I am a very picky girl when it comes to buying cosmetics. I abide by a strict "love it or leave it" policy when it comes to girly items, so this mascara was quite a treat for me. What caught my eye initially was the packaging, as noted earlier, a chartreuse-y yellow with metallic purple lettering. (I'm impressed that Maybelline seems to be stepping up on the aesthetics of their packaging; definitely good for marketing!)

I'd just finished a tube of MAC Zoom Lash and was pining for a mascara that could lengthen but focused on pretty, unfussy volume. The Colossal was a smash hit. The formula is easy to apply, the wand is thick and easy to hold and clumps very little. I found the difference was most apparent in the application of the first three strokes; usually by then my past mascaras had made my lashes unpleasantly saturated to the point of becoming small, icky lash-bouquets. This lil' feller is different, your lashes stay separated, the formula is easy to apply evenly and the volume looks quite natural and very pretty. This is a fantastic daytime mascara and ideal for the girl who prefers to skip makeup mostly but opts for mascara to add a little polish. Although it's fabulous at it's job, the effects don't produce very diva-like drama for evening, so if that's what you're looking for you're probably better off with a different product. I used the standard black colour and the pigments are quite rich but once again, not terribly dramatic.

I'd compare this mascara to Benefit's badGRRL Lash, but much less flakey. Whereas my experience with the Benefit mascara has shown the formula to only last about half the day before almost completely flaking off, the Colossal lasts and stays put, is quite flexible and has a moderate resistance to moisture. Similarities are the large brush and the pigment richness, notably comparable. If you liked the Benefit classic, you'll LOVE the Colossal.