If I could only use one product forever, I would be very torn between foundation and mascara. I reckon that I have tried over 40 different mascaras in my lifetime, so it takes a lot for one to impress me enough to keep flitting between tubes. Everyone has different lashes, and therefore, what you look for in a mascara may be completely different to someone else. While some want their mascara to deliver length, curl and hold, others will favour a mascara formula that volumises lashes without clumping. The best mascaras, however, tend do it all.
While my eyelashes are naturally dark and long, they are also stubbornly straight and won’t hold a curl easily. Coupled with having hooded eyes, I’m often prone to mascara transferring onto my lids. For this reason I often reach for waterproof formulas that are both non-transfer and tend to hold a curl better than standard mascara formulas. That said, I love a lengthening and defining formula that won’t clump and leaves my lashes looking fanned-out and defined. I’m not asking for much, right?
My eyelashes are long but straight, so I love mascara formulas that hold a curl and lift my eyelashes to their full potential.
There are tons of mascaras on the market promising to volumise, lift, lengthen and perform a lot of lash magic tricks. But of the 40-plus I put to the test over the last few years, these are the only 15 that I’d genuinely recommend. From the best high street mascaras to the best premium mascaras, these are the ones that are really worth it.
Ask any beauty editor (or any beauty lover on TikTok) about their favourite makeup brand for mascaras and they’ll most likely tell you Maybelline, and this particular mascara in particular. I buy this mascara regularly but I often have to visit a couple of different Boots stores until I can find it in stock—it quite literally flies off the shelves. This is a great all-rounder that adds lengths, defined volume and lift. I personally find the waterproof formula holds a curl far better than the original, so I’d highly recommend trying this one if you want your mascara to offer long-lasting hold after curling your lashes. The flexible brush grabs every lash and stretches lashes to amazing lengths. The first time I tried this, I had never seen my eyelashes look so long and defined, it looked like I’d had a lash lift . The formula has an almost vinyl-like finish that coats and defines all of your eyelashes without clumping. Just buy it—you will not regret it.
I’ve long been a fan of Chanel’s mascaras, and its latest launch is one of my favourites for defined lashes. This one has a flexible plastic wand deposits just the right amount of product onto the lashes, and the spikes separate and fan out your eyelashes for that wide-awake look. And as far as aesthetics go, its sleek design features a patented push-lock mechanism that keeps the formula from drying out has a satisfying click when its opened and closed. It is both practical and chic. You can read our full review of Noir Allure here.
This is YSL’s latest mascara and its my go-to mascara for evenings out. Wearing this actually makes me feel like a different person. This chunky mascara tube comes with an equally giant brush wand that imparts so much volume to lashes at the root that it makes it look like I’m wearing eyeliner—win! Alongside its impressive volumising effects, it fans lashes out well, holds a curl well and doesn’t clump, however, I’d avoid anything more than two coats. But you can achieve a false lash look with just one coat. You won’t need a heavy handed approach for this mascara. I curl my eyelashes and ever so lightly brush the wand through my lashes and it does all of the hard work for me. It’s the ultimate mascara for smokey eyes and siren eyes alike.
The whole Who What Wear team rates Glossier’s Lash Slick mascara, and I agree wholeheartedly. If you want a really natural effect from your mascara, then you need to try it. It won’t provide bucket-loads of length or volume, but it will instead give lashes an inky-black colour and a glossy look—a bit like the look of someone who has naturally dark and healthy lashes. While it’s not totally waterproof, it is water-resistant which means it will stay put if you’re caught in an impromptu downpour, but it will wash off easily when you want to take off your makeup at the end of the day.
Quite often you’ll find that you don’t need to shell out a fortune to find a good mascara. This is one of my favourite affordable mascaras, and on Amazon it’s just £7. I first discovered this through a friend whose lashes looked amazing—curled, long and volumised—and I had to know what it was so I could run out and buy one. The big brush gives lashes volume while the silky castor-oil enriched formula encourages longer lashes too. It’s a win-win for your eyelashes and your budget.
If you want you lashes to be feathery and fluttery, then you’ll like this one from Rare Beauty, which is Selena Gomez’s beauty range. It has a very slight hourglass shaped brush that deposits a minimal amount of product to the lashes with each swipe, so there’s no risk of clumping. The result is lightweight and doll-like eyelashes that makes you look like you just had a fresh set of eyelash extensions.
Sometimes, you want a mascara that can take you from the office to dinner, and this mascara fits the bill. It gives glossy and fanned out eyelashes, but can be layered up to achieve more of a false-lash effect when you need it. The plastic brush is flexible, so it grabs every lash and glides through to give length, definition and volume that lasts all day without flaking or smudging.
Good curling and lifting mascaras are hard to come by, they often fall flat on their promises and leave lashes looking limp. Through testing so many, I’ve found that the best curling and lifting mascaras have a lightweight formula with a strong hold—anything too heavy will just weight lashes down. This mascara from Benefit gives an amazing curl and long-lasting lift thanks to its lightweight and flexible formula.
‘Faux Cils’ quite literally translates as ‘false eyelashes’, and this mascara certainly delivers on that promises. The brush delivers volume at the root of the lash line and coats each lash with buckets of volume with a flexible hold. You can build this up to achieve volume and definition, and you can bet it won’t smudge or flake whatsoever. My only gripe is that it does dry out quicker than other mascaras I’ve tried. With this mascara, I’m putting fiddly false eyelashes on the back burner.
I personally find the best lengthening mascaras have bendy plastic comb wand as opposed to a brush. Benefit’s They’re Real! mascara is one of my favourites for delivering super-long eyelashes, while leaving them looking defined and clump-free. It elongates lashes outwards and upwards and will have people asking you if you got a lash lift. Plus, the spiky domed tip of the brush is great for delicately applying mascara to your bottom lashes.
If you want to streamline your eyelash serum and mascara application into one, then look no further. This glossy black mascara from Waterman’s promises longer lashes in as little as six weeks, thanks to a cocktail of peptides, castor oil and amino acids that encourage healthy lash growth. The mascara itself is also the perfect everyday mascara, giving subtle volume, lengths and definition.
When I first tried this mascara, I couldn’t believe it was 99% natural. It performs just as well as other mascaras I’ve tried to give impressive length, lift, volume, definition and curl. The brush has a longer comb on one side to lengthen and define, while the shorter and tightly packed bristles give that all-important dose of volume, so you can tailor it to suit your mascara preferences.
It’s really annoying when a mascara flakes or smudges, but this one does neither. It’s no wonder that makeup artists love it for this reason. The brush has short bristles that coat each lash with a subtle amount of volume and it really fans out lashes. The ultra-black formula is enriched with kohl to leave lashes looking really dark and sultry too.
Want your eyelashes to stand to attention all day? You’ll like this lash-lift in a tube that delivers great lifting and curling results to lashes. The tiny comb bristles deposit just the right amount of product at the base of the lashes for an eyeliner tight-lining look, while the longer bristle separate and elongate lashes with ease. What I love about this mascara is that it can be built up without clumping too.
I adore Lancôme mascaras, and Hypnôse was one of the first premium mascaras that I bought and fell in love with. This cult classic has a waterproof formula which I find enhances the effects of this lash-lifting, false-lash effect mascara. It’s long wearing, volumising and gives lashes impact.
This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
