The Balm What's Your Type? The Body Builder mascara review + swatches!

Hey, jelly beans! Today, I'm going to talk about one of my most recent makeup purchases - the What's Your Type? The Body Builder volumising mascara by TheBalm. (£14.99, Superdrug). TheBalm is one of my all-time favourite makeup brands, and they have yet to release a product that hasn't lived up to my expectations. Naturally, I was very excited to try this mascara - it promises to pump up and lift your lashes, whilst giving them more definition and volume. The formula is enriched with Vitamin E and bamboo, which are supposed to strengthen and condition your eyelashes. I was a little torn between trying this and the Tall, Dark and Handsome mascara, which is also part of the What's Your Type? range. I decided to go with The Body Builder, which seems to be more focused on giving your lashes dramatic volume - definitely the main thing I look for in a perfect mascara!

The packaging is quirky and fun, as is typical for TheBalm products. On the front of the tube there is quite a lot of writing, including the main qualities of the mascara ('bold', 'massive' and 'defined' lashes) as well as the ingredients list. The brush doesn't look like a typical volumising brush - it's fairly small; shaped like a standard mascara wand. I actually found it to be quite difficult to work with - the thick bristles caused a lot of product build-up, and I had to repeatedly wipe off the excess mascara.

Whilst a little difficult to work with, The Body Builder does a brilliant job at separating the eyelashes and gives them a lovely, curled shape. I didn't get as much volume as I'd hoped for, but I was still happy with how it made my lashes appear very long and defined - almost as if I was wearing falsies. I'm honestly surprised that this isn't advertised as a lengthening mascara, because it certainly feels like one. The volume you get after applying two layers isn't great, but the length is really impressive and definitely not what I expected. Despite the messy application, the quality of the formula a is very good - it doesn't smudge or flake off, and it lasts well throughout the day. 

My main criticism (other than the underwhelming volume) is that this mascara gets quite messy and clumpy, especially if you try to apply more than two layers. The formula is very sticky and takes a little while to dry out, which makes the lashes stick together if you apply additional coats. My trick is to comb through the eyelashes with a clean mascara brush afterwards - it helps to separate them and gets rid of any unwanted clumps. 

Overall, I'm reasonably happy with The Body Builder, although it didn't give me the results I expected. As it is a little on the pricey side, I doubt I will be repurchasing it anytime soon. This must be the first TheBalm product that I don't outright love, and I'm giving it an honest 6/10. Whilst it's great at making my eyelashes appear long and defined, there are plenty of mascaras out there that offer the same (or better) results for a fraction of the price. 

Have you tried The Body Builder mascara by TheBalm? What is your favourite volumising mascara?


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