Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
I Tried 30 Mascaras So You Don't Have To, These Six Won
30
items Straight, thin lashes that disappear by noon. Sound familiar? I burned through an embarrassing number of tubes this year because every mascara ad promised volume and length but most just gave me raccoon eyes by 2pm. If you're tired of clumpy formulas...
Sections
5
Volume Mascaras That Actually Built Up Without Clumping
Lengthening Mascaras for Short Stubby Lashes
Waterproof Formulas That Survived My Worst Days
Mascara Primers and Tools That Made Everything Work Better
Mascara Removers That Saved My Under-Eyes
Volume Mascaras That Actually Built Up Without Clumping
I used to think volume meant spider legs. Every thick-formula mascara turned my lashes into a sticky mess within two coats. These finally gave me fullness without the crunch.
Grab this if your lashes are basically invisible without falsies. One coat and my coworker asked if I got extensions. Two coats and I looked like a completely different person.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara
Use this when you want that fluffy, fanned-out look without curling first. My straight-as-a-board lashes held a curl all day for the first time in my life.
L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara
For anyone who refuses to spend more than $5 on mascara. Honestly outperformed three $30 tubes I tested. Stock up because it sells out constantly.
essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
Switch to this if you've been loyal to drugstore and want to see what a splurge actually gets you. The brush is thick and deposits product evenly. Zero clumps even on coat three.
Lancôme Monsieur Big - Volumizing Mascara 24H Wear
Keep this in your bag for nights out. It goes from natural to dramatic depending on how many layers you build. Fair warning, it's a pain to remove without oil cleanser.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Toss your old orange-tube mascara and try the updated formula. Wore it through a full wedding day, crying included, and it barely budged. Shocked, honestly.
COVERGIRL Lash Blast Volume Mascara 800
Lengthening Mascaras for Short Stubby Lashes
My lashes are short. Like, embarrassingly short. Finding a formula that actually extended them without looking stringy took way too long. These ones passed the squint test.
Try this if you've given up on lengthening formulas. It separates every single lash and adds just enough length to look real but noticeably longer. Wear it to work without anyone thinking you tried too hard.
Clinique High Impact Mascara Volume and Length
Swap to this if regular mascaras irritate your eyes by afternoon. Clean formula, zero burning, and it somehow makes short lashes look twice their actual size. Wish I'd found it years ago.
Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara - ILIA
Get this for date nights when you want your eyes to do the talking. Builds length gradually so you control exactly how dramatic it gets. Three coats is my sweet spot.
BUXOM Lash Volumizing Mascara, 0.37 oz
Snag this before your next vacation. It survived humidity in Florida without flaking once. My lashes looked long and separated from morning coffee through late dinner.
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP
Perfect for anyone who rubs their eyes constantly and wonders why they have mascara smudges by lunch. Tubing formula means it slides off in warm water but stays locked in place all day.
tarte tartelette tubing lash primer
Use the weird spiky wand to get into tiny corner lashes you didn't know existed. Pulled out length from lashes I thought were just too short to bother with.
They're Real! Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara
Waterproof Formulas That Survived My Worst Days
Between allergies, sweat, and the occasional ugly cry in my car, I needed mascara that wouldn't betray me. Regular formulas left me looking haunted by noon. These stayed put through everything.
Bring this if you're going anywhere near water, tears, or Houston in August. A friend dunked her face in a pool to test it and nothing moved. It's almost too waterproof. You'll need a dedicated remover.
Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara Super Waterproof
Keep this for low-key days when you want something on but don't want to fight removal later. Slides off with warm water but holds up through a normal workday surprisingly well.
Maybelline New York Snapscara Washable Mascara
Pair this with sunscreen for beach days. Most waterproof mascaras feel crunchy but this one stays flexible. Wore it surfing and came out looking human, which felt like a miracle.
CoverGirl Remarkable Waterproof Mascara
Try the tubing side first, then layer the primer side underneath on days you need extra hold. Survived a 14-hour travel day without a single flake on my cheeks.
L'Oreal Paris Makeup Double Extend Tubing Mascara
For anyone with sensitive eyes who's been burned by waterproof formulas before. Plant-based, no weird chemicals, and it actually held through my morning run without stinging.
Pacifica Mineral Mascara
Get the volume version if the lengthening one felt too subtle. Fair warning, you will need an oil-based remover or this stuff is not coming off. That's how serious it is.
KISSME Heroine Make Super Waterproof Mascara
Mascara Primers and Tools That Made Everything Work Better
Honestly, half the battle was what I put on before the mascara. A good primer turned mediocre formulas into incredible ones. These accessories made every tube in my drawer perform better.
Use this under any mascara and watch it suddenly perform twice as well. Turned my cheapest drugstore tube into something that looked high-end. Annoying that nobody told me about primers sooner.
Lancôme Cils Booster XL Lash & Mascara Primer
Grab this if your lashes are so light they basically vanish. The white primer gives them a base to build on. My blonde lashes finally showed up to the party.
tarte opening act lash primer
Ditch whatever rusty curler you've been using since college. This one fits wider eye shapes and actually grips every lash. Replaced mine after eight years and immediately regretted not doing it sooner.
Japanese users, is there any difference between
Perfect for anyone with smaller, rounder eyes who can never get a full curl with standard curlers. Fits right against the lash line without pinching your lid. Finally.
Tweezerman Pro Master Lash Curler Almond
Snag this $5 primer if you're not ready to commit to a pricey one. It adds a surprising amount of volume on its own. Layer mascara over it and your lashes double in thickness.
e.l.f. Lash It Loud Mascara
Try this if traditional curlers scare you or crimp your lashes at weird angles. The gentle heat sets the curl like a tiny curling iron. Travel-sized so it fits in any bag.
JAPONESQUE Travel Eyelash Curler
Mascara Removers That Saved My Under-Eyes
Nobody talks about removal but it matters just as much. I was rubbing my eyes raw with basic micellar water and losing lashes in the process. These made cleanup painless and actually kept my lashes healthy.
Keep a bottle by your sink and one on your nightstand. Soaks through regular mascara without scrubbing. Saved my under-eye area from looking like a bruised peach every morning.
Sensibio H2O | Micellar cleansing water makeup ...
Use the biphasic formula for waterproof days. Shake it up, press a cotton pad on your eye for ten seconds, and everything dissolves. No tugging, no lost lashes.
Neutrogena Gentle Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
Swap to the pink cap version if regular micellar water leaves your waterproof mascara half on. One swipe and it's gone. Wish someone had pointed me to this specific bottle months ago.
Garnier Skin Active Cleansing Water All-in-1
Try melting this between your palms and pressing it over closed eyes. Tubing mascara, waterproof formulas, everything dissolves without friction. Your future lashes will thank you.
Take The Day Off™ Makeup Remover Cleansing Balm
Get this if you wear heavy eye makeup regularly. Pump it onto dry skin, massage gently, and rinse. Took off Heroine Make mascara in seconds when nothing else could.
DHC Oil Cleanser Alternatives
Toss a few in your gym bag or travel kit for lazy removal nights. Pre-soaked pads that handle mascara without leaving oily residue. Not fancy, just practical and reliable.
Almay Longwear Waterproof Eye Makeup Pads