Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara: A Review

When it comes to mascaras, I'm a tough crowd to please. You see, I kind of want it all: length, mega-volume, curl, intense pigmentation, easy removal and low price. But, until I find my holy grail one, I am willing to deviate from the drugstore price range every now and then and try the offerings of the high-end market too - you never exclude a promising candidate for the HG run, right?

So, finding out that my favourite high-end mascara, Chanel Exceptionnel had been discontinued in the black shade (I kid you not, purple and the rest are apparently still being manufactured for some peculiar reason), I went for what I thought was the next best thing: Chanel Inimitable Intense.
I've never reviewed a mascara before, so excuse the numbered system (I need to make sure I'm not forgetting anything).


1. First things first: the wand is a plain rubber one, nothing unique here or special enough to photograph.

2. Performance - wise, Chanel describes this as an all-inclusive mascara, i.e. one that lengthens, volumises, curls and separates. Based on my experience with it, I'd say that it's a lengthening and volumising mascara. It will not add to the curl of your own lashes, but it will hold whatever curl you have from before. As for the separating claim, eh, not really... Cue pics:

As you can see, it does a pretty good job of defining your lashes after only one coat: length and volume are there and the lashes look nice and fanned out. That kind of stops being the case once you apply the second coat though: as you can see from the photo, that's when the clumps start to get noticeable and the result verges on spidery. Don't get me wrong, I do love the over-the-top dramatic lash effect, but in my ideal world, I'd like that to occur with as little clumps as possible and I feel that Inimitable Intense didn't really deliver in that department.

3. Layering will show another problem also, apart from the clumpiness: the lashes will start to feel hard to the touch. Now, this may not be an issue for most, but I do want my mascara to add drama without making my lashes feel like a plastic thing that's about to break. If you only stick to one coat, however, this won't be an issue.

4. As for the wear, I have to say, you get super black lashes with no signs of flakiness, no matter how many hours you have it on or coats you apply.

5. Removeability-wise, it's not ideal. You gotta take your time with it, so as to make sure you've got it all off. Definitely a mascara for oil based makeup removers, or just the strongest stuff you got (mind you, this ain't labeled as wateproof).

6. Lastly, the formula is a dry one. As in, if you can manage to get 2 months out of it, you should consider yourself lucky. Definitely not impressive when you've spent whatever hefty amount it cost.

As you can probably tell, this is not a mascara that I'll be repurchasing. I like the result, but I'm not wowed by it, and I think that there are much more affordable mascaras out there that perform as good (if not better), but last longer and are easier to layer and remove. At least I can now cross Chanel off my HG mascara search list. Well, that's something.

What is your favourite mascara of all time? Has any high-end brand let you down also?


What's your opinion?

  1. My all time fav is Marie Dalgar!!! One of my worst buys ever EXCEPTIONNEL MASCARA by Chanel!!!

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  2. Great review! Very helpful! I always wonderded about this mascara.. I hate mascaras that give you a hard time when removing it..

    A high-end mascara that disappointed me was Dior.. If a lil water touches it, it'll stain your lids..

    I'm enjoying Benefit they're real mascara and the new Guerlain one which I will be doing a review on soon..

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    1. @Delyteful Speaks: Thank you dear, glad you found it helpful! I agree on the Dior mascaras, I've tried a couple of the Diorshow range, but I was never that impressed with them! Benefit They're Real is a good one indeed, although a little more on the pricier side! Thank you for your comment! x

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  3. Ωραιο αποτελεσμα!

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  4. At least it stays on... my diorshow liked to travel around my eyes confetti style. I love a fiber mascara by J'Ouvert cosmetics (quite unknown as a brand, but it has gems!) and I have a HG combination: Maybelline's Falsies combined with Maybelline's Stiletto.

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    1. @Ria: Haha, I know what you mean, don't u just bits of black on your cheeks? :) I really need to look into the brand you mentioned! And that mascara combo sounds pretty amazing!!!! :) xx

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  5. I have to say that the result looks amazing on your lashes,but I know mascaras are so hard to please us,there 's always something more we want.Have never tried this one,as from high end I remember trying Lancome and quite liked it;)Thanks for the review sugar,very detailed as always

    xxxx

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    1. @Blushineloves Irene Greece: Yep, mascaras is a tricky subject. Yes, it doesn't look bad or messy, but for the price it could have been better, not to mention it's pointless if it doesn't last me even 2 months! I tried Hypnose Doll Eyes by Lancome and my feelings were similar (at least that one didn't dry out that quickly)...!!! xxxxxxx

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  6. Phew, thank goodness you didn't like this Chanel mascara- because if you did, I'd hate you girl! I've already a couple of high-end lemmings, I don't want to write down another on my list, thank you very much! :P

    To me, the removeability of a mascara is one of the key factors that influence my opinion whether I like a mascara or not. For instance, I've tried a new and improved well-known mascara (you know the one I'm talking about...) and it's such a mofo to remove! Does it say "waterproof" on the tube? Hellz no! Pfff...

    xx

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    1. @Evi: Yep, try your luck with sth else I'd say, cos this is certainly dupable from most "drugstore" brands I think...
      Yes, removeability is always a big thing, what's the point if a mascara makes you look like you have gorgeous lashes, if a good chunk of them falls off when you (try to) remove it? Pointless!!!
      PS: I might be suffering from some pulp brain syndrome, cos I ain't too sure of the mascara you're talking about. I think I know the brand, but ain't too sure (btw, aren't most new and improved by now? Lol!)!

      xx

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  7. Great reviews with pictures! You have gorgeous lashes Hun - I wish I had lashes like yours.
    That's strange that your HG high end mascara from Chanel discontinued the black colour yet still makes the other colours. I haven't tried any Chanel mascaras but I have bought Dior mascaras (that Diorshow mascara is identical to the L'oreal Voluminous IMO) and Lancome mascaras.
    I always find that no matter what mascara I use I have to use my Tweezerman Lash Comb. I absolutely love my Tweezerman Lash Comb :)
    Right now my HG mascara is the Maybelline Falsies Mascara. I'm not too picky about mascara as long as it doesn't weigh my lashes down or flake....I'm always wearing fake lashes so I get the volume and length from those ;)

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