The Best Mascaras of 2026

The packaging of Almay Thickening touts this product as a “one-coat mascara.” I largely agree: The smooth, jet black formula yields an impressive first coat that would likely satisfy most, but I’m partial to a second coat to get a look that really pops. Applying a second coat isn’t troublesome, either, because the added formula causes very little clumping or lash tangling. The slim tube makes this mascara easy to wield, and the tapered end of the wand means you don’t end up with any excess mascara on your eyelids or inner corners, even when you’re applying in a rush.

If there’s any downside to this product, it’s that it’s not waterproof in any capacity—as soon as my face came into contact with water, I had black streaks down my cheeks. While it’s important to note that the product doesn’t claim to be waterproof, my testing showed that many non-waterproof mascaras can withstand a little bit of rain or sweat without immediately melting down your face.

Though the Rimmel Lash Accelerator’s wand initially looks quite dry, it supplies a pretty good first coat with the little formula it picks up. I wouldn’t exactly call it an “instant wow,” as the packaging promises, but a second coat doesn’t clump or tangle and results in beautiful, long, full lashes. The tube is nice and narrow, which makes it easy to hold—a must if you want a clean application without fuss.

My biggest qualm was that this mascara took a little longer than other formulas to dry, meaning I had to be more patient in between coats, which is not always my strong suit.

One of this product’s biggest claims is that it “helps lashes look 117 percent longer in 30 days” with an ingredient called procapil that supposedly stimulates hair growth, but the duration of our testing did not allow me to test whether or not this is true. Furthermore, that’s not exactly my goal when applying mascara—instead, I’m looking for my daily swipe to give my lashes an instant pick-me-up.

Previously the Best Overall pick on our best drugstore mascara list, the Covergirl Lash Blast Volume is a reliable option that lengthens and separates in just one coat. In previous tests, this was enough to separate the mascara from the rest of the pack, but other picks on this list, including the ones above, fulfill this and offer other benefits, like an easier-to-wield wand.

The plastic, spiky bristles are shorter and stubbier than the nylon brush of a classic wand, meaning application requires a steady, patient hand and more precision, but I found the wand easy enough to maneuver. The bristles don’t pick up too much formula, either, which makes for a smooth and clump-free application in a breeze.

And although it was relatively easy to remove, this mascara had serious staying power. It didn’t flake or smudge at all throughout the day—despite how many times this tired mom rubbed her eyes.

Though the wand initially seemed a bit dry, the formula that the wand picked up went on very smoothly, and I didn’t have to worry about accidentally smudging it on my lids. Still, a first coat didn’t live up to the claim that it “dramatically lengthens and lifts.” I was even skeptical that a light second coat would be enough to do the trick. Fortunately, I was wrong: The second coat of the “conditioning formula” swiped on so easily—no clumping whatsoever—and the difference was staggering. The results were so beautiful—the longest lashes of any product I tried—that I literally said “wow” out loud when I was done.

Though the Joah Lash Uprising needs two coats, I wouldn’t hesitate to use this mascara as my go-to product. It yields soft, but long, lush lashes—plus, the “cruelty-free” formula doesn’t contain any parabens or phthalates, ingredients that some folks look to avoid. This mascara ultimately ended up a bit further down the list because other mascaras we tested could deliver similar-looking results in just one coat, but it’s still a great option.

The Too Faced Better Than Sex is a highly beloved mascara with more than 16,000 reviews on Sephora’s site. Although the mascara did make my eyelashes look full and deeply pigmented with two coats, it lost points in tests due to some issues I experienced during application. The formula is a bit thick and goopy, and the curvy wand tends to pick up a little too much. This makes application more tedious than it should be because you have to proceed very cautiously and deliberately to avoid clumping and getting black smudges on your eyelid.

Despite this, a little patience and a quick swipe of a clean spoolie yields a rather nice result that’s close to what the packaging promises: defined, multidimensional lashes.

I was immediately drawn to the Milk Makeup Kush Highly Volumizing Mascara because it has a “cleaner” formula (it’s billed as a “Clean at Sephora” product, which means it’s formulated without over 50 ingredients deemed by the company as potentially harmful or irritating, including sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and more) yet still has more than 6,000 glowing reviews—a combination that’s not as easy to find as you might hope.

I ran into a few initial hiccups, though—namely the tapered wand is rather fat and comes out of the tube coated in a very large amount of formula. It’s way too much for a swift application, so you have to pause to wipe some formula off on the side of the tube to prevent a potentially clumpy, messy application. Even still, there is some clumping even on the first coat, which makes it important to take the extra step of using a clean spoolie to brush through your lashes to keep them separated and looking neat.

Once lashes dry sufficiently, though, the jet black, lengthened look holds up pretty well throughout the day with no visible smudging or transfer.

The Maybelline Full ‘N Soft Washable performs exactly as it claims to. It keeps lashes full and soft all day—a nice perk, considering many other formulas that deliver similar results leave lashes feeling coarse and brittle. The lightweight formula swipes on easily and quickly without clumps. The bristled wand is long and skinny, with a slight taper at the end, making it easy to maneuver even to the tougher-to-reach inner-corner lashes.

The downside is that those who want a fuller or more dramatic look will need to apply two or three coats, and because it takes a minute or so to dry, that adds time to your routine. The trade-off is soft, natural-looking lashes that stay full all day long, as claimed.

The wand on the Lancôme Monsieur Big Volumizing Mascara is short, which makes it easy to get a good, sturdy grip for the ultimate precision when applying the formula. Unfortunately, though, the wand itself holds a little bit too much formula, which means you have to go slowly to avoid getting any dark black product on your lids. You also have to do quite a few passes through to straighten out any clumping lashes.

On the plus side, the first coat deposits enough mascara to both lengthen and thicken. Still, because I typically only wear mascara and some tinted moisturizer, I prefer a second coat for real drama on my eyes.

The Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara’s wand has short plastic bristles that don’t hang on to excess formula, making application mess-free—a very important factor for anyone who has just a few minutes to spare when getting ready.

That said, you need to apply at least two coats to achieve proper lengthening and volume. Because there’s very minimal clumping upon a second coat, this isn’t too much of a time sucker—just something worth considering because it slightly cancels out the time you save initially.

The biggest drawback to this mascara was in its longevity. It was one of the few mascaras that flaked slightly throughout the day. This was not only an inconvenience, but also affected the look over time.

The E.L.F. Cosmetics Mineral Infused is a quality mascara, especially when you consider that it’s one of the cheapest finds on the list and at the drugstore. The tube is easy to hold, the wand separates lashes well, and the formula goes on smoothly. As was the case with most of the mascaras I tested, I preferred the more dramatic look of two coats and I appreciated that there was minimal clumping or tangling when depositing the extra formula from the additional coat.

I don’t often stop long enough to check my makeup throughout the day, but I noticed a bit of flaking throughout the day. If you’re someone who doesn’t mind a quick touch-up, this might not bother you, but for me, it knocked this mascara down a few notches.

As its waterproof counterpart was one of my favorites when we tested waterproof mascaras, it didn’t surprise me to find the Revlon Volumazing toward the top of my rankings.

I loved the size and shape of the tube—it was easy to hold in my hands and I was able to wield the slightly wavy wand without much error. But the standard formula is wetter and gloppier than its waterproof version, which meant I had to apply this at a slower pace than usual, otherwise the dense and fluffy wand occasionally brushed against my eyelid and left some formula behind.

I also had to brush through lashes with a clean spoolie to ensure a tangle- and clump-free finished look. The extra step made the difference in a flash, but was just that—an extra step for someone who doesn’t have spare time to waste.

As the most expensive pick on our list, the Dior Diorshow is undoubtedly an investment. And with other worthy picks for just a fraction of the price, it may be a hard one to justify.

The tube has a traditional cylinder shape that sits well in the hand and a long, tapered wand that holds just the right amount of formula for a plentiful, even single swipe. And unlike some other formulas, there was no need to brush through the final look to separate my lashes.

The problem with this mascara is its durability. I noticed some transfer under my bottom lashes throughout the day, and the overall look significantly diminished by the time I went to wash my face eight or nine hours later. (Interestingly, the waterproof version of this mascara was extremely durable in tests, so if you’re a Dior fan, it may be worth looking into that instead.)

The Maybelline Sky High Mascara gained many fans, thanks to viral TikTok videos showing amazing lengthening results. Both influencers and the packaging promise the same thing: full volume and intense length, delivered with a flexible wand that bends to help extend individual lashes from root to tip. But does it live up to the hype? For the most part, yes.

The wand is the most flexible I've used—if you hold it against the side of the mascara tube, it can bend to a 90° angle. Though the wand doesn’t appear to hold much product because of its short silicone bristles, it deposits just the right amount of a very smooth formula that glides right onto the lashes. After a single coat, my lashes were noticeably longer, but it was a very natural look best suited for that everyday “no-makeup makeup” look.

The second coat is where I began to see the brand’s promise of “limitless length,” but the trouble is that the formula clumps at this stage, causing lashes to stick together. A third coat amps up the length even more, but causes even more sticking.

In the end, the look is very attractive—full and long lashes—and the product stayed put for a solid 12 hours before I removed it. But the clumping you have to contend with is enough to steer me back to some of the products higher up on the list.

Because the container is double-sided, the L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes technically requires two swipes at minimum (one of the primer and one of the tinted color), but you won’t need more than that. The bristled wands hold enough formula to get the job done the first time, without clumping. Plus, the wands are long and skinny, which makes them easy to wield.

The first-step formula is a primer that’s infused with Ceramide R and D-Panthenol—ingredients that claim to protect and strengthen lashes—while the second-step formula (the actual mascara) promises to lengthen and, of course, coat the lashes in the dark pigment. Indeed, it added considerable length to my lashes—I could see how the white formula actually sticks to the tips of each hair. But applying the two formulas makes lashes feel a bit crunchy when they dry, which bothered me a bit.

And though the mascara held up throughout the day with little-to-no flaking, you'll have to consider if it’s worth the extra time. For a special event? Probably. For everyday wear? I’m usually in too much of a rush.

The Maybelline Lash Sensational Washable is tricky to apply but has impressive staying power. The plastic wand isn't very intuitive to use—it’s a crescent moon shape, with longer bristles on the outside of the curve and shorter ones on the inside. Because of this, there’s definitely a learning curve, and it takes some precision and patience at first. (I’m still not 100% sure I’m doing it right!)

Despite that, there’s enough formula on the wand to leave your lashes looking polished at one swipe. The trouble is that I think most people, myself included, will want that second swipe for a more defined look. And because this mascara was one of the slowest to dry (it took more than a few minutes), that second coat will cost you time.

Perhaps it’s worth the extra effort though: This mascara held up remarkably well during an extremely long day—from 6:45 a.m. to 11 p.m.—with no touch-ups.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna entered the market to much acclaim just a few years ago and has remained an extremely popular choice across the board, from foundation to mascara. It’s not surprising, really, given Rihanna’s fame and the buzz it caused when releasing 50 foundation shades at first launch. But there’s much more to this formula than the celebrity name.

The wand holds the perfect amount of formula—and said formula glides on smoothly, effectively separating lashes despite multiple coats. The result is a relatively natural look—long, just-dark-enough lashes—that’s great for everyday wear.

Where the mascara doesn’t hold up to the competition: longevity. In tests, my eyelashes looked almost naked at the end of the day. And, even though the Fenty Beauty Full Frontal Volume, Lift, and Curl Mascara makes no claims about being waterproof or even water-resistant, it runs very easily on contact with water. Perhaps too easily, as I experienced streaking due to a small tear in my eye from the wind.

Like many of the other mascaras that landed squarely in the middle of the pack, the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara scored extremely well in tests surrounding application. The wand held just enough formula to expertly glide onto lashes with little to no clumping. A first coat was perfectly sufficient, but a second coat truly wowed in the volumizing department. And the formula dried quickly, so I could go about my business quickly.

The problem was in durability tests. Though the initial look largely delivered on claims to be extra volumizing, I noticed some smudging under my eye about halfway through the day, and the final look wasn’t quite as stellar as it was earlier in the day. Given the less-than-stellar performance throughout the day, there are more affordable options that’ll get the job done better.

The Neutrogena Healthy Lengths piqued my interest immediately because of its unique packaging. The tube is capped and the wand was packaged separately. At first, this seems like a nice bonus—you get to see the shape and texture of the actual wand, not just a picture of it, before buying. The problem: It’s difficult to open the package, which resulted in me bending the wand while trying to get to the goods. Luckily, it bent back into place without much effort, but I was a bit concerned I damaged it in some way.

The application was so-so. While it looks like the wand holds the perfect amount of formula, it doesn’t quite glide onto lashes. Instead, the formula feels a bit dry. Interestingly though, a single coat looks quite nice and holds up very well throughout the day—the mascara looks almost as good more than 12 hours later.

This mascara immediately threw me for a loop because the tube is a chocolate-brown color. I wondered: Did I order the wrong shade? Closer inspection revealed that I did, in fact, receive the “classic black.”

Of course, the packaging color is not a deal-breaker. Where the Burt’s Bees Nourishing mascara really lost points was wand shape. Though its applicator has a tapered shape that looked like it would hug lashes well, the bristles are too firm, making application difficult and rather unpleasant—it felt like I was scratching my eyelid with each stroke of the wand. Additionally, it held some excess formula that was difficult to keep off of my eyelids without intense concentration. If you can get past that, you’ll be pleased by the formula itself. It’s smooth and doesn’t clump or tangle in the lashes, even with a second coat.

Like so many people, this cult-favorite mascara was the first one I was ever introduced to. And all these years later, the Maybelline Great Lash is still a strong contender and one of the most inexpensive mascaras we tested.

It has a small brush that makes application really easy, even for beginners. And it goes on smooth, separating and lifting lashes in just one swipe. Unfortunately, this isn’t a great choice for anyone who prefers volume or a bold look, as you will begin to see clumping with more than one swipe. It’s a very reliable choice, especially for the price, but not the best you can find.

I wasn’t sure whether to love or hate the shape of L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly’s plastic wand: The “wing-tip brush” claims to elongate lashes and prevent clumping, but because each side of the wand is dramatically different (one side is an inverted arch and another is an arch with all different bristle sizes), it’s not clear where to begin to get the best results—or even how to hold the wand in the first place!

The long and well-separated results suggest the wand shape helps to give lashes that winged-out look the product promises, but it’s not easy to maneuver—especially if you’re a beginner. The formula also looks a bit clumpy on the eyes, though (again) that could be a result of improper application.

Besides the initial challenges, this mascara didn’t stand out in a good or a bad way—it delivered satisfactory results, lasted fine throughout the day, and was relatively easy to remove.

Overall, the best way to describe the Urban Decay Perversion mascara is fine. It received generally mediocre scores across the board. Application was easy enough, but not seamless because there was some clumping throughout, which caused me to have to pass through the lashes a few more times than typically necessary, plus break out a clean spoolie to perfect the look. What’s more, the end look wasn’t as eye-popping as I prefer. It didn’t look like I had “dramatic false lashes” as promised—rather relatively denser, longer lashes.

Longevity didn’t delight or disappoint, either. Though I didn’t notice smudging, flaking, or transferring throughout the day, the end-of-day look was mediocre at best.

The Maybelline Volum’express: The Colossal promises “nine times the volume” with its collagen-infused formula. The wand doesn’t hold much formula, which can be both a good and bad thing: On the negative side, there’s not much coverage until the second or third swipe. On the positive side, the formula doesn’t clump—even with multiple coats—making it fool-proof.

The brush has very long bristles and is also tapered at the end, making it easier than most to get into the tight corners of your eyelid without smudging. Despite being lightweight, the formula boasts serious staying power—so much so that I was able to take a midday power nap without any smudging or flaking.

Unfortunately, I paid the price for this when it was time to remove the mascara—there was still some residue on my lashes even after washing my face and using makeup remover.

The L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black has all the makings of the best mascara—it goes on very smooth and doesn’t clump, it fans lashes nicely, and it has great coverage on the first swipe. The only noticeable drawback during application is the fact that a noticeable amount of formula sticks to the tip of the wand, making it easy to smudge the corners of your lids with formula.

After taking my time, though, I was very happy with the results. I wondered if this could be a strong contender, but this mascara plummeted in rankings because it didn’t last on the lashes the way other formulas did—it was one of the few mascaras I tested that flaked noticeably throughout the day.

The combination of short, plastic bristles on the wand and a drier formula make the Buxom Lash Volumizing Mascara very light upon application. You really need at least two coats to achieve the brand promises of dramatically defined, lengthened, and lifted fuller-looking lashes. Not a deal-breaker, just a bit of a time suck for anyone who prefers the convenience of a speedier routine.

The bigger drawback is that there is some flaking throughout the day—perhaps because I wound up with multiple coats on my lashes in pursuit of a fuller look. As a result, the look at the end of the day is not what you might hope—it largely looks like you never even applied mascara in the first place.

As the cheapest on our list by a couple of dollars, the Wet n Wild Mega Volume has a low price tag anyone would love. Unfortunately, it misses the mark on ease of application. The wand doesn’t taper enough at the tip, making it difficult to get into the corners of your eye in your initial swipe. The formula itself is also goopy, which causes enough excess product to clump at the end of the wand that even an initial wipe on the side of the tube isn’t sufficient to ensure mascara doesn’t smear onto your eyelids. Strangely, despite the thick formula, the wand felt a bit dry in other areas, making it hard to get even coverage with just one coat.

Although we weren’t specifically testing waterproof mascaras, this one promises to be “waterproof, sweat-proof, humidity-resistant, and smudge-resistant.” The problem: In my tests, the mascara ran with water and a bit of rubbing, so while you might get a bit more protection, the product isn’t reliable if you’re looking for something truly waterproof.

This rose-colored tube is widely known as a dupe for the cult-favorite Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced, but as you can tell from the rankings on this list, the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise is not much more than a pretty tube, if you ask me. The hourglass-shaped brush is rather fat and is attached to a short wand, so swiping with the slimmer part of the wand means hitting your lid with the thicker part. It doesn't feel effortless and natural. Because the formula is very thick, lashes clump and tangle during application. That makes it tempting to apply more coats to even things out—but this exacerbates the problem, increases drying time, and creates a caked-on feel that bothered me throughout the day. This was also one of the only formulas to flake periodically throughout the day, likely because I applied so much formula to my lashes. On top of that, this mascara was incredibly difficult to remove. After washing my face, using makeup remover, and washing my face again in the morning, I still noticed some residue. Bottom line: If you love Too Faced Better Than Sex, stick with it. Though tempting to save a few bucks, chances are you won’t be as satisfied as you are with the original.

The Honest Beauty Extreme Length gave me trouble from the start. Typically, when you untwist the wand from a tube of mascara, you end up with a short handle attached to a lengthy wand. When you unscrew this product, you end up with a very long handle with a short wand attached to it. Initially, it might seem like this would give you more precision, as there’s more to grip, but I found the opposite to be true. The long handle is clunky and hard to get a good grip on, which makes it harder to get a precise, mess-free application. The mascara also goes on very thick, which leads to a lot of clumping and a web of tangled lashes.

If you can get past the cumbersome wand and have the patience to take very slow, intentional strokes and brush through your lashes with a clean spoolie after each coat, you may like the longevity this product offers—the final look held up throughout the day.

The Essence Lash Princess mascara exploded in popularity on Reddit, but I found the combination of the wand’s short bristles and the thick formula makes application challenging. The formula gets stuck on the end of the brush, which easily transferred to my eyelid during application, requiring touch-ups as I went. The formula also tends to clump a bit, making it extra important to be slow and precise—not a good thing for anyone who wants to fast track their beauty routine. The upside is that all that the formula delivers impressive results that last all day. Plain and simple: There are better options.