Volume & Definition: Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara

For whatever reason, I had previously never tried anything from Marc Jacobs Beauty. I think I'm quite biased against newer beauty brands; I tend to see them as trendy and fun but not very invested in making quality products. So I wasn't really expecting much when Influenster selected me for yet another of their VoxBoxes (you can sign up for a chance to review products, too! Here's my invite link), this time in collaboration with Marc Jacobs - apart from being excited to try out new high-end make-up for free, duh.

The Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara* ($26 for 0.32 oz, comes in just the black shade - Noir) is the third mascara to join the brand's line-up, forth if you're counting their Lamé Noir Ultra-Glittering Mascara (see what I mean by trendy and fun?). When I ripped open the box, I was immediately pleasantly surprised by the simple but weighty packaging; they used some really luxurious feeling plastic for the tube, lol. I actually like most of the brand's packaging - what can I say, I really appreciate black with silver accents.

Velvet Noir claims to 'create instant, smudge-proof length and volume in three strokes or less' with super-concentrated black pigment and a lash-maximizing curvy brush (from Sephora). The hourglass-shaped brush is quite large, which is usually not my preference, but I'm actually very impressed with the design. The rounded tip allows me to reach both inner and outer corner lashes and build up layers just where I need it, while the densely packed bristles grab every single lash and comb out any clumps. It's a combination of two things that I like the most in a mascara: volume and definition. I like.

Despite the size of the brush, I don't really have problems with smudging the mascara on my lids, although it is a bit difficult to maneuver on the lower lash line. The mascara layers easily, although I never really feel the need to dip back into the tube - one coat is perfectly enough for me. The pigment is a very nice matte black, and even without curling my lashes, they appear lifted and fanned out.

As for longevity, I'm pleased to say that this relatively dry formula doesn't crumble or flake throughout the day. On me, it does transfer ever so slightly onto the browbone - but that's a common problem if your lashes happen to touch the skin under your brows when looking up. It's not as bad as other non-waterproof mascaras though, and can be minimized with an eye primer and some powder.

All in all, I'm very impressed with this mascara; maybe it's because of all the mascara duds I've been trying lately, but I would actually consider repurchasing the Velvet Noir. You know you don't want to be without a product when you start thinking things like '$26 is not so bad for a high-end mascara, right?'. Uhm, right. What are your favorite products from Marc Jacobs? What was the last mascara you were really impressed by?

Disclaimer: Item marked with an asterix (*) is a press sample I received from Influenster for testing purposes. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!