If you were allowed to pick only one makeup item to use for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Without a doubt, mine would be mascara. It’s the most transformative beauty staple. Defining your lashes has literally eye-opening results, making them appear bigger and brighter.
If the questions I’ve been asked as a beauty editor are anything to go by, even those who consider themselves low-maintenance usually own a mascara:requests for mascara recommendations are by far the most common. It seems no one is immune to how effortlessly eye-framing a few coats can be.
Recommending the best mascara, however, isn’t straightforward. A one-type-suits-all mascara doesn’t exist, so the performance of mascaras often divides people. The key is to work out what your lashes’ needs are: are you looking for volume, length, lift, curl or something else? Whatever your requirement, you’ll find a recommendation here that suits you.
Best overall:Giorgio Armani Vertigo Lift mascara£29 at John Lewis
Best budget mascara:L’Oréal Paradise Big Deal mascara£8.39 at Amazon
Best for length:Lancôme Lash Idôle Flutter Extension mascara£28 at John Lewis
Best for volume:Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara£25.36 at Sephora
Best brown mascara:Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High mascara£12.99 at Look Fantastic
I’m an experienced beauty editor, but I still get as excited about the launch of a mascara as I did whenever I got away with wearing my mum’s to school. It was the 90sMaybelline Great Lashin the pink tube, if you’re wondering.
My naturally short, straight and blond lashes do nothing to highlight my eyes, so I was obsessed with trying different mascaras far before it became my job 16 years ago. I can honestly say there are few mascaras sold in the UK that I haven’t put to the test. It would definitely be my desert-island beauty item: yes, even ahead ofSPF. Don’t judge!
There are hundreds of mascaras sold in the UK, and throughout my time as a beauty journalist I’ve tried the majority. For the purpose of this piece I retested my 25 favourite high-street and high-end buys, plus five of the latest launches, of which a few made the cut below.
Whittling these down to the 10 best was tough, though, especially since brands such as Lancôme, L’Oréal and Maybelline make more than one outstanding mascara each. It took a long time – not just to test the mascaras, but also to make up my mind – to get to this elite edit of the best mascaras around.
£29 at John Lewis£23.20 at Look Fantastic
Armani Beauty’s launches keep on impressing me, especially this new lifting and lengthening mascara. After a quick read of its promises, I expected it to elongate my lashes for a feathery lash result, but it delivered so much more.
Why we love itThis mascara is as close to a suits-all multipurpose wand as you’re going to find. The curved silicone brush allows you to really get into the lash line, and a few quick wriggles will coat each hair thoroughly from root to tip. The closer you can get to the root, the longer your lashes will look, as well as being lifted and thicker in a clump-free natural-looking way. It’s an eye-awakening result, which perks up the look of my tired eyes every time I use it.
Its formula is easy to build up, too. Wear just a layer or two for a day of meetings, then turn up the intensity for the evening with a few more layers – without any chance of lashes clumping together. Once the formula sets, it doesn’t budge or smudge, so there’s no chance of panda eyes.
It’s a shame that …you have to work the formula quickly before it dries.
Lash effect:lifting, lengthening and natural volumisingVegan:noShades:black only
£12.99 at Boots£8.39 at Amazon
Making some of the best mascaras on the high street, L’Oréal could easily have featured a few times in this roundup – including with its originalTelescopic mascara, for lengthening short lashes, andLash Paradise, for volumising. However, this new wand is my favourite, offering long-lasting length and volume.
Why we love itI fell for this mascara at first swipe. It’s faff-free: I didn’t have to figure out how to use it. The silicone brush is curved to fit neatly into the lash line, making it easy to get right down to the base, while the varying sizes of comb teeth grab and separate each lash.
A few seamless strokes later, I was wowed to see how much longer and naturally fuller my lashes looked in a quick mirror inspection. However, what really makes this a standout mascara is how buildable it is without any dreaded clumping. Three strokes are ideal for daywear, but you can carry on layering to get a little more intensity.
It’s a shame that …it’s available only in black, but hopefully a brown shade won’t be far behind.
Lash effect:lengthening and volumisingVegan:noShades:black only
£21 at Lancôme£26 at Look Fantastic
From the cult classic volume-buildingHypnôse mascarato the more eye-opening drama ofLash Idôle, I’m not exaggerating when I say the French beauty brand Lancôme has mastered mascara. My goodness, the lash experts have outdone themselves once again – this time with a wand made for lengthening.
Why we love itI’ve repeatedly returned to Lancôme’s impressive collection of mascaras because they never let me down for easy, clump-free application and all-day staying power without smudging or flaking. This new formula is no exception.
Like the classic Lash Idôle, it separates each lash effortlessly, creating a fanned-out flutter. I presume this is why it comes under the same branding. Where it differs, though, is how well it stretches the lashes naturally.
It’s the skinny brush that adds to its success: if you have short lashes as I do, it makes it easy to precisely get into each and every lash-root and coat the entire hair out to the end. It has more than 480 micro bristles, too, so it’s impossible to leave even the tiniest of hairs behind.
It’s a shame that …Lancôme didn’t stick to the chic, glossy packaging of its classic mascaras. The rose gold colourway looks a little cheap – which I know is a superficial point.
Lash Effect:lengtheningVegan:noShades:black only
£28 at Cult Beauty£28 at Look Fantastic
If you prefer a dramatic look, you need a volumising mascara, and this cheekily named wand from Too Faced is still unmatched for building that false-lash effect without noticeable clumps.
Why we love itThe problem with volumising mascaras is they are prone to clumping, making lashes stick together or creating a fake spidery effect – but this does none of that. The key is to stick to a maximum of three coatings – even one (as pictured) will be enough to thicken and curl beautifully.
It builds fuller lashes in seconds, and they last all day. That’s because of its workable formula, but also its gamechanging wand. The hourglass bristle brush wasinspired by the curves of Marilyn Monroe– which may sound gimmicky, but it is so effective at covering and sculpting lashes that other brands have gone on to imitate it.
It’s a shame that …the oversize brush makes it impossible not to smudge on to hooded eyes when applying, so I do always need a cotton bud on standby.
Lash effect:dramatic volume and curlVegan:yesShades:black and brown
£12.99 at Look Fantastic£6.63 at Amazon
Maybelline is renowned for its impressive back catalogue of mascaras to suit every type of lash, but this one manages to stand head and shoulders above the rest – and not just because of its name. It’s an almost do-it-all mascara, delivering length, volume and a separated, fanned-out effect. It’s available in an impressive shade range, too, including the natural-looking true brown, which is my go-to.
Why we love itThis formula has gone viral several times on social media – from its first launch to itseye-popping burgundy shade– and for good reason. I’m just here to add to the hype. Every time I come back to this mascara, I’m reminded how effortlessly the flexible, tapered silicone brush coats from root to tip, giving my short lashes length and wow factor, and adding volume thanks to tiny fibres in the formulation.
A variety of shades have been launched, including pink (if you’re brave enough). I find its true brown to be the best for everyday wear or for softer, no-makeup makeup looks.
It’s a shame that …it tends to drop and flake by the end of the day.
Lash effect:lengthening and volumisingVegan:noShades:black, blue, brown, burgundy, green, pink, plum and space diamond
£26 at John Lewis£27 at Mac
Best for:a waterproof mascara
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The most customisable mascara out there, Mac’s MacStack is built for layering or “stacking” on weightless volume, length and lift. Mac says it’s “endlessly buildable” and I think that’s right: I once got up to 40 coats before lashes started to clump and stick together. However, three coats will be enough to give you a well-defined, fuller and thicker lash line.
Its waterproof formula allows you to dial up the drama with the silicone, tapered brush, safe in the knowledge that it won’t budge. I’ve tested it on a beach holiday, and found that water, sweat and even tears are no match for this mascara.
It didn’t make the final cut because …prolonged waterproof mascara can dry out your lashes, so use it only for special occasions, holidays, workouts and heatwaves.
Lash effect:volumising, lengthening and lifting;vegan:no;shades:black only
£35 at John Lewis£35 at Dior
Best for:curling
Skip the eyelash curlers with this luxurious mascara, which lifts, curls and boosts natural volume with only a few lashings. It always makes my eyes look bigger and brighter in an instant, and that’s why I’ve bought this wand on repeat.
The oversize, curved bristle brush can look intimidating, but you soon get the hang of it. The trick is to set the curl by pressing the wand against the lashes as you comb through. I often have to tidy up a little after applying because of my hooded eyes but, once it’s set, the curl and formula will stay in place all day.
It didn’t make the final cut because …it’s expensive. However, you can buy cheaper refills.
Lash effect:Lifting, curling and volumising;vegan:no;shades:black, brown and blue
£28 at Ilia£28 at Space NK
Best for:sensitive eyes
Ilia has a skin-centric philosophy that I’m so behind: all its makeup products are infused with active skincare ingredients, including this multi-award-winning mascara. The gentle formulation is enriched with nourishing and conditioning ingredients to look after lashes and is ophthalmologist-tested, so it’s suitable for contact lens wearers and those with sensitive eyes.
It’s another ambitious formula that separates and lifts my lashes well, while boosting length and volume, but still on the natural side. It does so with a dual-sided wand: a longer comb side creates the lengthening effect, and a shorter side curls and lifts. I also love that you need only warm water to remove it.
It didn’t make the final cut because …the two-sided brush takes a little getting used to.
Lash effect:lengthening and lifting;vegan:no;shades:black and brown
£28 at Charlotte Tilbury£34 at Amazon
Best for:tubing mascara
Charlotte Tilbury’s best mascara to date (for me anyway!) is all about speedy volume-building and curl, so it’s ideal for busy morning makeup. It’s a tubing mascara, meaning that it wraps 360-degree polymers around each eyelash to form a tube (hence the name), creating that instant va-va-voom volume I wish I’d been born with.
In the picture, I’ve applied only one coat with the large, curved bristles, so you can see how much it volumises with a quick flick. However, I prefer two layers when the occasion calls for more glam. It doesn’t smudge or flake throughout the day, but still comes off easily without harsh rubbing.
It didn’t make the final cut because …itcontains conditioning waxes that can transfer to the upper lid when applying.
Lash effect:volumising and curling;vegan:no;shades:black only
£20 at Refy£20 at Sephora
Best for:short lashes
Full disclosure: I hated this mascara when I first tried it, but I heard others rave about how good it is for naturally lengthening and lifting lashes, so I persevered with testing. I’m so glad I did, as I was getting the technique wrong. Now that I’ve mastered it it’s become one of my favourite mascaras for natural daywear.
The curved applicator is like no other, so you have to use it differently. The comb is designed to fit the upper lash line, so if you align it correctly the shorter bristles will catch the inner corner, while the longer ones will comb through the outer lashes. By simply wiggling the comb through a few times, you quickly define each lash, leaving you with a softer, elongated lash look.
It didn’t make the final cut because …because it sometimes flakes at the end of the day.
Lash effect:Lengthening and lifting;vegan:yes;shades:black only
The problem with finding the best mascara is there’s not a one-size-fits-all tube. Thick or thin, curly or straight, short or long – lashes come in all shapes, sizes and colours. We all crave something different from a wand, so the only way to find your perfect match is to work out what you need from your mascara.
Generally, the brush type is a giveaway to the result a mascara will give you. Large or oversize wands are built for thickening and volumising, while skinny brushes are great at lengthening and adding definition.
However, there are many weird and wonderful-looking wands in between: curved brushes for lifting and curling lashes; cone or tapered shapes to get into corners for a more fanned-out effect; and comb wands to separate and define lashes for a beautifully natural look.
It’s a little harder to investigate the formulations. Most mascaras are oil-based, but if you have sensitive eyes you may want to seek out water-based formulas, such as theIlia Limitless Lash mascara.
Tubing mascaras are gaining in popularity, as they work a little differently: by wrapping little polymer tubes around each eyelash, rather than coating in waxes, dyes or oils. Those who tend to rub their eyes a lot love them, as they’re smudge-proof and easy to remove with warm water. Their effect is on the natural side, though, which isn’t what everyone is after.
Always remove the brush smoothly, and never pump your mascara to get more product on to the wand. I know it’s tempting, but this just traps air into the tube, which makes the formula dry out quicker.
Apply by aligning your brush horizontally with your lash line. Then look up, so you can get into the roots and coat each lash thoroughly to the tip. Wriggling the brush from side to side will help separate the hairs. If you’ve missed any tiny lashes in the corners, tilt your brush vertically to get to them, or to get to your bottom lashes should you want to define them.
A good mascara will last up to six months before drying out, but it’s good practice to replace it every three months to keep the risk of eye infections at bay.
Waterproof mascara is the most stubborn makeup product to remove, but upgrading your makeup remover to a cleansing oil will make it easier (this affordable Bioderma micellar oilis my personal favourite). The oil attracts the oil in the formula, so it quickly breaks down waterproof mascara.
Yes, but steer clear of waterproof and oil-based mascaras. Stick to water-based mascaras, such asIlia’s Limitless Lash, as these are gentler and won’t weigh down lash lifts or separate the glue used to hold your extensions in place.
Sabine Wiesel is a freelance beauty editor.She has reviewed beauty products formore than 16 years for some of thebiggest names in UK publishing, and she loves to stay on top of the latest in skin, hair and makeup.Shetests products on a daily basis,and her postman has got used to seeinga random selection of beauty products on her face when he deliversa new batch of products to try