Truth is, the best drugstore mascara can be just as effective as its more expensive counterparts. Celebrity makeup artist Amrita Mehta emphasizes that the quality of mascaras boils down to compatibility rather than price. In today’s beauty landscape, drugstore brands invest significant effort into formulating diverse mascaras tailored to different lash types. They undergo extensive research, development, and testing—akin to luxury brands.
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While luxury mascaras may boast premium ingredients, their superiority over drugstore versions depends on individual preferences and effectiveness. Additionally, considering the short shelf life of mascaras (two to four months), it’s essential to find one that complements your lashes, regardless of its price point. “While excellent mascaras can be found at both luxury retailers and drugstores, when it comes down to it, the best mascara is the one that suits your lashes, and truly works with them to enhance rather than against them,” she says. Read on to discover the best drugstore mascara formulas—all tested and vouched for by our editors and experts.
Best Overall: L’Oréal Voluminous Mascara
- Why We Love It: An all-time favorite pick for six of the makeup artists we spoke with, L’Oréal’s Voluminous Mascara comes out on top. “I’ve been using this mascara forever and it’s a staple in my kit,” says celebrity makeup artist Gita Bass. “It’s super-black and adds incredible volume and curl, and never clumps or flakes.” Professional makeup artist Glenn Brownell cosigns this pick, “If you’re not going for subtle, and want a full, thick and dramatic lash in one coat, L’Oréal Paris Voluminous mascara in carbon black will get you there.”
- Benefits: Doesn’t clump, smudge resistant, and buildable
- Key Ingredients: Panthenol, Ceramide-R
- Who It’s For: Anyone looking for a gentle, non-abrasive formula that adds length, depth, and volume to your lashes.
- Shades: 8
Best Volumizing: CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara
- Why We Love It: For bolder, more intense lashes, CoverGirl’s Lash Blast is another tried-and-true go-to. “I love its creamy texture, which gives you volume and length instantly in one coat, and it’s easy to layer it for more drama,” explains French makeup artist Cedric Jolivet. “I find the silicone brush [makes it easy] to grab the lashes from the root, and it totally works on short lashes!”
- Benefits: Volumizing, doesn’t flake or clump
- Key Ingredients: N/A
- Who It’s For: Anyone who wants maximum volume on the first swipe.
- Shades: 2
Best Lengthening: Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara
- Why We Love It: “It’s by far one of the best mascaras on the market—and relatively newer, too,” says Colby Smith of Maybelline’s Lash Sensational Sky High mascara. I love that it’s super-black,” he continues. “A few coats and you really get that full long lash. It has the look of a high-end mascara without breaking the bank.”
- Benefits: Lightweight, smudge-free, doesn’t flake
- Key Ingredients: Bamboo Extract
- Who It’s For: Anyone craving dramatic length from root to tip in a variety of colors.
- Shades: 5
The TikTok Favorite: L’Oréal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara
- Why We Love It: For soft, supple lashes, you can’t beat L’Oréal’s Telescopic Mascara, insists Scott. “I love its applicator and slick formula, which make it easy to apply to bottom lashes and give long and defined lashes all around,” they explain, emphasizing the lengthening powers of its patented plastic-bristle comb brush. “It’s very versatile in that one swipe delivers length and the wand makes it easy to keep the lashes separated, and the formula builds nicely to add some volume.”
- Benefits: Lengthening, doesn’t clump, allergy-tested
- Key Ingredients: N/A
- Who It’s For: Anyone who wants a lash comb that actually separates their lashes.
- Shades: 4
Best Clean: Honest Beauty 2-in-1 Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer
- Why We Love It: The draw to Honest Beauty’s mascara extends beyond its clean composition. Its EWG Verified formula is infused with jojoba esters to aid lash strength, and it works to enhance your mascara’s staying power. The dual-ended tube features a mascara wand on one side and lash primer on the other to lengthen each lash for hours-long wear.
- Benefits: Lengthening, lifting, clean ingredients
- Key Ingredients: Jojoba Esters
- Who It’s For: Anyone who wants a clean mascara that stays put all day, no matter the occasion.
- Shades: 1
Best Conditioning: Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara
- Why We Love It: For Matin, it’s all about Neutrogena’s Healthy Volume Mascara with its nourishing ingredients and jet-black pigment. “It’s a true volume mascara that doesn’t dry out the lashes,” he says of the formula, which is supercharged with vitamin E-rich olive oil and protective sweet almond. “It stays flexible and won’t crumble throughout the day.” Another major draw? “It has a giant brush!” adds Matin. All the better to coat every little lash.
- Benefits: Volumizing, giant brush, hydrating
- Key Ingredients: Olive Oil, Sweet Almond
- Who It’s For: Anyone looking to both hydrate and strengthen their lashes.
- Shades: 3
Best Washable: Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara
- Why We Love It: The nostalgic Maybelline Great Lash mascara is still a drugstore staple—a formula crafted to thicken and condition lashes simultaneously. It’s the ultimate no-fuss mascara when you’re looking to quickly coat your lashes or to keep a bottle stashed in your beauty bag.
- Benefits: Thickening, conditioning, volumizing
- Key Ingredients: N/A
- Who It’s For: Anyone who wants a fuller lash look.
- Shades: 4
Best Thickening: L’Oréal Lash Paradise Mascara
- Why We Love It: If feathery voluminous lashes are your look, consider picking up L’Oréal’s Lash Paradise mascara that’s known to lengthen and separate lashes with just one coat. Even better: The brand’s new formula incorporates floral oil for softer, fuller lashes.
- Benefits: Volumizing, conditioning, allergy-tested
- Key Ingredients: Floral Oil
- Who It’s For: Anyone who want a feathery soft look.
- Shades: 5
Best Falsies-Effect: Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
- Why We Love It: “I have incredibly sparse, thin lashes with minimal volume and this is one of the few mascaras that is ultra black, ultra lengthening, and gives me incredible volume,” says makeup artist and TikTok star Mikayla Nogueira of the Essence Lash Princess mascara. “It makes my lashes truly stand out and appear as if I have a small false lash on. I’ve bought it over and over again.”
- Benefits: Holds a curl, lengthening, volumizing
- Key Ingredients: N/A
- Who It’s For: Anyone who wants to mimic the look of falsies.
- Shades: 2
Best Long Wear: e.l.f. Big Mood Mascara
- Why We Love It: The hourglass shape of e.l.f.’s mascara wand allows it to coat and volumize each lash in a single swipe. Give it as many passes as you desire, to quickly amp of the volume and lift. Because it’s smudge- and flake-resistant, expect this to deliver long-wear without the headache. Did we mention there are five shades to choose from? Think a midnight Pitch Black or a cobalt Bold Blue.
- Benefits: Doesn’t smudge or flake, volumizing, five shades
- Key Ingredients: N/A
- Who It’s For: Anyone who needs their mascara to stay put all day.
- Shades: 6
Best Vegan: Pacifica Vegan Collagen Fluffy Lash Mascara
- Why We Love It: Boasting up to 10 hours of wear, Pacifica’s fluffy lash mascara is entirely vegan and cruelty-free, mascara is fueled by vegan collagen—a blend of plant-based ingredients that mimic the effects of animal-derived collagen, and in this case, helps to coat lashes to give the illusion of thickness. Plus, those with sensitive eyes need not fear, because this mascara is ophthalmologist tested.
- Benefits: Vegan, cruelty-free, talc-free, phthalates-free, paraben-free, glass packaging
- Key Ingredients: Vegan collagen, plant-based fibers
- Who It’s For: Anyone with sensitive eyes, contact lens wearers, and cruelty-free beauty lovers (or all of the above) who don’t want to skimp on mascara with wow-factor.
- Shades: 1
Best Tubing: Milani Highly Rated Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara
- Why We Love It: Milani’s tubing mascara gives lashes length and lift. Its tubing technology coats each lash for serious volume and all-day wear—no flaking, no clumps. The best part of tubing mascara is that the polymer-based formula wraps around each lash—and only warm water is needed to remove it, with mascara coming off in small tubes rather than messy smudges. Plus, its packed with nourishing oils to help moisturize lashes.
- Benefits: Lengthening, lifting, flake-resistant, smudge-resistant
- Key Ingredients: Shea butter, castor seed oil
- Who It’s For: Anyone who wants extra length and lift for their lashes, with even easier makeup removal.
- Shades: 1
Best Bold Lash: e.l.f. Lash It Loud Mascara
- Why We Love It: Lash it Loud Mascara is all about bolder, darker, more volumized lashes. With its deep, rich pigment and a clever ball-top silicone wand, it grabs every lash—yes, even those tiny inner corners—for a flawless, defined look. The formula glides on smoothly and evenly, delivering maximum volume without clumping. And don’t worry about smudging—thanks to a mix of film-forming polymers and waxes, this mascara stays put, resisting any unsightly flaking.
- Benefits: Smudge-proof, flake-resistant, volumizing
- Key Ingredients: Synthetic beeswax, rice bran wax
- Who It’s For: Anyone prefers extra volume and dark pigment for a bolder eye-look—natural glam lovers need not apply.
- Shades: 2
What to Look for in a Drugstore Mascara
We’ve all been there: you walk into your local drugstore, make a beeline for makeup section, and are confronted with a great big wall of mascara options. Cue the decision overload! When looking for the best drugstore mascara, keep in mind the benefits you’re after, your preferred wand shape, and whether or not you desire a waterproof formula. Pro-makeup artists get into each of these features to help inform your choice, below.
