ELLE Edit: The Ultimate Guide To The Best Mascaras Of All Time

This mousse-like formula envelops your lashes in a deep black colour, giving the illusion of a fuller flutter without any of that dreaded cakeyness. If you're looking to give lacklustre lashes a boost of volume (and skip the clumpiness typically associated with thicker mascaras), this is the fluffy formula we'd recommend.

Now this one might look slightly frightening – especially for anyone with a tendency to poke themselves in the eye when wielding a wand – but appearances can be deceiving. In fact, Refy Lash Sculpt is the strangely effective mascara we didn't know we needed: the curved brush is designed to slip snugly around the curve of your eyelid, allowing you to grab and lift every lash lash in one fell swoop. The result is a neat, clean and perfectly defined set of lashes that look slick and super-natural.

Lengthening, volumising and totally clump-free, this XL mascara brush has been making the rounds on the ELLE UK beauty team. Famed for giving nothing but fluttery, extension-like lashes, this is the ideal mascara for fans of a big applicator and even bigger results.

While some waterproof mascaras can feel overly drying and crumble away mid-day, Mac's glossy formula has got your back. It'll add major length that lasts and lasts, whether you're stuck on a humid commute or watching Netflix's latest tear-jerker.

Looking for bold but defined lashes? This slim, flexible brush makes short work of catching every single lash as you apply. Housed in sleek, click-in packaging that screams quiet luxury, here you'll find a formula that both delivers longer results and looks chic in your make-up bag.

If your current mascara has commitment issues and makes a smudging attempt to leave your lashes mid-way through the day, let us introduce you to this reliably flake-free formula. With a nifty comb for definition and separation, it gives your lashes a natural lift without ever looking clumpy.

Blue mascara is back in a big way this season: a flash of electric cobalt is the perfect way to refresh your beauty look with minimal effort. Swipe Dior's pigment-packed formula through curled lashes, leaving the rest of your make-up light and luminous for the most modern result.

While eyelash extensions are a great time-saver, getting them too often can sometimes damage your lashes and leave them worse off than what you started with.

For the closest thing to lash extensions in a bottle, try a tubing mascara. Our all-time favourite is Hourglass' Unlocked mascara, which wraps around each individual lash to leave a glossy, vinyl-like coat that lasts all day without smudging. And the very best bit? Removing it couldn't be easier: just add water and the 'tubes' will simply fall away.

If anyone can convince us that coloured mascara is a seriously chic move, it's Hermès. The most recent addition to the brand's sublime make-up collection, these slender golden wands come in a spectrum of deep, elegant colours, from a rich burgundy (incredible with a wash of gold eyeshadow) to a rebellious forest-green. The wand is slender and the formula predictably sophisticated, offering lift and length without the bulky weight.

Everyday falsies wearers will know that no mascara can match the impact of a faux set of lashes, but this formula comes pretty close. Its helix shaped brush means that no lash is left behind and your eyelashes look thick and voluminous thanks to the lash-extending fibres inside.

Thickening formulas can often be tricky; the wrong move and you're left with a smudgy imprint, the wrong formula and you're left with an avant-garde, racoon-resembling eye look by midday. This fluffing formula guarantees neither, only maximally full lashes that are both thick and lengthened all day long.

The ultimate day time mascara, one application of Glossier's Lash Slick gives satisfyingly fanned out, clump-free, barely-there lashes. What's more. you can layer and layer this au natural formula for a false lash effect without the glue or the effort.

Our history with Benefit's cult mascaras is a lengthy one; first it was the iconic They’re Real, followed by the definition-boosting Rollerlash and now, its ultra-voluminous and maximalist Bad Gal Bang. This deceivingly skinny brush gives you all-in thickness, drama and lift all in one formula, never failing to deliver that faux lash look.

Bestowing the gift of 'your lashes but better', we present Victoria Beckham's Future Lash. The uber-thin brush will win over those who favour precision with their mascara, and a couple of coats will leave you with glossy, natural but defined lashes. It's not just called Future Lash for the fun of it either: the formula is enriched VB's C2 complex which conditions your eyelashes and improves them over time for stronger, healthier, future lashes. Geddit?

It's not often you can get the ELLE beauty team to agree on their favourite beauty product, but it turns out this was the mascara to unite us all. Its curved tapered wand allows you to get right into the corners, picking up lash hairs we didn't even know we had, and it's curl-holding ability is truly something to behold.

High-street beauty brands often lead the way when it comes to industry innovation, but this is especially true of the mascara category. Easily as good as the most pricy prestige options, L'Oreal's Telescopic Lift mascara has gone viral for good reason: it lifts and lengthens remarkably well, and stays put all day long. Tick!

If fluttery, flirty lashes are what you're after, Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk mascara lengthens lashes to their fullest and defines with a jet black coating. Not a fan of that ultra noir drama? Opt for its newest Pillow Talk shade, a berry-brown hue perfect for auburn hair shades or making blue eyes pop.

When it comes to tubing formulas, this is the everyday mascara we've been reaching for lately. As effective as it is chic, this buildable texture lengthens and defines effortlessly, with a post-wear removal that's just as easy.

This big bushy wand never fails to deliver super long, separated lashes with a formula that won't flake or smudge onto your eyelids. Think Nars' signature drama for your eyes. Described as a hard core lift with a soft-core feel, it gives your lashes maximum volume without every feeling clumped or heavy.