14 Best Mascaras for Peak Volume, Length, and Lift

Benefits: Lengthening, volumizing, defining | Shades: Black, Chestnut | Waterproof: No | Who It's For: Everyone

Best Lash Extension Effect: Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara

Why It's Worth It: The Tartelette Mascara, an Allure tester-favorite, is made with conditioning shea butter, moisturizing castor oil, and carnauba wax to lengthen and volumize each precious lash. Contributor Lauren Dana Ellman explains that with every application, her mascara had her back during her two-week honeymoon in Hawaii, as well as summer days spent in Phoenix, Arizona, and back home in New York. "Tarte describes this mascara as 'lash extensions in a tube,' which may sound like an extreme comparison—however, I'd be lying if I said I disagreed," Ellman said. Like all tubing formulas, the "tubes" slide off easily at the end of the day with warm water or a bit of makeup remover/micellar water—no harsh tubbing or rubbing needed.

Tester Feedback: "I always loved tubing mascara because of how easy they are to remove—and this Tarte tubing mascara also gives my lashes new lengths," says shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis. "Two coats of this stuff leave people questioning whether or not I have lash extensions. To remove? Just water. That's all."

Benefits: Lengthening | Shades: Black | Waterproof: No | Who It's For: People who need their mascara and height to last all day long

The TikTok Sensation: Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

Why It's Worth It: Maybelline New York's Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara became a legendary TikTok beauty product so quickly that it earned itself a 2021 Best of Beauty Award. This flexible mascara wand has amassed a major following with over 39 million views. "My sparse lashes looked remarkably fuller without any weigh-down," says Allure shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis.

Tester Feedback: "This might be a bold statement, but no mascara has left me with a greater impression than Maybelline New York's Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara," says commerce editor Sarah Han. "My short, nearly-invisible lashes and I are hard to impress—almost all mascaras I try are inevitably rallied into a makeup bin of no return—but this formula lengthens and creates definition without needing a million layers, which is also to say, it doesn't clump," Han explains. While she's loyal to the True Brown shade most days for a subtler effect, she's fond of Very Black (demonstrated here) when she wants more drama. "Another win," she adds, "is that I don't find mascara smudges along my lower lash line by midday."

Benefits: Lengthening | Shades: Blackest Black, Very Black, Cosmic Black, Brownish Black, True Brown, Blue Mist | Waterproof: Yes, shop here | Who It's For: Someone who wants fluttery long lashes without breaking the bank

Best Clean Mascara: Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara

Why It's Worth It: There's a lot to love about the paraben-free Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Mascara. Like, the triple-wave wand that coats and separates every lash, the humidity-resistant Aquaflex Technology, or the conditioning castor oil blend imparted with each sweep of product. Of the wand, former beauty and wellness editor Taylore Glynn told Allure, "Its short bristles almost grip my lashes so I can fan them up and out, and it allows me to apply the inky-black formula to the hard-to-coat lashes on my inner corners without smearing my nose with the tip." It's easy on sensitive eyes, fends off flaking, and looks good all day.

Tester Feedback: "The hold on this mascara is incredible," says commerce director Shanna Shipin. "I have short, dense, and straight lashes that are just so stubborn—but this coaxes some length and curl out of them!" she adds. Shipin explains that she rarely uses mascara because her eyes tend to sting and water, and any kind of eye makeup usually flares up chronic eczema on her lids. "This is one of the few mascaras I can actually use without any kind of irritation," Shipin attests. "While it's not the most lengthening or curling formula you can get your hands on, it's so comfortable and doesn't flake or smudge. I love that it provides the perfect amount of natural-looking weight to my eyelashes so you can actually see them." She adds that she normally goes in with two coats, and the wear is truly all day—even in hot and humid summer weather.

Benefits: Volumizing, lengthening | Shades: Jet (black), Espresso | Waterproof: Yes | Who It's For: People with sensitive eyes

Best Colorful Mascara: Benefit BadGal Bang Mascara

Why It's Worth It: The nicely lifting, beautifully-tinted Benefit BadGal Bang Mascara is a high-volume, slim-brushed, and long-lasting favorite of Allure editors and makeup lovers everywhere. Opt for the highly pigmented black, or try it in Wild Plum for a subtly sophisticated twist on your typical lash look. But no matter your color choice, this stuff works. It also contains vitamin B5, which thickens and strengthens lashes throughout wear. How could we possibly complain?

Tester Feedback: Deputy digital director Kara McGrath gave the burgundy Benefit BadGal Mascara a whirl and, right away, was all-in. "I like wearing Wild Plum on days when I'm not wearing much other makeup; I swipe two coats on both my top and bottom lashes (without a primer, though I'd bet if you laid down a white mascara first, the burgundy would be more noticeable)," McGrath said in her review. "The slight hint of color makes me feel like I made some extra effort, and I really do believe it makes my green eyes look brighter than regular old black mascara does."

Benefits: Lengthening, volumizing, color | Shades: Wild Plum, Intense Black, Power Blue, Rebel Brown | Waterproof: Yes | Who It's For: People who want a pop of color without compromising traditional mascara benefits

Best Bold Mascara: YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara

Why It's Worth It: For our dramatic lash lovers, YSL Beauty's Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara is the next best thing to false lashes. "The secret is in the combined forces of its formula—volume-building, lengthening, and jet-black—and its oversized yet easy-to-maneuver wand," deputy beauty director Elizabeth Siegal says. The Best of Beauty-winning mascara offers smudge-proof, long-lasting hold and powerful pigment with every swipe, with iris florentina root extract to support lash conditioning.

Tester Feedback: This mascara is "your new go-to for big, bold, party-ready lashes," says former beauty and wellness editor Taylore Glynn. New York City-based makeup artist Sara Talias also swears by this thickening formula. "The brush is great for building volume with extra coats of mascara and allows you to grab all the lashes," she says. (We find that the sweet spot is two to three coats.)

Benefits: Curling, lengthening, volume | Shades: Black, brown, blue | Waterproof: No | Who It's For: People who want a highly pigmented option

More Mascaras We Love

Best Waterproof Mascara: Dior Diorshow Waterproof Mascara

Why It's Worth It: You can "slobber and splash in the Dior Diorshow Waterproof Mascara, and it will stay on," Los Angeles-based makeup artist Molly R. Stern said of the long-wearing formula—sold yet? If not, just know a former Allure editor called this a one-of-a-kind formula. "My eyelashes are naturally pretty long, albeit blonde, so I don't love wearing mascara all the time (mostly because I hate taking it off at the end of the day)," she said. "When I do, however, I go all-out glam with the Dior Diorshow Waterproof Mascara because it makes my lashes longer, thicker, and just the right amount of obnoxious diva."

Benefits: Volumizing and lengthening | Shades: Black, Marron (brown), Bleu (blue) | Waterproof: Black, Chestnut, Azure Blue | Who It's For: People who want a mascara that'll survive the elements (or a good cry), want a dramatic look, or simply have straight lashes

Best 2-in-1 Mascara: Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer

Why It's Worth It: Associate digital beauty director Sarah Kinonen's first encountered the 2021 Readers' Choice Award-winning Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer on a press trip with the brand's founder, Jessica Alba. "She applied one layer of the primer, then flipped it, and did two coats of the mascara—and then we went to dinner," she recalls. "Those two coats stayed intact all night long—even after a few margaritas," says Kinonen. For peak false lash effect, apply one coat of the primer and two coats of the mascara—et voila.

Benefits: Moisturizing and lengthening | Shades: Black | Waterproof: No | Who It's For: Everyone, especially people with stubborn lashes

Makeup Artist Must-Have: Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara

Why It's Worth It: Give your lashes a luxury treatment with Chanel's Le Volume De Chanel Waterproof Mascara. Experts like New York City-based makeup artist Joseph Carrillo say this mascara is the absolute best for its volumizing, va-va-voom finish. "It's like 'Wow:' thicker, fuller, drama, sexy, and sultry," he previously told Allure. It goes on flexible and dries quickly thanks to curl-intensifying acacia gum. Carrillo suggests starting at the base of your lashes, wiggling the bristles, and lightly pressing the mascara against your lash line for an instantly fuller, gap-free look.

Benefits: Volumizing, thickening | Shades: Noir, Écorces (brown), Blue Night | Waterproof: Yes | Who It's For: Anyone who wants a dramatic boost of volume and thickness

Most Allure Accolades: Lancôme Définicils High Definition Mascara

Why It's Worth It:The Lancôme Définicils High Definition Mascara makes lashes look so long and non-flaky that it's garnered four Best of Beauty Awards and 12 Readers' Choice Awards. The brush is long and thin with short, tightly packed bristles, and it lets you get right at the base of your lashes. The brand describes the shape of the applicator head as "hedgehog," which we're kind of obsessed with. To get the full Lancome effect, use the Cils Booster XL Enhancing Mascara Base as a primer before applying the mascara, which helps lengthen and thicken the appearance of lashes.

Benefits: Volumizing and lengthening | Shades: Black, Deep Brown | Waterproof: Available here | Who It's For: People who want natural-looking lashes

Best Volumizing Mascara: Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara

Why It's Worth It: If there's one brand that truly makes a case for celebrity beauty brands, it's Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty. Exhibit A: the Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara, a nourishing, castor oil-infused formula that's so good it won an Allure Readers' Choice Award in 2022. "The application process is seamless from start to finish, and the thick brush latches onto each lash with ease," said Han in her review of the mascara. The secret ingredient is its curvy brush, outfitted with multi-length bristles that grab each lash, whether you have naturally sparse or thick lashes. Let the first coat dry to intensify the volume before going in with a second or third coat to bring on the drama.

Benefits: Volumizing | Shades: Black | Waterproof: No | Who It's For: People with dry lashes who are craving volume and moisture

Best Thickening Mascara: Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara

Why It's Worth It: Ilia's Limitless Lash Mascara is a three-time Allure Readers' Choice Award winner that treats your lashes to a volumizing, thickening, and blackest-black formula fortified with keratin, shea butter, and beeswax—rivaling many a "non-clean" formula. This flutter-inducing mascara has a unique, double-sided wand—one softer to curl and create volume, and the other longer to lengthen and separate and brush out clumps. "I'm so serious about my lashes, that I'll even layer two to three different mascaras to get my desired look," Allure tester Kat Suico previously said. "With Ilia's brush, I don't have to go through all those extra steps."

Benefits: Conditioning and lengthening | Shades: After Midnight (soft black) | Waterproof: No | Who It's For: People who love a clean formula

Best Brown Mascara: Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara Chocolate

Why It's Worth It: Too Faced offers a chocolatey-brown hue of the drama-inducing Better Than Sex Mascara, perfect for more natural looks without sacrificing volume. The hourglass brush we all know and love expertly separates, coats, and curls each lash, while a film-forming polymer locks everything in place and peptides condition lashes to look their best.

If you're not into the brown hue, check out the original Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara in black for dramatic, fluttery lashes. "One swipe will give your lashes a nice, black rain slicker to wear—slightly more boosted than what I'd call a 'natural' lash look," Allure tester Sable Yong previously said in regards to the best seller.

Benefits: Conditioning and lengthening | Shades: Chocolate Brown, Black | Waterproof: Yes in black; shop here | Who It's For: People who want a subtle effect

Best Drugstore Mascara: L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Waterproof Mascara

Why It's Worth It: L'Oréal Paris has always been a staple in the drugstore mascara scene but the Telescopic Lift Waterproof Mascara is something special. The applicator is a "lift and load" brush featuring the brand's first-ever double hook bristle brush (see this IG video for a close-up look), meaning no lash gets left behind. Plus, the inky formula (also available in a non-waterproof version) is spiked with ceramides to nourish lashes all day. Each application lasts up to 36 hours and comes off easily using a cotton pad with micellar cleansing water.

Benefits: Waterproof and long-lasting | Shades: Black | Waterproof: Yes | Who It's For: People who can't seem to get every single lash on the first swipe

Frequently Asked Questions

While some of us dabble with treatments like lash extensions or lash lifts, we all have our tried-and-true tubes of mascaras that we regularly restock. It's also worth noting that everyone's lashes are different, and the best mascara for someone else may not work the same for you. For example, some Allure editors prefer lengthening mascaras for a brow-grazing look, while others prefer a curling mascara to lift straight lashes. Whatever the desired effect, some key factors we kept in mind while making this list include the longevity and pigment (yes, there are more than just black!) of each mascara formula. We've run these mascaras through the gamut — meetings, errands, bottomless brunches, rainy days, and even the occasional run—to see how they actually hold up throughout the day (and how many compliments they get, if we're being honest).

It's pretty self-explanatory, but in case you need a reminder, the difference between regular and waterproof formulas is whether or not they can withstand rain, tears, sweat, or any other unwelcome fluid that comes your way. Cosmetic chemist Ginger King previously told Allure that ingredients like isododecane (a solvent), paraffin (a type of mineral oil that resists water), and VP/eicosene copolymer (a film-forming agent) are the typical players in waterproof mascara.

Since waterproof mascaras are made to handle anything from a light splash to full-on submersion, they can be a little more difficult to wash off at the end of the day. It's best to use a cleansing oil or cleansing balm to dissolve the formula without rubbing or tugging, but if your eyes or lashes are particularly sensitive, an easy-to-remove tubing mascara be a better option for you.

It's always a bummer when a perfectly applied makeup look becomes a mess because of your mascara, but you don't have to suffer through smearing. Instead, follow these smudge-defying tips from New York City-based makeup artist Neil Scibelli:

According to Scibelli, one common reason for flaking and smudging is too much product applied, especially on the first coat. "I always suggest removing excess formula off of the wand before applying it to the lashes so that you get a smooth and even first coat," he says.

Have naturally teary eyes? Scibelli suggests switching to a waterproof formula to ensure tears don't cause streaking throughout the day. "Or you can seal your lashes with a second coat of mascara with a waterproof formula," he says.

If you just applied a coat of mascara, Scibelli recommends waiting until each coat is fully dry before applying another. "This ensures a clump-free, smoother finish," he says.

"I always like to comb the back of the lashes with the wand as well with any leftover formula on the brush to really work through any clumps and separate the lashes more," he says. "This will also help smooth the formula out for less future flaking."

• Joseph Carrillo, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Ginger King, a cosmetic chemist
• Neil Scibelli, a New York City-based makeup artist

We always enlist a range of testers for any review, but mascaras are another story. While some can be used across different lash lengths, thicknesses, shape, colors, and concerns, many are created with specific consumers and their needs in mind. When reviewing tools, we also take into account testers’ experience. For instance, a new, innovative mascara may feature an industry-leading formula, but if the wand still needs some tweaking to prevent clumps and webbing, we have to consider this when determining whether it is worthy of a recommendation.

For our review of the best mascaras, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and experts you interviewed for the piece—who all have different lash concerns, desired outcome (i.e., want length over volume), and whether one product was tested across varying lash types. Testers considered performance across three primary categories: efficacy, ease of use, and value. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we can fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

Read more about our favorite lash products:

• The 14 Best Tubing Mascaras for Longer, Smudge-Proof Lashes
• The 17 Best Eyelash Curlers That Belong in Your Makeup Bag
• 16 Best Volumizing Mascaras for Falsie-Level Drama

Done reading? Now, watch Billie Eilish break down her music video "What Was I Made For:"

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