Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara review - va-va-voom lashes that last

Dior didn't mess about when they named Diorshow Iconic Overcurl. Is it a touch hubristic to call a mascara iconic before it's even hit the shelves? Perhaps, but they weren't wrong. Call it supreme confidence, call it nominative determinism, whatever happened in the years since this glamorous baby was brought into the world, there's no denying it's become a modern makeup icon. 

The overcurl bit came to pass as well. This formula will stretch your lashes into perfect wide-awake flutter and then keep them up there all day. Obviously, there's a price to be paid for pure luxury and don't expect to get away with pretending you haven't made an effort - natural look this 'aint. But if your idea of the best mascara is high-impact volume, curl that won't quit and a nice little surprise when it comes to removal, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl more than delivers. 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

It’s hard to imagine many mascaras making a better impression than  Diorshow Iconic Overcurl.  Just look at it - the dazzling silver tube, elegant lettering and tactile textured branding all add up to a seriously classy customer. It even feels great just to hold the tube in your hands - something about the high-gloss finish I suspect. 

Essentially, having this tube on your dressing table offers a similar bump of aesthetic satisfaction to a fancy new pen on your desk or a bottle of champagne in the fridge. It's a promising start. 

FORMULA AND INGREDIENTS

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl makes a few promises with its formula, which are 24 hours of volume and curl plus lash fortifying care. Starting with volume and curl, the ingredients list certainly ticks all the boxes you’d hope for in the best mascara for straight lashes - various waxes, stretchy polymers and inky black pigment. 

The 24 hours part I’ll turn a blind eye to, much like I do with all makeup that promises days worth of wear. Really, who needs their lashes standing at full attention for that long? Are you not sleeping or are you desecrating your pillowcase with gunky black smudges every night? Either way, I’m concerned. 

Care-wise, we get some nice softening ingredients like natural seed oils and jojoba, a reassuring prospect if you worry about the long-term effects of the load-it-on then scrub-it-off cycle we get tend to into with mascara.  

The formulation feels volumising, which is to say it loads onto the lashes heartily and bulks them out substantially so you’ll know it’s there. Not in a bad way - in a “why can I feel my lashes batting against my brow bone?” way. There's no doubt this is one of the best lengthening mascaras if you also want a curl effect that really lasts. 

EASE OF APPLICATION 

Plenty of mascaras are easy enough to apply, but far fewer can be described as enjoyable like Diorshow Iconic Overcurl. The feeling of pulling the bushy curved brush and stretchy formula upwards through your lashes is genuinely gratifying. As is the fact that even one coat gives an impressive degree of volume and lift. Many will find a single coat is enough for their requirements, certainly If I was planning to wear this during the day or to work I'd probably stop at one.  

I went into my second layer feeling nervous. Often, impressive first coats lead to overly bulked, spidery or clumpy second ones. Brushing it through definitely took a bit more graft this time around but my lashes remained reasonably separated and, with some wigging, steadfastly unstuck. If you're a three coat girl you might want to keep a lash comb handy. 

The formula dries quickly, which helps keep application neat and clean, although the relatively chunky brush did cause a few little smudges when applying to the lower lashes. That’s standard stuff for brushes this shape and easily sorted with a damp cotton bud. 

What’s it like to wear?

This is a mascara you wear when you want to get noticed and in turn you will notice that you’re wearing it. Even an accidental glance on the reflective side of my kettle had me thinking, hello lashes! Friends may ask what mascara you’re wearing, your partner will probably venture a tentative “you look… nice?” while praying they haven’t forgotten some important occasion that warrants the extra effort. It’s that kind of mascara. 

About six hours after applying I was still resolutely flake free and none of the formula had transferred - a solid achievement with my hooded lids. Four hours after that one tiny smear had besmirched my upper lid, which is about six smudges fewer than your average formula and very impressive indeed. 

Surprisingly for such a dramatic and hard-wearing formula, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl promises to ‘rinse away easily with lukewarm water, no makeup remover required.' Such easy, chemical free removal is usually limited to tubing formulas like Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara, which tend to sacrifice lash-bulking powers for easy wear and removal. But sure enough a reusable pad doused in warm water was enough to sweep away the mascara without much scrubbing required on my part. I’m not quite sure how Dior managed to pull that one off, but hey, why question it. 

From high society looks to high drama lashes, there is plenty to recommend this mascara. Particularly so if you like beauty products that make a real impact. If you are more of a barely-there type, or prefer to pick from the best cheap mascaras on the high street this may not be right for you. That aside, this is a glamorous lash-lifter that feels and lasts just like the special treat it appears to be.