If there's one makeup item I can't leave the house without wearing, it's mascara. It helps me feel my best and allows me to look more awake, especially since I like to keep my everyday makeup routine effortless and to the bare minimum.
And while a bad hair day is frequently talked about, a bad mascara day is often overlooked. There's nothing more frustrating in a beauty routine than applying mascara hoping to have long and lush lashes, only for it to clump, flake and end up streaking on your eyelids throughout the day. I have come across plenty of those woes in my search for the best mascara.
From the day I was allowed to wear makeup as a teen to wearing pounds of it while working as a Disney performer to becoming a beauty editor, I've tried — at the minimum — 50 mascaras. And since mascara is an item that needs replacing more often, I end up going through one every two to three months. All I really am looking for is a product that doesn't flake, clump or transfer onto skin and is easy to take off. Of course, I want it to look like I just walked out of a lash extension appointment, too.
That's why, no matter how many new mascaras I give a chance, I always come back to a select few. For our Shop TODAY Ranked series, I narrowed down five choices based on several factors, including formula (smudge- and flake-resistant), volume results, brush type and washability.
Best long-lasting formula$24.65$29.00
Best overall mascara
Formula: 4/5 | Volume: 5/5 | Brush type: 4/5 | Washability: 5/5 Overall average score: 4.75/5
In my opinion, this is the best mascara you can find at a drugstore. No matter how many mascaras I try or test, I will always go back to Maybelline Falsies — and not just for its affordable price. When I lived abroad, I'd make sure to pack at least five of these and stock up on more during my visits home.
I normally buy the color "Blackest Black." According to the brand, the formula has keratin fibers to build and lengthen your lashes. I find it to be super pigmented and long-lasting; you just need a few swipes in the morning, and you're set for the rest of the day. It doesn't smudge, cause your lashes to clump, and I don't find myself rubbing off residue from my brow bone at the end of the day.
The brush is different from most mascaras; it has a slight half-moon shape, so you can really control the application, and it gives your lashes that cat-eye and lengthening effect. I get tons of compliments on my lashes when wearing this! The only reason I knocked a point off the formula score is that I found the mascara to dry up over time more quickly, but at under $10, it didn't pain me to repurchase.
More mascaras to shop, tested by the author
Best long-lasting formula:
Formula: 5/5 | Volume: 5/5 | Brush type: 4/5 | Washability: 4/5 Overall score: 4.5/5
If you’ve ever bought anything from Clinique during one of their in-store bonus weeks, you might have received a mini version of this in a gift set. This mascara was one of the first ones I ever tried, and it really set the bar for what I wanted in the product (maybe that’s why I’m so picky!).
There’s a reason why the brand says it’s their bestselling mascara; it promises to build dramatic and bold lashes, and it really delivers. The buildable formula applies effortlessly without any clumping. And for sensitive eyes, the first ingredient in it is water, so I found it to be super gentle when taking off at the end of the day.
I also found that the formula lasted all day, without flaking or falling, which is one of the reasons it has a five rating for formula. If it wasn’t for the nearly $30 price, this may have won best overall.
Best for volume:
Formula: 4/5 | Volume: 5/5 | Brush type: 4/5 | Washability: 4/5 Overall score: 4.25/5
When L'Oreal launched this mascara, it was immediately added to my mascara hall of fame. The formula is very pigmented and doesn't flake or transfer on your eyelids during application. The brand says this formula is ideal for those with sensitive eyes. As a contact wearer, I was thrilled because nothing is more irritating than feeling mascara flaking into your lenses throughout the day.
Also, the brush is tapered towards the end, so you can really get in between your lashes to achieve that glamorous length and lift. If you've been wondering how to achieve "doe eyes," this is the pick for you.
Best buildable formula:
Formula: 5/5 | Volume: 5/5 | Brush type: 4/5 | Washability: 3/5 Overall score: 4.25/5
I've seen this popular mascara everywhere, so I was excited to give it a try and see if it lived up to its hyped. When I first pulled the wand out, my initial reaction to the brush was ... "Oh, no."
I'm normally not a fan of silicone brushes, so I was a little intimidated and not confident it would actually lift my lashes. Boy, was I wrong. Like Maybelline Falsies, the wand has a spoon-like curve that helps fan out each lash, and the bristle type actually exceeded my expectations. However, what impressed me most with this option was the formula. It was extremely buildable and didn't clump whatsoever between coats. This gives you an option for versatile looks; use one coat for a minimal makeup look or add a few coats for more dramatic and lifted lashes.
Best brush:
Formula: 3/5 | Volume: 4/5 | Brush type: 5/5 | Washability: 4/5 Overall score: 4/5
I received this Tarte mascara in a PR package and was a little skeptical because I’ve used mascara from similar brands and was immediately disappointed — but this one proved me wrong! The formula applies extremely pigmented (which is great for those with lighter lashes). My favorite part is the spoolie wand, which looks like a traditional mascara brush that tapers towards the end; it’s easy to control and helps curl and lift my lashes.
The brand says the ingredients are 100% vegan and cruelty-free, and dermatologist-tested, which I love the most about it. And it doesn’t irritate my contact-wearing eyes one bit. Plus, I’m a sucker for its fancy packaging. I did find that this formula dried up more quickly than the others, which caused some flaking.
More mascaras, tested by Shop TODAY editors
"This mascara, which comes in varying shades of black and waterproof black, took my lashes from just hanging out on my face to completely commandeering my makeup look," says shop TODAY contributor Terri Peters in a review article about this TikTok viral mascara. "Now, this beauty must-have is my go-to mascara since I know it won’t budge no matter how often I wipe my face, rub my eyes or take my sunglasses on and off."
“This mascara definitely lives up to its name as a lengthening mascara, who knew my lashes were this long? It also left my lashes looking curled, which is impressive because they’re normally pretty flat,” says associate social editor Dani Musacchio.
"This formula gives my lashes major length after just a single coat, which is a game-changer for me since other brands require at least 2-3 coats," says commerce photo editor Vivian Le. "There’s also something about this mascara’s design that helps give my eyelashes that extra boost. The curved wand lifts the lashes up while, at the same time, the bristles brush through each hair to prevent the formula from clumping or overburdening the hairs."
"When it comes to separation, this mascara might take the top spot. I did not experience a single clump. And no matter how many swipes I applied, I was able to maneuver the brush so that it easily broke apart any lashes that stuck too close together," says commerce writer Danielle Murphy about the viral brand Il Makiage's mascara in a review article.
How we chose the best mascaras
From the time I started wearing makeup as a teen to my career as a beauty editor, I've tried over 50 mascaras and counting. I independently chose my favorite picks based on quality and how often I've used them, as well as putting the most viral to the test. I wore each mascara periodically, through "empty" to see which one was the best for volume, the best formula for staying put and not flaking or clumping, how well it washed off and the brush type.
For other editor-picked mascaras, we had our editors and contributors test different viral mascaras for at least a week and share their personal opinions and experiences with the makeup product.
Why trust Shop TODAY
Shannon Garlin is an associate editor for Shop TODAY. She has been with the team for four years, covering a wide range of topics in lifestyle and beauty. Garlin thoroughly tried each mascara for up to three months, wearing each mascara all day long. She independently conducted the testing and named the superlatives based on her personal experience with the mascaras.
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