The Ultimate Mascara List Update
A great mascara is the cornerstone of any makeup routine. It has the power to open and define your eyes, completing any look with a touch of elegance. When you find the perfect mascara, it becomes the ultimate loyal companion in your makeup bag, delivering flawless lashes every time. In this updated list, I'll explore a range of mascaras, from volumizing to lengthening, to help you find your new favourite.
I compiled a list two years ago, so I thought it's time to update, although it's fair to say I still adore all the ones on that list, so they will be included here too. However, let's take a moment for a lost lash soldier: Marc Jacobs At LASH’D. We all adored you, we all stocked up when we heard the news you were leaving us, and now we have completely run out; we miss you more than champagne during Dry January.
However, let's not dwell on this, as there are some great new additions to the list.
These have all been tried and tested by me. What I will say is that I am lucky enough to have quite thick, long lashes. This does mean that my lashes look good with the majority of mascaras, but at the same time, it makes it super obvious when a mascara is subpar.
Before we get stuck in, here’s a tutorial on how to apply your mascara to make the most of it. Watch here.
Without further ado, here are my ultimate mascaras:
Price £27
The deets
· Volumising
· Plastic slim wand
I love it because... Benefit knows how to make a great mascara, and damn, this is good. It is super jet black and adds a ton of volume. So much so that it looks like you've got liner on too, even when you haven’t. Great for making lashes look thicker. It is a very wet formula which some people may not like. I actually tend to keep the lid off overnight when I get a fresh bottle, although don’t be up in my DMs if you do that and it dries out too much! LOL! Although the formula is wet, it’s also very light, meaning it won’t drag down your lashes throughout the day. The slim wand gives an even coat from root to tip.
Good for: Anyone who wants to make an impact with their lashes
Not good for: Someone who wants a natural looking lash or for someone who has oily skin as the wet formula can transfer slightly on oily under-eyes.
Top tip: dust a translucent powder over your concealer to prevent this.
Price £27
The Deets
· Volumising
· Thick bristle brush
· Ease to remove 6/10
I love it because... This was one of those ‘yesss baby’ moments! Anyone else have them?!? Ha! The original NARS Climax just wasn’t enough for me and it transferred badly. The extreme version, however, does not. It’s great for a fluttery lash, but I always want the drama. And that’s what the Climax Extreme does. Firstly, the wand is fab. It’s thick and bristly and works beautifully through the lashes. You can layer this mascara until your heart's content… or until you fly off! The pigment is great; super black. I will say that I’m not sure this is the best mascara for someone with sparse lashes as it may very well clump them up. But if you’re blessed with a good set of lashes, then it's mega!
Good for: Anyone who wants volumized, feathered lashes
Not good for: Anyone with sparse lashes
Price £26
The deets
· Volumising and lengthening
· Thick bristle brush
· Vegan
· Ease to remove 5/10
I love it because... Guys, if you want a volumizing mascara, I’m not sure how you’re gonna pick—sorry! There are so many good ones, including this baby. The formulation stands out from the crowd because it has heart-shaped fibers. Yep, you heard me right. This is designed to give you extra fullness. It also just leaves you feeling a little extra love from the product! It’s never flaked on me, and the volume and length really last. I also LOVE that the packaging is heavier than your standard mascara. This is apparently so that it’s easier to find in the bottom of your makeup bag. Genius!!
Good for: Anyone who wants buildable, volume and longer-looking lashes.
Not good for: Anyone who has straight lashes as it doesn’t add a huge amount of curl.
Price £26
The deets
· Lengthening and curling
· Plastic curved wand
I love it because... This is what I call a ‘no fuss’ mascara. You can chuck it on without having to worry about it clumping, thanks to the gel formula. Its synthetic bristles glide through the lashes, curling and separating them. For me, yes, it adds a touch of volume, but the thing I love about it is the length and the lift you can achieve. The curved wand also really helps when doing the bottom lashes. It’s a staple in my professional kit and my personal one.
Good for: Straight lashes, thin lashes, short lashes, anyone who wants a separated lengthened look.
Not good for: Anyone who wants full-on drama.
Price £9.99
The deets
· Buildable volume and length
· Graduated bristle wand
· Ease to remove 5/10
I love it because... Rimmel does some great affordable mascaras, but this is my fave of theirs. I love it because it’s buildable, meaning that you can go as natural or as dramatic as you like. Just work quickly because it dries super-fast. I also love the graduated bristle wand as you can turn it vertically to get all the tiny inner and outer lashes.
Good for: Anyone who likes a natural lash one day and a full-on one the next.
Not good for: Anyone who likes to take their time with their mascara.
Bare Minerals Strength and Length Mascara
Price £24
The deets
· Natural separated lengthened lashes
· Plastic wand
· Ease to remove 2/10
· Vegan
I love it because... This mascara is great for day-to-day wear if you want a natural lifted-looking lash. It adds length without clumping and is infused with a serum that apparently helps to condition and strengthen the lashes. It’s inspired by the classic eyelash serums, so it's a pretty smart idea.
Good for: Anyone who wants a natural lash and who is concerned about the condition of their lashes. And for anyone who loves an LVL lash lift.
Not good for: Anyone who loves a full-on dramatic lash.
Price £31
The deets
· Long separated lashes
· Plastic wand
· Ease to remove 1/10
· Vegan
I love it because... My favourite thing about this mascara is the lightweight formula. It glides through the lashes, lengthening them and separating them as it goes. You can visibly see it adding more length, almost like individual lash extensions. It also stays put but comes off super easy. It’s a tubing mascara, so it can easily be removed with just warm water.
Good for: Well, anyone really. It is a great everyday mascara.
Not good for: Anyone who loves a super clumpy lash.
Price £22
The deets
· Long lifted lashes
· Narrow plastic wand
· Ease to remove 3/10
· Vegan
I love it because... I love the narrow wand on this mascara. It means you can get right into the inner and outer corners, finding all the tiny lashes you didn’t even know existed. The formula is light, and it runs evenly through the lashes, resulting in a lovely fluttery lash.
Good for: Anyone who thinks they don’t have good lashes. This wand lets you find them.
Not good for: Anyone who loves a thick bristled wand.
Price £ 11.99
The deets
· Long lifted lashes
· Narrow plastic wand
· Ease to remove 3/10
· Vegan
I love it because...It went viral for a reason. It’s an affordable mascara that packs a punch. It leaves lashes looking lengthened, volumized, and impactful. It also comes in a variety of colors, including pink, yep, you heard me right.
Good for: Long lash in an array of colours
Not good for: Natural looking lashes
Price £29
The deets
· Dramatic volumized lashes
· Thick bristle wand
· Ease to remove 5/10
Damn, I love this mascara. It is a true volumizing mascara that gives you a feathery look at the same time. To tell you that I was thrilled when they brought it out in the brightest blue is an understatement.
Good for: Full-on dramatic lashes
Not good for: A natural lash look
Price £18
The deets
· Long lifted conditioned lashes
· Ultra black
· Narrow plastic, curved wand
· Ease to remove 4/10
I love it because…Well firstly, I love the name, ‘oooo what are you wearing?’ ‘My mascara!’ genius. Secondly, I was so impressed with this formula. It really lengthens and lifts every lash. It's quite a wet formula, but that doesn’t lead to transfer. Such a good price point for the quality.
Good for: Jet black, lifted, and lengthened lashes. Even on fine lashes.
Not good for: Anyone who likes a dry formula.
Price £23
The deets
· Volumising without clumping
· Hourglass shaped bristle brush
· Ease to remove 3/10
· Vegan
I love it because…It’s a reliable mascara that is perfect for every day. It’s a lovely formula that leaves lashes looking their best. The hourglass-shaped bristle brush helps to separate your lashes. It’s also easy to remove, which is a bonus.
Good for: An everyday staple
Not good for: A full-on volumized lash look.
Price £29
The deets
· Separated, feathery lashes lashes
· A curved applicator with micro bristles that lift and separate lashes.
· Ease to remove 4/10
· Vegan
I love it because…I haven’t met a Lisa product that I don’t. This is her newest launch and it is, in my opinion, the perfect mascara if you want lifted, lengthened, separated lashes. You can literally feel the micro bristles on the wand feathering out the lashes, giving you the look of the perfect individual lash application without the glue! It also includes lash-loving ingredients.
Good for: Anyone who wants a beautiful feathery lash.
Not good for: Anyone that likes a full-on volumized, dramatic lash.
Victoria Beckham Vast Lash Mascara
Price £32
The deets
· Volumising mascara
· A curved bristle wand
· Ease to remove 4/10
· Vegan
I love it because…It’s a volumizing mascara that separates with ease. The packaging is chic AF, and the formula is long-wear and smudge-proof.
Good for: Anyone who wants a volumized lash without the hassle.
Not good for: Anyone that wants a natural-looking lash.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Mascara
Price £29.50
The deets
· Lengthened lashes with staying power
· Straight Micro fibre bristle wand
· Ease to remove 7/10
· 15 hours wear
I love it because…It's reliable for long wear, making it great to use on my clients. The wand is small and straight, meaning you can get right to the root of the lash. The formula includes innovative polymers that lock in the mascara for up to 15 hours.
Good for: Anyone going to an all-day event or a sweaty dance floor.
Not good for: Anyone that likes easy removal of mascara.
Fun Fact: It’s Dawny’s fave!
Okay, that’s the end of my list, but I asked you guys for some of your favourites too. I’ve picked the most popular ones not included in my list with the main reason why you love it. Incoming…
· MAC Stack- Great for watery eyes as it doesn’t smudge. Leaves lashes long and separated.
· Bobbi Brown Smokey - Adds volume to the shortest lashes.
· Kevyn Aucoin The Volume - Really good for hot days as there are zero owl eyes with this baby.
· Rare Beauty - No smudging and easy to build up.
· Clinique High Impact - Curls and separates lashes but doesn’t budge.
· Max Factor 2000 Calories - Used it forever and it never let me down.
· Huda One Coat - Long curled lashes that don’t budge.
· Chanel Le Volume Revolution - Great for full lashes and it stays put.
To end this post, here are the mascara questions I get asked about most:
Tubing mascaras - what are they?
I know a lot of you are fans of these. For those that don’t know, tubing mascaras basically have a formulation that, instead of the usual waxes, includes polymer tubing which wraps around each lash. This dries quickly and tends to be waterproof. They are also always very easy to remove. A bit of warm water tends to do it. The downfall? I find that even though they don’t transfer, bits can drop slightly which can be annoying.
How long should I keep my mascara?
3 MONTHS. Yes, that's right. Once opened, you're supposed to change your mascara every 3 months. You’re pumping air into it constantly which can cause bacteria buildup. If you're like me and have multiple mascaras on the go at once then I add a little sticker with the date on so you know when it was opened.
Waterproof mascara - yes or no?
I rarely use waterproof mascara on myself; I just find the formulations slightly heavy. However, I do use them on my clients for the likes of red carpet and stage performances. The great thing about them is that they will not budge. Fab as a one-off every now and again. However, they don’t tend to have the same conditioning ingredients as other mascaras so I would avoid for everyday use as you wouldn’t shampoo your hair without conditioner, would you? PS if you do, you’re a psycho! Ha!
Should I curl my lashes?
Yes! I am a huge fan of curling your lashes. It lifts them from the roots instantly and just helps out your mascara a bit. It also leaves your eyes looking more open and awake. My favourite curlers are:
I will end this post with the following: When you find a great mascara, share it with your friends (and that includes me)! Because we all deserve incredible, fluttery lashes.
Love,
Lisa xx
As always, I only ever recommend products I would use myself. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
This is mostly spent on repairing the shoes Diddy keeps chewing.