Uoma Beauty's Drama Bomb Mascara Gave Me Next-Level Lashes

We put the Uoma Beauty Drama Bomb Extreme Volume Nourishing Mascara to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review.

Uoma Beauty's Drama Bomb Extreme Volume Nourishing Mascara has been on my radar for a while. As a fan of the brand—and of mascara—I knew I wanted to give this product a try at some point. Even though I’m always down to try a new product that could take my eyelashes to new heights, I typically reach for new drugstore mascaras or fall back on the prestige ones I know and love.

Swapping my current favorites to test Drama Bomb, would this vegan, cruelty-free mascara that claims to instantly volumize, lengthen, and lift lashes be another standout product from this innovative Black-owned beauty brand? Keep reading for my honest thoughts below.

About My Lashes: Average length and curl, in search of volume

Overall, my eyelashes are decent. They have an average length, curl, and thickness and take to mascara well—especially when it’s the right formula and brush type—but I’m a mascara person through and through. Typically, when I wear mascara, I want to use a product that gives my lashes major definition and volume, with a brush that’s a little on the thinner, stiffer side to help give me control over my application. I like mascaras that can lengthen my lashes too, but volume and definition are my primary concerns. 

During the week, I don’t normally wear mascara unless I’m hanging out with friends or my work that day is public-facing—most days, I just wear concealer in specific areas or my face is completely bare. Currently, I wear the Benefit Cosmetics “They’re Real!” Mascara and the Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara, and I actually layer them on top of one another to create the thickest, most dramatic-looking lashes I can get. Using Uoma Beauty’s Drama Bomb Mascara in place of my two current favorites, I spent a week testing how the product worked, lasted, and most importantly, how it made my eyelashes look.

How to Apply: Comb through and layer to your ideal look

Just like most straightforward mascaras, Uoma Beauty's Drama Bomb Mascara is no different: You use the brush to comb product through your eyelashes from the roots to the ends, making sure to coat each lash evenly until you’re happy with the way your lashes look. The brush on this mascara is hourglass-shaped, which helps reach each eyelash and makes for an easy, effortless application process. Since I like having really full and thick lashes, I applied about four coats to finish off my makeup routine.

The Results: Long, thick, and defined lashes with zero flakes

When I was using the Uoma Beauty Drama Bomb Mascara initially, I wasn’t entirely sure if it was going to work for me. The brush is softer than the wands I typically use, and usually, that means my eyelashes don’t get the mega-thick, wide-eyed, and defined look I’m going for. But after I applied a third coat, my lashes began to come to life, and I knew I judged the mascara way too prematurely. After the fourth coat, my lashes were defined, super thick, and had tons of length. 

Throughout the week, I would apply at least four coats of the product each time, and my lashes looked more impressive with every coat. I thought the hourglass brush would be a challenge for me since I love smaller, stiffer mascara wands, but it hugged each of my lashes so well as it added volume and separation. I went out for several hours and hung out at home a few times without having any flakes on my face or smudging under my eyes.

Typically, I try to push the boundaries and apply as many coats of mascara as I possibly can before my lashes start to look spidery. This makes for an amazing, bold lash look, but taking it off? Not a good time. However, Uoma Beauty's Drama Bomb was one of the easiest mascaras I’ve ever removed, thanks to its water-resistant formula and moisturizing, nourishing ingredients. Rice wax, synthetic beeswax, avocado oil, jojoba oil, and castor oil work together to create a creamy formula that hydrates and strengthens lashes, helps to prevent breakage, and in my opinion, gives the mascara great slip for a quick removal process. 

My one critique of this mascara is the scent. It’s a lovely smell, but it’s pretty strong and doesn’t really fade throughout the day. I caught the scent plenty of times during the week that I wore it, and I would prefer not to. Thankfully, my eyes didn’t experience any irritation, but I don’t think having fragrance was necessary. Ultimately—scent aside—Uoma Beauty's Drama Bomb is a fantastic mascara that made my eyes pop without any clumping or flaking, and I was happy I tried it.

The Value: Not the cheapest, but pretty good

Uoma Beauty’s Drama Bomb Mascara is priced at around $20 for 0.37 oz. of product. That’s standard for a brand positioned as accessible yet luxurious, and it’s comparable to similar brands. The results the product yields makes the cost of the mascara reasonable, too; it’s a higher-end mascara that actually works—you’re not just paying for the packaging. If you like prestige mascaras, paying this amount for a product with a shelf life of six months makes sense. But if budget is your priority and you'd prefer a drugstore price range, plenty of other options exist.

Similar Products: You've got options

Milk Makeup Kush High Volume Mascara: Delivering loads of volume, Milk Makeup's Kush High Volume Mascara ($25) is great for anyone looking for another vegan mascara. Hemp-derived cannabis seed oil creates a creamy texture that leaves your lashes soft, nourished, and conditioned. But if you need a little more definition over volume, Drama Bomb may be the way to go.

Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara (in italics): For all you skinny brush lovers, this product is for you. Maybelline's Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara ($12) masterfully defines lashes, lengthens them, and gives great volume—just not quite as much as Drama Bomb. If you prefer length, definition, and don’t need over-the-top volume, this affordable product is worth trying.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara: If you’re lucky enough to have naturally long, thick lashes, Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara ($27) can take them to the next level. This product will lift, curl, and volumize lashes while conditioning at the same time, but anyone with shorter lashes that are thinner or sparse may find the formula to weigh your look down a bit, as happened with me. Check out my review to help decide if this mascara is for you.