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The Best Mascaras for Long Lashes

6 min read

By Katherine George

Most women dream about having longer and fuller lashes. It’s also one of the main reasons we invented mascara in the first place. This is why we definitely want to choose a mascara that does just that, provides great volume but is also long lasting.

How do we know which mascara is the best? We can’t exactly do a trial and error because some of them are really expensive, even the drugstore brands! Don’t waste your money on something that’s not effective. We’ve done all the leg work for you and compiled a list of the best mascaras for long lashes. Plus, a lot of them are super affordable!

1. Maybelline New York Snapscara Washable Mascara

Everything about this mascara is just fun, from the name to all the different colors it comes in. The Maybelline New York Snapscara Mascara is super easy to apply and remove because of its waxless formula. I really appreciate a mascara that is easy to wash off because there’s nothing worse than having to scrub and rub endlessly just to remove a little mascara. An easy removal is just as important as an easy application, and it’s not something a lot of mascaras have. To remove this mascara all it takes is a little soap and water, and voila, it’s removed! Usually an easy to remove mascara means it will also start flaking off throughout the day. This isn’t the case with Maybelline New York Snapscara! All it takes is a few swift coats in the morning and you’ll get great volume that lasts all day long. The color is just a light black tint so it also doesn’t smudge like some other brands that are thick and gooey. You can buy it at Ulta for $7.99.

2. L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

If a mascara could be paradise, then this would be it. The easy application is so silky smooth it’s almost relaxing! There’s nothing worse than putting on a light coat of mascara and with that first swipe of the brush, it lays on a thick layer of mascara. There’s just no coming back from that!  This is why the hourglass shape on the L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara is so amazing. The brush is designed to give you total control. You can decide whether you want those dramatic long lashes or something a little more casual. It’s all about how you hold the brush. The way it works is that the longer bristles on the end can apply more pigment, whereas the smaller bristles at the top apply less.

If you’re someone who likes a thick formula that can provide dark and dramatic lashes, then Paradise Mascara is the way to go. Despite it being thick, it will not flake or fall off throughout the day, so you can apply it in the morning and not blink twice about it until you’re ready to wash it off. The only downside is that unlike the Snapscara, you’ll need a heavy duty makeup remover to remove it. Dare we say this brand is even better than it’s designer counterpart and it costs less than $10 at lorealparisusa.com!

3. CoverGirl Exhibitionist Mascara

This mascara is all about the drama with its maximum volume. While the bottle isn’t much to look at, it’s what’s inside that matters, and let us tell you, the combination of that hour-glass shaped wand and volumizing formula is perfection. All it takes is one swipe and your lashes are transformed! CoverGirl promises that the Exhibitionist Mascara will give as much as 10 times more volume. Not only that, but the formula they used also promises to be smudge-free, flake-proof, and waterproof. It’s also the only tear-proof mascara on this list, so feel free to lather in on next time you attend a wedding or cozy up on the couch to watch The Notebook. The best part is that this mascara is available for under $10 at Target.

4. It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara

Somedays I feel like it will take some kind of superhero power to get myself looking presentable in the morning! Thankfully, there’s a mascara for that. It Cosmetics created a mascara called Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara and it’s kind of unbelievable. This mascara was created by a formula that contains peptides and proteins to help create stronger and longer lashes over time. The formula also contains lash-lifting polymers that thickens the lashes to make them appear more full.

Cosmopolitan talked to celebrity makeup artist Jamie Dorman who explains how the mascara comes with a wand that works wonders for people who weren’t blessed with long lashes. The bristles were made short and dense so that the mascara can be applied close to the root without smudging along the eyelid. You can purchase this mascara at Sephora for $32.

5. Nars Climax Mascara

The Nars Climax Mascara is the perfect everyday mascara. It’s lightweight so it doesn’t get that old crispy feeling after it’s applied. It also has a brush that was designed with ribbed bristles that can coat each and every lash so that the application is soft and even. No sign of any clumps! It has one of the best lift and curls out of all the mascaras on this list. You don’t have to worry about finding any flakes or smudges underneath the eyes at the end of a long work day because this mascara is extremely durable and will look just as good at the end of the day as it did in the morning. For the best deal available, purchase this mascara on Amazon for $40.55.

6. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

We’ll let you decide whether the name holds true. What we will say is this mascara is better than the rest when it comes to long and luscious lashes. The Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara was designed with an unique hourglass shaped brush that provides a thick volume and fullness to the lashes because it starts at the base of the lashes. You won’t even need to curl them ahead of time. The best part is that it also provides a really dark bold color without any of that icky clumping or smudging that comes with other mascaras. So you can get that nice dramatic look without any of the work. Head over to Nordstrom today and buy this mascara for $34.

7. L’Oreal Paris Unlimited Lash Lifting and Lengthening Washable Mascara

Even though this mascara is new on the market, it’s already making a splash due to it’s fancy two-position wand. This wand was created to give users the ability to apply their mascara more accurately and easily. In fact, the design was inspired by makeup artists who had already been using this trick for years! The way the L’Oreal Paris Unlimited Lash Lifting and Lengthening Mascara works is to hold the brush straight which will help lengthen the lashes as far as they can go. You then switch to the bent brush to lift the lashes from the root to the tip.

Elite Daily explains that if you bend the wand, you can also reach those itty bitty lashes in the inner and outer corners of your eye. The brush is even tapered, so you don’t have to worry about leaving any lashes behind! Each and every little and big lash will get cotated without any smudges or clumps because the formula is more on the dry side which means it’s nice a lightweight on the lashes. The shape of the bottle and wand means you’ll get just the right amount of product on the lashes. The L’Oreal Paris Unlimited Lash Lifting and Lengthening Mascara is available on Amazon for $16.99.

8. Benefit They’re Real! Lengthening Mascara

The Lengthening Mascara by Benefit They’re Real is their best selling product. According to Vogue, about one of these mascaras are sold every 15 seconds in the UK! Now that’s impressive! This mascara is recognized for having the best formula that is non-flakey and non-smudging. The brush is was specially designed to lift and extend the lashes as far as they can go right from the root of the lash with staggered plastic-mold bristles. To get an even more precise application, Benefit They’re Real! includes a domed tip on their brush that can reach even the tiniest corners of the lashes. One thing we know for sure, if it has Vogue’s stamp of approval, it has ours too. Hop online and purchase this mascara from Amazon for $64.

Senior Managing Editor

Katherine is the Senior Managing Editor of ActiveBeat and Childhood. She is constantly striving to live a more active and healthy life, from eating healthy, exercising, and just spending more time outdoors. She enjoys cooking (with wine), walking her dog, reading, and recently joined a yoga studio!

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