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essence | Lash Princess Curl & Volume Mascara

Curated from 140 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: March 11, 2025

essence | Lash Princess Curl & Volume Mascara

Brand: essence

Price: $4

Snoop Score:

5.7

Sentiment

4.8

Popularity

5.4

Technical

6.1

Buy on Amazon for $4 See All Mascara Reviews

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Snoop's Take

The essence | Lash Princess Curl & Volume Mascara is a vegan, cruelty-free mascara designed to deliver dramatic volume and curl with its innovative peanut-shaped fiber brush. It promises clump-free application and long, separated lashes without the use of animal byproducts, parabens, or fragrances. Consumer sentiment is a roller coaster – many users rave about its performance, with one exultant review noting, “It's FIVE DOLLARS and is hands down the best mascara ever,” while others bemoan issues like flaking and raccoon eyes. The debate is heated, with praises for its volumizing effects and criticisms regarding its smudging and clumping, reflecting the unpredictable nature of drugstore cosmetics. Overall, while the mascara has its staunch defenders citing its value and dramatic results for everyday wear, the mixed feedback suggests you should go in with tempered expectations if you prioritize long wear and reliability under all conditions.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Mascara

Yes, it does hold a curl well, which I feel like a lot of mascaras claim to, but don’t.
Positive Feedback

Unfortunately, it flakes and leaves dark circles under my eyes – the dreaded raccoon eyes.
Negative Feedback

5.7

essence | Lash Princess Curl & Volume Mascara

Buy on Amazon for $4

Everyday Enhancement

6 / 10

Dramatic Evening Look

6 / 10

Sensitive Eye Care

6 / 10

Weather Resistant

6 / 10

See how this compares to all Mascara

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.

Holds curl well

“Yes, it does hold a curl well, which I feel like a lot of mascaras claim to, but don’t.”➕

“Yes yes yes! I have legit abandoned all my other mascaras after trying that one when it went viral on socials.”➕

Provides volume and length

“What to really expect from the Essence Lash Princess Mascara So the past few days have been quite th”➕

“I have thin blonde eyelashes and I like it!”➕

“It does a nice job of making my lashes bigger.”➕

Affordable price

“It’s so good and 1/4 of the price of the mascaras I was using before.”➕

“I have never been happier to return to my HG drugstore mascara that has not let me down since it came out.”➕

“It is great for the price though.”➕

“It's FIVE DOLLARS and is hands down the best mascara ever.”➕

Does not smudge

“I’ve had no issues with smudging.”➕

Provides long, separated lashes

“Upon first application I got super long, separated lashes with a little bit of volume.”➕

“Oooh, I've been looking for a new mascara and I think I'll need to try this one.”➕

Holds up well without flaking

“I really enjoy it and I've not had problems, it holds up well in my experience.”➕

Some users love the mascara

“It’s my holy grail mascara. Lash princess is wonderful, it’s a must for me.”➕

Essence provides good volume

“I am a mascara ho and I ALWAYS come back to Princess.”➕

Mascara is personal and users have varied experiences

“Mascara is very personal. They’re both great.”➕

Some users find it a holy grail product

“That mascara is my holy-grail. I wear it everyday and I’ve never had it transfer.”➕

Long and fluttery lashes

“It's easy to remove, makes my lashes look long and fluttery.”➕

Great volume and length

“It gives really great volume and length!”➕

Volumizing and doesn't smudge

“It’s volumizing and doesn’t smudge.”➕

Best mascara for the price

“I LOVE the Essence mascara. So good.”➕

Multiple effective formulas

“I like at least three of their formulas. Also, Tati totes it as the best drugstore mascara.”➕

“LOVE lash Princess, have tried them all and the purple one is the best.”➕

“It makes my lashes look so long and thick <3”➕

Great lengthening effect

“Okay, you convinced me, I'm picking this up at Ulta next week.”➕

“Well, I guess I know what I’ll be getting once I finish these deluxe samples!”➕

Users love the mascara.

“it’s the best mascara I’ve ever used.”➕

“I LOVE it.”➕

Holds curl well with lash primer.

“this is the first combination I’ve used that really works.”➕

Improves over time with use.

“After about a week, I notice it’s a lot better.”➕

Warming the mascara improves application.

“I learnt the trick about warming up the mascara recently and I will never go back!”➕

“it looks great for like 5 min and ends up under my eyes throughout the day and clumpy.”➕

Works well when layered.

“this is my all time favorite mascara and I put it on until my lashes are long and saturated.”➕

Popular in Germany

“Essence mascaras are definitely amazing for the price you pay and it has a reason why they are so popular here in Germany.”➕

Users find it amazing for their lashes

“Thank you it's really amazing!”➕

Dramatic lash results

“I HIGHLY recommend it.”➕

“I'm officially on board.”➕

Warming mascara improves application

“Make sure to warm it up for best results.”➕

Highly recommended for straight lashes

“I really like the Lash like a boss from essence- the one in the green tube.”➕

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.

Mascara flakes and causes dark circles

“Unfortunately, it flakes and leaves dark circles under my eyes – the dreaded raccoon eyes.”➕

“Which one works well for you? I have the same problem.”➕

“Hated the lash princess. Just crumbled.”➕

“I don't understand the hype around it.”➕

Overall performance is underwhelming

“Meh. The ones I’ve tried (3 or so) have all been meh.”➕

“Not a fan.”➕

“I absolutely hate it.”➕

Mascara smears and is not waterproof

“I stopped using the OG Lash Princess which I swore by during the pandemic as it's not waterproof and would smear all the time.”➕

Flakes and causes dark circles

“they’re all flaky and they can’t hold a lash curl even if life depended on it.”➕

“it transfers/flakes/smudges A LOT underneath your eyes.”➕

Not waterproof

“Does it smudge? is it waterproof?”➕

Flakes and smudges more than before

“the last couple tubes seem like it flakes more, and leaves more smudging under my eyes.”➕

“I really hope it was a bad batch or something cause its an amazing mascara, normally :(”➕

Mascara flakes badly after a few hours

“lash princess flaked and clumped badly.”➕

Clumps badly

“It is the clumpiest mascara I’ve ever used- it looks terrible.”➕

“it just makes my lashes look like straight, long, slightly clumpy spider legs.”➕

“Flaked like crazy on me! I looked like a raccoon by 10 am.”➕

General dissatisfaction with essence mascaras

“Yeah I hate all essence mascaras.”➕

Mascara smudges and is not waterproof

“It's the only tubing mascara that I've ever used that smudges.”➕

“Bye Bye Panda Eyes gives me....you guess it, panda eyes.”➕

Underwhelming performance for many users

“I do like their tubing mascara, “bye bye panda eyes”, though.”➕

Mascara causes smudging and raccoon eyes

“Essence Lash Princess false lash/waterproof mascara * Item: Essence Lash Princess false lash/waterpr”➕

“No! Don’t get it. It gave me raccoon eyes and I had never used a mascara which smudged before that.”➕

“Wet formula, spider-lashes, smudgy mess, in my experience.”➕

“It’s SO bad. I regretted even trying it.”➕

Mascara flakes and creates a messy appearance

“I used this after the essence waterproof was a dud and it works well.”➕

General dissatisfaction with product performance

“Agree with this- I couldn’t get it to work for me.”➕

Both mascaras smudge badly

“both ended up getting thrown out because they both smudged so badly all day.”➕

Mascara transfers and causes raccoon eyes

“Raccoon eyes in like a half hour.”➕

“That mascara transferred like crazy on me!”➕

Inconsistent performance for users with oily lids

“I think it transfers on people with oily lids.”➕

Mascara does not perform as expected for some users

“Mascara does absolutely fuck all for my eyelashes (even if I curl them) but everyone says this is THE mascara to use.”➕

Mascara smudges quickly

“It’s a great mascara in terms of lengthening but it smudges on my eyes faster than any other mascaras I own :’(”➕

“Mine flakes and smudges like crazy. I look like a raccoon by the end of the day.”➕

Can make lashes look clumpy.

“it either makes my lashes look clumpy or it makes my lashes fall and they wont hold a curl.”➕

Mascara flakes and causes smudging

“I can't use it on the lower lashes or it starts flaking within an hour.”➕

Difficult to apply for some users

“this mascara would get all over my lids by the last line no matter how carefully I applied it.”➕

Does not work for all users

“I have it and it doesn't do that for me :( my lashes are average length.”➕

Old tube with dry formula reported

“I think I may have gotten an old tube :( it has that old mascara smell and seems a bit dry.”➕

Inconsistent results

“Unfortunately not getting these results even with two coats.”➕

Lack of product sealing raises concerns

“The only thing that sketches me out about these is that they aren't sealed!”➕

Non-waterproof mascaras lose curl

“Not waterproof and holds curl in straight lashes are opposing properties.”➕

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product Name	Price	Score	See Details	Buy Now
MAYBELLINE Lash Sensational Washable Mascara	$9	8.9	Details	Buy
MAYBELLINE Volum' Express Colossal Washable Mascara Makeup	$7	8.2	Details	Buy
L'Oréal Paris Makeup Telescopic Original Lengthening Mascara	$9	8.0	Details	Buy
Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara by Too Faced	$29	7.8	Details	Buy
L'Oreal Paris Makeup Voluminous Original Volume Building Waterproof Mascara	$7	7.8	Details	Buy
essence \| Lash Princess False Lash Waterproof Mascara	$4	7.7	Details	Buy
ILIA - Limitless Lash Mascara	$29	7.5	Details	Buy
MAYBELLINE Great Lash Washable Mascara Makeup	$4	7.3	Details	Buy
MAYBELLINE Full 'N Soft Waterproof Mascara, Very Black, 1 Count	$7	7.3	Details	Buy
MAYBELLINE Volum' Express The Rocket Volumizing Mascara, Blackest Black	$7	6.5	Details	Buy
COVERGIRL Lash Blast Volume Mascara, Brown	$8	6.2	Details	Buy
L’Oréal Paris Makeup Voluminous Mascara Original	$7	6.1	Details	Buy
essence Lash Princess Sculpted Volume Mascara	$4	5.7	Details	Buy
essence \| Lash Princess Curl & Volume Mascara	$4	5.7	Details	Buy
Almay Mascara, Thickening, Volume & Length Eye Makeup 402 Black	$4	5.7	Details	Buy
essence \| Lash Without Limits Extreme Lengthening & Volume Mascara	$4	5.0	Details	Buy
L’Oréal Paris Makeup Voluminous Original Mascara, Black, 0.28 Fl Oz	$8	4.9	Details	Buy
L'OREAL PARIS Makeup Original Telescopic Lengthening Mascara	$9	4.9	Details	Buy
essence \| Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara	$4	4.8	Details	Buy
tarte tartelette tubing mascara - black - full size	$27	4.4	Details	Buy
tarte maneater mascara - Black - full size by tarte	$27	4.4	Details	Buy
L'OREAL PARIS Makeup Voluminous Original Curved Brush Mascara	$7	4.3	Details	Buy
MAYBELLINE Volum' Express The Falsies Waterproof Mascara	$6	4.1	Details	Buy
MAYBELLINE Volum' Express The Falsies Washable Fiber Mascara	$6	3.8	Details	Buy
MAYBELLINE Lash Discovery Mini-Brush Waterproof Mascara, Very Black	$7	3.5	Details	Buy
Honest Beauty 2-in-1 Extreme Length Clean Mascara + Lash Primer	$19	3.1	Details	Buy
L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara, Blackest Black	$8	2.6	Details	Buy
L'Oreal Paris Makeup Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara	$9	2.5	Details	Buy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.

Preference for non-waterproof mascaras

“I don't want to use a waterproof mascara daily:)”➕

Discussion about tubing mascaras

“Sorry what is tubing mascara?”➕

“It tends to have a rubbery texture and subsequently less likely to flake.”➕

“Interesting to hear that it's supposed to flake less because all tubing mascaras I have ever tried always flake on me.”➕

Preference for non-clumpy and non-smudging formulas

“Dont want the ones that make lashes too clumpy or the ones that smudge under the eyes.”➕

Discussion about product variations

“I have the green and love it.”➕

“everyone was talking about the purple one.”➕

General love for Essence products

“I love Essence!!! Not only is their mascara fantastic, they have plenty of other super amazing products.”➕

Discussion about unique eye shapes and lashes

“Would long, full, chemically amped lashes (a la Latisse + this mascara) look odd on hooded eyes?”➕

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’

User experiences vary significantly

“I have wispy eyelashes and eyes that tend to water so I suspect this one will be off the menu for me.”➕

Comparison with other tubing mascaras

“They're also the ones that come off the way I think tubing mascaras are supposed to come off - in clumps, just using warm water.”➕

Curiosity about the product despite mixed reviews

“They have free shipping when you spend $15 so you might as well get a couple or other stuff with it.”➕

“I get mine at ulta but only some CVS's carry it.”➕

Makeup setting spray can enhance mascara wear.

“I never thought of that!”➕

Curiosity about lasting power and smudging

“Wow, that's incredible. How's the lasting power?”➕

Discussion about preferences for affordable, cruelty-free mascaras

“Best essence mascaras that keep the curl.”➕

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.

Curled lashes are a concern for some users

“Does this one hold a curl? That's my main worry with these.”➕

Mixed experiences with the product

“My biggest issue with it is how fast it melts on my face.”➕

Discussion about false lash effect

“Is this the false lash effect lash princess?”➕

Users have varied experiences with mascara.

“So your mileage may very, but I do one coat Essence and then one coat of a thinner waterproof over it.”➕

“Mascara: Essence Lash Princess Volume (the one with the orangey pink and black bottle)”➕