Bargain beauty buy: why I swear by this £10 mascara

My loyalty to a beauty product is rarely bought. Much like my approach to relationships, I can only settle with the knowledge I’ve explored every possible option. In a nutshell, I’m fussy, but when I find a product I love; it’s a love for life.

For years people have been asking me which mascara I use. The truth is, it’s the one great love in my makeup cabinet. Better yet – it costs less than a tenner.

I first discovered Max Factor’s Masterpiece Max not long after it launched in 2006 during a promotion at Australian Fashion Week.

What I first bought on an easily-influenced teenage whim, has since become the ace card to my – fairly minimal – makeup routine for over a decade. 

Here’s why it’s a mascara I continue to swear by. 

The backstory

Max Factor’s Masterpiece mascara was a groundbreaking release in 2006 and the most successful cosmetic launch in Boots’ history, with one bought every 2.5 seconds. 

The Masterpiece Max hit shelves not long after as a new-and-improved take on the cult favourite putting ‘max’ emphasis on volume. 

Now a Max Factor bestseller, any other mascara I’ve tried, be it from a luxury brand or the latest cult item, has never compared.

Why it deserves the hype

I’m lucky that I have naturally long eyelashes. With the right mascara, they can achieve serious drama, with the wrong mascara, they become a clumped and globby mess. The Masterpiece Max’s Volume iFX brush delivers a winning trifecta. It lifts, it defines, and it gives mega volume.

Its claim to create up to 400 per cent more volume compared to bare lashes is all in the science of the brush. Micro channels in-between each bristle hold more product allowing it to deliver more mascara to the lashes for high impact volume. Meanwhile, its dual combing action separates the lashes during application, enhancing the sleek lash definition.  

The formula isn’t sticky like many other mascaras which makes the product super buildable, giving your lashes great lift without clumping. I use this mascara every day without fail, and it normally delivers great results for a solid three to four months.

It’s a mascara with seriously convincing impact, leading many people to assume my lashes are fake. That said, it still manages to give a natural look whether you want a dramatic smokey eye or a minimal day look.

Available in three shades including black, black/brown (my favourite), and deep blue, va-va-voom lashes are only a brushstroke away. 

The Max Factor Masterpiece Max retails at £9.99 from Boots. Shop it here.