How to Choose the Best Mascara
When you’re shopping for the best mascara, it’s important to keep your lash type and desired look in mind. If you have fine lashes, opt for a volumizing formula; for thicker lashes, go with one that dries down and curls.
We asked top makeup artists to share their favorite clean, cruelty-free mascaras that deliver on volume and length. These are the products that will give you the ultimate lash look, no matter your budget.
1. Lancome Hypnose Mascara
Hypnose Mascara by Lancome is a volumizing mascara that adds dramatic volume to your lashes without flaking or clumping. Its S-shaped brush grasps each lash, making it easier to coat them in a single stroke.
The patented PowerFull brush separates lashes for even application from root to tip. Its soft emollient waxes and exclusive polymer system increase lash volume up to six times without clumping or smudging.
The mascara is also formulated with 5% solidarity-sourced shea butter from Burkina Faso, 91% ultra-caring black balm and 8 amino acids that are known to help promote lash growth. The packaging is crafted from 15% recycled glass and looks like art.
2. Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara
This clean mascara from Ilia lifts, curls, lengthens and adds the right amount of volume without flaking. It’s also 99% naturally derived and contains organic Shea Butter and fortifying Arginine (keratin) to boost lash health and condition.
It features a dual-sided brush that enables you to define, lift and separate your lashes with precision. The shorter side focuses on curling, while the longer bristles build volume and separation.
3. Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lash Mascara
Infused with keratin, castor seed oil and push up lash-lifting polymers from a larch tree, this smudge and humidity proof mascara amplifies your eyes with instant volume. Its innovative paddle brush follows lash architecture and paints individual lashes in a fanned-out look for increased lift and separation.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes Mascara is an inky, jet black formula that coats your lashes for a long-lasting, smudge and humidity proof finish. Its wand features a flat pro precision paddle with ‘load, comb and lift’ technology that has diamond shaped bristles on each side.
4. Lancome Hypnose Lash Curling Mascara
Lancome Hypnose Lash Curling Mascara is a powerhouse mascara that helps define, curl, and lengthen lashes without flaking or smudging. It also comes off easily with a cotton pad and makeup remover.
This serum-infused formula is formulated with 91% black balm and eight amino acids for stronger, healthier-looking lashes. It also features solidarity-sourced shea butter from Burkina Faso.
5. Sleek Makeup Lash Primer + Lash Mascara
This dual-ended, clean mascara + primer combines the best of both worlds for lash lovers. Its lash-enhancing properties are delivered via nourishing castor oil, 3 lengths of natural fibers, naturally-derived film formers, and plant-based waxes.
Its hourglass-shaped brush is a cinch to coat every lash, even those you can’t reach with your usual mascara. It also has a cult-favorite tinted formula that makes your lashes look extra long and full. But the real standout is its lash-enhancing technology: It’s the first of its kind to use a patented, peptide-infused soy extract called HydroPlant that’s renowned for its lash volumizing power.
6. Tarte Amazonian Clay Mascara
A high-performance, Amazonian clay-infused lengthening mascara that boosts thickness, length, & curl to nourish lashes. It delivers soft volume that lasts all day without flaking or clumping.
This is a “smart” mascara that intuitively finds and treats your unique lash concerns. It instantly increases lash volume by 406% and delivers long-term reparative, rebuilding, and strengthening benefits for better lash health.
It hydrates dry and brittle lashes to prevent fallout, while high performance natural ™ Amazonian clay performs all day by absorbing oil to balance the formula and keep it in place for flake-free longer wear. It also deepens pure color pigments for truer, darker, more intense shades that will not transfer or flake during daily wear.
7. Yves Saint Laurent Le Volume Mascara
This Yves Saint Laurent mascara is a must-have for luscious lashes. Its non-drying formula is enriched with pro-vitamin B5, which conditions lashes to make them look thicker without smudging or flaking. Its nylon fiber brush coats lashes from root to tip for a full-bodied, voluminous effect.
Its oversized brush and Yves Saint Laurent’s ultra-pigmented formula give you 200% more volume than bare lashes, with up to 24-hour smudge-proof wear. The sleek black tube with a gold YSL emblem is opulent and luxurious, making it a must-have for any makeup lover.
