst the Jones Road gives me the finish I’m looking for more quickly, I’ll take the hit in exchange for spending less money every so often.
The takeaway
There’s something to be said for products that have been around for years and years. This mascara has no bells and whistles (unless you call being fragrance-free a bell or a whistle). The brush is average, and the formula is satisfactory, after a few coats at least.
Perhaps that’s all we need, and these gimmicky mascaras are trying a little too hard. I do love a curved, chunky brush but I love being able to pop to my local chemist and spend under £10 too.
Get Glowing!
