Battle of the Brushes: Maybelline The Rocket Volume vs Rimmel Scandaleyes Flex

It's the battle of the big-ass brushes!

You know these make-up companies? They don't mess around!

I've seen some interesting brushes in my time - big, small, bristly, just right, but never had a preference.

Safe to say whoever the big boss' up there at Maybelline and Rimmel HQ's are, they a fan of all things big.

He or she likes big butts.

Or...should that be, big brushes.

You see where I'm going with this?

;)

I'm almost certain the lyrics to 'Baby Got Back' are up on the wall of the mascara development departments, to serve as a reminder to all employees who may dare to downsize, that it is just simply, not on.

'Tis a competition you see...
;)

Maybelline took the challenge first...
They really went in on this one.
Good and proper.
Literally as big as a rocket!

Practically an entire space station actually...
@VirtualAstro will be tweeting us the times when it's visible from Earth soon, I'm sure of it.

Their attempt at snagging the BOEPA, (Brush of Epic Proportions Award) came in the form of Maybelline's The Rocket Volum' Express, which has just about one of the most mahooooosive brushes I've ever seen.

In fact it reminds me of something, and it's not pretty...
Have you ever seen a caterpillar right before it becomes a chrysalis?
All short and hugely fat with these stubby little legs that are totally overshadowed by the sheer scale of its body.

Yeah.
That.

Gross.
Sorry peeps.

I've heard people loving off this brush, but I had a bit of trouble with it to be honest.
It's naff all to do with it being plastic, it's just...it's just...
*sigh*
IT'S.JUST.SO.FAT!!!
What little bristle-age there is, is lost on my lashes, they don't catch or coat my lashes in any way, in fact I think the unnecessarily large barrel bit in the middle is doing all the work.
There is absolutely no manoeuvring this brush around, no getting in the corners, and you are at a 99% risk of getting more of this on your eyelids than your lashes during the application process.
Don't even get me started on the myth that is those corner lashes - they will remain absent and invisible unless you dare to attempt to coat them using the flat, bristle-less head of the wand.

Oh mannn, I miss my BBBB.

Okay, so it's not all bad.
The brush might resemble 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', but the mascara itself is pretty nice.
It's black enough, it's long lasting and didn't smudge on me, it's pretty good on volume and length without being amazing, but it's definitely good enough.
It's easily buildable but looks great with just one coat, and I didn't find it clumped my lashes any more than the next mascara.
It lasted me a good while too before D-Day, (Dry Day) which is definitely a plus, considering mascara is an expenditure of pre-chrysalis proportions for someone on a budget as tight as mine...
Do I love it as much as its smudgy, yet oh so flattering Maybelline counterpart, The Falsies?
No.
Would I repurchase it?
No.
There are just too many way more exciting mascaras out there - and with less frightening brushes!

£7.99 - 9.6ml

***

So after seeing Maybelline's offering, my old faithful Rimmel decided to step up their big brush game...

Ohhhhh boy!
Welcome to Earth, (Boots) new Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex mascara.
Yup.
There was me, on the verge of buying the Revlon Grow Luscious to replace the big (very big!) hole left in my make-up bag following the D-Day demise of The Rocket.
As I approached the counter, the words 'new' attracted me, and I was done.
But on opening and seeing a brush bigger than Katie Hopkins' ego, (apologies, I'll never mention her ever again) my heart sank a little.
I just needed a break from beastly brushes.

Serves me right for being a savvy little spender and seeing an introductory offer before viewing the actual product.
I swear one of these day I'll go home with dog food for tea, purely because it's half price!

Yes, it's eeeeeeeeeven bigger than The Rocket's actual real, to scale, life sized rocket brush.
I don't even know what the hell I can compare this to.

Suggestions?

Despite this though, the brushes are polar opposites!
This one has long, thick and numerous bristles as opposed to short stubby plastic, and I feel like it does the job!
I just about can get in those all important corners, without too many eyelid incidents.

Also, lycra is the word I'm going to emphasise here!
Rimmel don't lie mannnn.
I hadn't realised until looking back at these images, how well this mascara holds curl in comparison to its stubby brushed counterpart.
Springy!
I get great volume, great length, and great lastability, with only a little bit of transfer - a word of warning, it does not survive spin classes, and you will look like you've been crying after haha.
Go on girls (and guys), get your make-up off at the gym, don't be like me!
Again, it looks great with just one coat, and though I can't comment on the longevity of the whole tube yet, I suspect it will be a long 'un, considering it's a 12ml-er.

Nice to know they still had room in there for product after all that brush...

Do I love it as much as it's Rimmel counterpart 'Day 2 Night'?
Maybe. I'd say equally.
Will I repurchase?
Possibly, unless something else in even brighter packaging catches my eye...

Surely not.
Impossible. 

£6.99 - 12ml

***

So, who's got the all important and prestigious BOEPA??

Drumroll please...

IT'S RIMMEL's SCANDALEYES LYRCA FLEX MASCARA WOOO :D

Well done Rimmel, you little darlings, you've done it again.
Your brush is mega, your formulation is perfect, and your packaging is so blumin' bright that not one of us will be able to miss you and we'll therefore all buy you!

You get this award on that shelf of yours, next to the CD player, complete with 'Baby Got Back' CD, and lyrics on the wall.

Talking of...

COME ON NOW PEEPS, SING-A-FRICKIN-LONGGGG!

I like big brushes and I can not lie,

You other brushes can't deny,

That when you get mascara with a brush big as space

And it's bristles in your face, 

You're like WOAH!