They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, so give them the respect they deserve
In every make-up bag up and down the country you will find a mascara. It is arguably the most used make-up product in our collective beauty kit. Think about it: you have tonnes of base choices – the very best foundation, cracking BB creams, five-star tinted moisturisers – there are the best bronzers and blushers to add depth to your complexion, and you’ve got moisturiser balms or statement-making lipsticks. But mascara is the only constant; there are no alternatives to boosting your lash length, opening your eyes and making them pop. And with the world we currently live in (Zoom calls aplenty and face masks still a must-have accessory) having the best mascara at your disposal is even more important.
What to look for on your hunt for the best mascaras
You really need to know what you want to get our of yours ahead of buying it. Consider the look you’re after: defined, natural-looking lashes, or big volume to add drama to your look? Once you’ve decided on your top lash-enhancing priority, this will help you choose the right wand. Plastic combs and brushes are better at defining and elongating lashes as they’re often thinner and less chunky in size. Traditional bristles are key to adding volume and fullness, as they’re plumper and apply more product to the lashes.
Colour is also important. Black has long been the most popular, but it can wash paler skin tones out, so it might be worth considering a brown or navy for your beauty arsenal if you fall into that category. Then, do you want your eye colour to stand out? Pick a colour that will accentuate it. Purple and blues make blue and green eyes pop, while browns highlight hazel.
And then of course, the next decision is do you need a long-wearing, hardy waterproof formula? If you have watery eyes or are prone to smudginess, you may want to opt to shop a waterproof (or at the very least water-resistant) buy.
Mascara top tips
No matter which formula you eventually choose, here’s a tip from legendarymake-up artist Charlotte Tilbury on the best application technique: ‘As you drag the brush up from the base of your lashes, zig-zag the wand from side to side. This creates more volume as you are depositing more product onto your eyelashes.’
As for your bottom lashes, turn the brush vertically. ‘The thinner end will help you control your application with more precision,’ Charlotte adds.
And of course, to magnify the results, always go in with a second coat. But resist the urge to pump the wand up and down in the tube. ‘Your mascara will dry out quicker as you’re pushing too much air inside. Slowly twist the brush around the tube instead.’
We’ve trialled and tested so many mascaras over the years that we’ve genuinely lost count. From Bobbi Brown’s Smokey Eye Mascara – a cult classic – to Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Push up Lashes, which has taken the industry by storm, we’ve done our fieldwork. And what we can definitively say is that the best mascaras really do have transformative effects.
So how do we test? There are certain things that we look out for when testing any new mascara that lands in our laps. We’re interested in things like the wand – bristle type and shape; the effect on lashes – whether it adds volume or length (or both?!); the formula – can you feel it on your lashes or does it nourish those tiny hairs? and finally the price.
Keep scrolling for the best mascaras the industry has to offer. You’re sure to find your new favourite…
Lancôme Lash Idôle Mascara, £24 | Lookfantastic
Best for everyday glamour:
Goodness, we are slightly obsessed with this mascara at MCHQ. The plastic bristles manage to separate lashes to create the perfect fanned look, whilst the curved wand lifts and coats them in the darkest black formula. It is our favourite everyday mascara that makes eye sings without the need for anything else.
'This has become my new favourite mascara,' says Senior Beauty Editor, Katie Thomas. 'I love the way the curved wand coats each lash with jet black and fans them out beautifully.'
Lash effect: Volume
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? Yes
Waterproof version available? Yes
Maybelline Colossal Curl Bounce Mascara, £10.99 | Lookfantastic
Best curling mascara:
The latest addition to the Maybelline mascara family, Colossal Curl Bounce is so powerful you won't need to use a lash curler. Thanks to its curved brush and Memory Curl technology that holds for up to 24 hours, it lifts and separates for the ultimate curve with a volumising formula that creates stand-out lashes. If you have stubbornly straight lashes, this is the buy for you.
'This is such a clever mascara and does exactly what it promises,' Katie says. 'As some one who doesn't leave the house without curling my eyelashes I was so impressed that I was able to skip that step with this. Hands down one of the best Maybelline mascaras.'
Lash effect: Curl
Shade options: Very black
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? No
Glossier Lash Slick, £14 | Glossier
Best mascara for a natural finish:
Definitely not a ‘night out’ mascara. In fact, we’d go so far as to say this is the ‘anti-mascara’ mascara as it’s determined to look as minimal and natural for a daytime doe-eye effect. It's basically your lashes, but better, in a tube. Great for those of you with blonde eyelashes who crave definition, not drama.
Marie Claire's Producer and Writer, Grace Warn loves Lash Slick, 'I use this mascara when I'm going without a base for the day. It adds subtle separation and lift without causing any clumps. I would say application becomes less messy after this product has been in my makeup bag for a couple of weeks.'
Lash effect: Definition
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? No (but it’s water-resistant)
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Volumizing Mascara, £19 | Space NK
Best for natural volume:
Selena Gomez's brand Rare Beauty has finally touched down on UK soil and, take it from us, the mascara is one of the must-try buys. Not only does it lengthen and volumise, it also nourishes your lashes with castor oil for a soft, velvety finish. It's great for people who like volume, but not *too* much volume. And we all know how great Selena's lashes look...
'You have full control over how you want your lashes to look with this mascara,' Grace Lindsay, Marie Claire's e-commerce writer, explains. 'During the day, you only need one coat for that fluttery lash effect, however, I tend to layer it up at night for added volume. Considering how straight my natural lashes are, it also manages to hold a curl all day long.'
Lash effect: Natural volume
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? Yes
Waterproof version available? No (but it is water-resistant)
Chanel Le Volume De Chanel, £31 | Boots
Best volume mascara:
This is the first mascara to feature a 3D-printed brush. This sounds sci-fi, but all you need to know is that you get extreme volume with no clumps from the get-go. The granular surface of the brush grabs onto lashes while honeycomb-like holes absorb the formula. Together, they deliver just the right amount so you don't need another dip in the tube. Vive la revolution!
Lash effect: Volume
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? Yes
L’Oréal Paris Air Volume Mega Mascara, £10.99 | Boots
Best mascara for full and thick lashes:
This is an affordable option that beauty fans are obsessed with thanks to its air-whipped formula that makes lashes look more pronounced without weighing them down. The double bristle brush deserves a special mention, too. The short bristles catch lashes at the roots while the long ones dispense the waxes, which inflate the lashes, evenly to the tip. Exactly what you want when in search of volume.
Lash effect: Volume
Shade options: Black, Mega black
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? Yes
MAC Extended Play Lash Mascara, £18 | Lookfantastic
Best waterproof mascara:
MAC's Extended Play Lash Mascara is a waterproof, long-wearing formula that can last up to 16 hours thanks to its thermal-sensitive technology. It defines, lengthens and curls your lashes, with a rich black finish.
Lash effect: Length, volume
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? N/A
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, £24 | Lookfantastic
Best all-rounder:
Mascara is only ever as good as the brush you apply it with. In this case, an hourglass shape designed to coat every single lash. The formula isn’t anything to be sniffed at either as film-forming polymers and collagen lift and beef up spindly lashes. Win-win.
Lash effect: Volume
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? Yes
Waterproof version available? Yes
Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara, £9.99 | Amazon
Best drugstore mascara:
This one just so happens to be one of Meghan Markle's favourite beauty products. A single swipe of the wand creates length, while the tip of brush hits those hard-to-reach lashes on the inner and outer corners. If it's good enough for a duchess...
Lash effect: Length
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? No
Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara, £26 | Lookfantastic
Best for fanned-out lashes:
This is it. A mascara that creates oodles of length and volume, with a seriously black pigment to smoke out the eyes. However, it does all of that very subtly. This isn't one of those full-on mascaras, it does the job and does the job well. Never too little, never too much.
Lash effect: Length
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? No
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara, £17 | Feelunique
Best for bottom lashes:
Once you've used this mascara once, you'll never look back. Bottom lashes are incredibly tricky to do, but this mini brush makes even the teeniest tiniest hair on the lower lash come to life. It's nimble, so easy to use and small enough that you won't make any mistakes.
'Not to be dramatic, but this mascara changed my whole makeup routine for the better,' exclaims Grace. 'I used to avoid putting mascara on my bottom lashes as I could never find a product that wouldn't leave me with that panda eye effect. However, after trying this out I was fully converted.'
Lash effect: Definition
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? No (but it’s smudge resistant)
Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara, £29 | Space NK
Best for a false lash effect:
Weightless fibres in this mascara attach to each baby lash for a fanned-out effect. This is an amazing mascara for short lashes; it does all the hard work for you by adding volume where you need it most. Consider this the equivalent of mini lash extensions, minus the glue or irritation.
Lash effect: Length
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? No
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, £23 | Lookfantastic
Best for drama:
This is perfect for mascara maximalists who love a dramatic look. What’s more, it never makes lashes look spidery - just full-bodied and defined. The wand is designed so that you don't need to do anything but swipe - no need to wiggle it at the base or go in at strange angles. Plus the formula also contains growth-boosting proteins. Clever.
Lash effect: Length, volume
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? Yes
Waterproof version available? Yes
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes, £25 | Cult Beauty
Best for va-va-voom:
The paddle brush features a flat area that you use to layer mascara onto the lashes. You then twist the wand so that the tiny plastic bristles comb it through each hair. There’s zero clumping, just beautifully separated, beefed up and lifted lashes from root to tip.
Lash effect: Volume
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? Yes
Waterproof version available? No
Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara, £28 | John Lewis
Best for colour choice:
Designed for all types of lashes, the Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara has a curved mascara brush, to define, coat and fan out lashes and help to curve them upwards. It's also available in more shades than just your standard black, with a softer brown and more fun blue on offer too.
Lash effect: Curl
Shade options: Black, brown, blue
Mini version available? No
Waterproof version available? Yes
Estée Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara, £24.50 | Boots
Best for definition:
We call this a serious mascara. It knows what its role is in the make-up routine and it commands respect. It knows that you want every lash to stand to attention, so it does just that. It knows that you want to add a touch of drama to the eye (but not too much), so it does just that. It knows that you don't want to look at yourself in the mirror halfway through the day to see dark smudges on the tops of your cheeks, so it most certainly does not do that. It's serious about its responsibilities.
'I have used this mascara for years,' says Katie. 'And most recently I recommended it to a friend who was struggling to find a formula that wouldn't transfer onto her oily under eyes. She has now become a convert too.'
Lash effect: Length, volume
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? Yes
Waterproof version available? Yes
NARS Climax Extreme Mascara, £23.50 Lookfantastic
Best lengthening mascara:
The high-shine latex finish is especially pleasing for those who have stick straight or very stubby lashes. Said XXL finish is also highly pigmented, so with just a single swipe lashes appear longer, fuller and jet black. Divine.
Lash effect: Length, volume
Shade options: Extreme black
Mini version available? Yes
Waterproof version available? No
Roller Lash Lifting & Curling Mascara, £24.50 | Lookfantastic
Best for high impact:
We couldn't have a line-up of the best on the market and not include one from Benefit. For years and years the brand has featured at the very top of the UK's bestselling mascara list, so it's not surprise they invest so much in coming up with the best wands. The Roller Lash brush features a 'hook and roll' effect that grabs and separates each lash, then curls them upwards for a lifted look.
Lash effect: Curl, length
Shade options: Black
Mini version available? Yes
Waterproof version available? No
