The Verdict: We Put Lancôme’s New Curl-Holding Mascara to the Test
Can this mascara really lock in all-day curl?
Whether you’re after sky-high curl, serious length, full-bodied volume or completely waterproof drama, there’s a mascara in the Lancôme line-up to suit. Renowned for its high-performance formulas, the brand's mascara fleet spans from the cult, bestselling Hypnôse Mascara (prized for its customisable volume and length) to up-and-coming icons like Monsieur Big for bold, buildable impact and Lash Idôle, designed to lift and fan lashes into a soft, fluttery finish.
As if we weren't already spoiled for choice, this week, this week Lancôme unveiled its latest addition to the line-up: the Lash Idôle Curl Goddess Mascara. Designed for stubbornly straight lashes, Curl Goddess provides curl, lift and volume that lasts all day without dropping or falling flat.
It certainly sounds impressive. Lancôme claims the formula boosts curl by 150% and delivers up to +800% volume, wrapping lashes in long-lasting lift for up to 30 hours — without flaking or clumping. And with numbers like that, it was calling out for a proper road test. Here, the Marie Claire beauty team puts Lash Idôle Curl Goddess through its paces.
Lancôme Curl Goddess Mascara: How We Tested
The Marie Claire UK beauty team takes product testing seriously, with a commitment to delivering accurate, honest and genuinely helpful reviews for our readers. To test Lancôme Curl Goddess Mascara, each editor applied the formula to natural lashes, without using a lash curler beforehand. We assessed ease of application, immediate impact, how it wore throughout the day, and our overall impressions.
The Brush
Curl Goddess calls upon a flexible, 40° twisted elastomer brush with ultra-fine nylon bristles, designed with dual micro-reservoirs to pick up the formula and distribute it evenly from root to tip.
The soft elastomer core offers just the right balance of bend and control, flexing as you sweep through the lashes, while providing enough resistance to work into the lash line and wrap each lash for a fanned-out, eye-opening finish.
The Formula
The formula is intensely pigmented, instantly coating lashes in a rich, inky black. To prevent any curl drop, it’s fast-setting yet lightweight, locking lift in place before it has the chance to fall.
The results are impressively long-lasting and dependable, with no clumping, smudging or flaking throughout the day. It’s also ophthalmologist-tested and suitable for sensitive eyes.
The Verdict
Lottie Winter, Beauty Director
“While my lashes aren't straight, I do experience a high degree of drop within minutes of applying mascara, so the instant setting and hold of the new formula certainly piqued my interest. And when they said instantly, they weren’t exaggerating. The formula sets within seconds and doesn’t budge—whatsoever. I kept mine on for eight-plus hours and it was locked in the exact same position as my last swipe. If anything, it almost felt a little too locked in (maybe even a little stiff?), but that's a small price to pay for such lasting results.
As for application, the brush is beautifully designed and truly hugs each lash to deliver maximum formula. The pigment payoff is intense—a mesmerising inky black. For me, it might be slightly too dramatic for everyday wear (although I did apply two coats for testing purposes), but it’s certainly my new go-to for evenings and whenever I want a little extra impact.”
Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor
Thanks to my naturally pale lashes, over the years I’ve built something of a mascara wardrobe to create exactly the effect I’m after. There’s my go-to for a natural, polished day look, my waterproof failsafe—but I’ve never quite found my party formula, the one I reach for when I want real va-va-voom. So when Lancôme promised up to 800% more volume with its newest launch, I was hopeful I’d finally found my match.
And boy, did it deliver. To really put it to the test, I deliberately didn’t curl my lashes beforehand—yet even without the prep, my straight lashes took on a soft, natural-looking curl that set instantly and stayed put all day. The brush coated each individual lash in just the right amount of product—never too much, never too little—while still delivering suitably dramatic results. I’m converted.”
Nessa Humayun, Beauty Editor
“I found Curl Goddess incredibly easy to apply—the kind of formula that delivers real impact in just a few swipes, without needing to layer endlessly or work too hard for the result. The pigment is beautifully intense—a true inky black—and it adds noticeable volume and length in one go, making lashes look fuller, longer and instantly more defined.
What really impressed me, though, was the curl hold. My lashes tend to drop quickly, but this kept them lifted all day without transferring or smudging, which is absolutely essential for me.
All in all, it’s a genuinely reliable, high-performance mascara: easy to use, long-lasting and one that truly does what it promises. A very solid everyday staple in my makeup bag.”
