9 Best Mascaras to Lift, Curl and Plump Lashes
We tested mascaras on more than 729 people to find these winning formulas.
Reviewed by Sabina WizemannBeauty Lab Director
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A good mascara is the backbone of even the most minimal makeup routine. A few swipes instantly transforms eyes, making them appear brighter, wider and more open. And the very best mascaras will give you high-impact results without flaking or clumping, and should make lashes look lush, lifted and full without smudging or running throughout the day.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab regularly tests mascaras to find the best, whether that's the best drugstore mascaras or the best waterproof mascaras that won't smudge. Our experts evaluate these picks and work with consumer testers for results that capture both performance and wear.
✔️ 10 years testing mascara
✔️ 729 testers
✔️ 85 mascaras tested
✔️ 6,668 survey data points
After tallying up the results from more than a decade of evaluating aspects like performance, wearability and ease of application, we are confident that these are the best mascaras you can buy to add length, volume, curl, definition and impact to lashes.
Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-eyes Volume Mascara
Pros
- Top volumizing and lengthening scores
- Perfect satisfaction score
- Easy removal
Cons
- Doesn't curl lashes as well
Benefits: Volumizing, lengthening | Colors: Black
Why we love it: A recent GH Beauty Award-winner, testers loved this tubing formula's “dramatic" and “impressive” results, earning it a perfect 100% satisfaction score.
Performance: Testers gave it the highest marks for volumizing and lengthening without smudging or irritating eyes, although it didn't excel at curling lashes; only 66% agreed that it curled well.
Tester notes: “My lashes looked fluffy and thick without any clumping,” one said, while another said, "it transformed my lashes more than any other mascara I’ve tried. Despite the added length and volume, my lashes remained flexible to the touch."
Wear/removal: Expert evaluators said the "lift and volume held up pretty well throughout the day without smudging or flaking," and ultimately, the product "removes easily with just water."
Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
Pros
- High Lab scores for lengthening, volumizing and curling
- Budget-friendly
- Worth the hype
Cons
- Not best for long-term wear
Benefits: Curling, lengthening, volumizing | Colors: Black
Why we love it: With over 388,000 reviews on Amazon and a certified cult following on Reddit and TikTok, this mascara doesn't disappoint, and at under $5, it delivers serious length.
Performance: In a past Lab test, it ranked highest for lengthening and got similarly high scores for volumizing and curling lashes — a triple threat.
Tester notes: The formula is thick enough to offer impact in one application, but thin enough to avoid clumps with additional coats. Testers said it went on smoothly and liked its deep pigment and granted it a perfect score for being non-irritating.
Wear/removal: Some testers found this mascara's look degraded with wear, citing flaking and clumping as the day went on. "It didn't last long," most agreed, but they found it "very easy to remove."
Lancome Hypnose Drama Extreme Volumizing Mascara
Pros
- Top scores for curling and lengthening
- Easiest-to-use wand
- Resists flaking
Cons
- Skews clumpy
Benefits: Curling, lengthening, volumizing | Colors: Black
Why we love it: The newest addition to Lancôme's iconic Hypnose line, this curved wand's ergonomic shape received the top score for being easy to use in recent Beauty Awards testing.
Performance: It scored highest for curling and lengthening lashes in a recent expert evaluation, plus 100% of testers agreed it didn't smudge or irritate eyes. Testers did report that the formula tends to skew a bit clumpy, though.
Tester notes: “This mascara added SO much length and volume to my lashes," said one, adding it "truly opened up my eyes. Another added, "It noticeably lengthens my lashes [and] provides good volume."
Wear/removal: Save for what two testers separately called "a tiny bit of flaking," they said the washable formula "took just a few seconds to get off."
COVERGIRL Lash Blast Volume Mascara
Pros
- Top Lab scores for lengthening and separating lashes
- Hypoallergenic, water-resistant formula perfect for sensitive eyes
- Creates a natural look
Cons
- May not give dramatic enough results for some
Benefits: Volumizing, lengthening, separating | Colors: Very black, black, black brown, brown
Why we love it: A hypoallergenic formula that won't irritate sensitive eyes, Lash Blast's comb-like wand and plastic bristles define lashes and give a natural-looking, separated look without adding too much bulk.
Performance: In our consumer tests, Lash Blast got high scores for smooth application, volumizing, lengthening and separating lashes, and the formula got near-perfect marks for water-resistance, too. Just take note that this pick may not be high-impact enough for those who love a dramatic look.
Tester notes: "Makes my eyelashes the best version of themselves: Noticeably longer, fuller, darker and more defined, yet somehow natural-looking, like I was born with the most lush, fluttery lashes."
Wear/removal: A few reviewers noted that it can get clumpy during application, but our Lab gave it a perfect score for not running, smearing or smudging when it's exposed to water. That means you may have to work a little harder at removing it.
Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Pros
- Top Lab scores for curling lashes
- Resists flaking, clumping and smudging
- Goes on smoothly
Cons
- None we could find
Benefits: Volumizing, curling, lengthening | Colors: Black
Why we love it: In a recent test, this tubing mascara climbed to the very top of the pack of all mascaras. Tubing mascara instantly mimics the look of lash extensions by encapsulating each lash in a tube-like coating, making it excellent for adding length to lashes.
Performance: According to testers, it was the ultimate winner in curling, resisting clumping, flaking and smudging, best for adding volume and length, and it earned rare perfect scores for going on smoothly and for consumer satisfaction.
Tester notes: The tapered silicone wand was a hit, easily applying the perfect amount of product for "good volume and lengthening without giving a clumpy or spidery look," said one tester. "Love the way this coats my lashes with a great balance between volume and length without looking clumpy," raved another.
Wear/removal: At the end of the day, removing it is a breeze: "It comes off with water, and no rubbing is needed," noted a tester, which is why it scored best for easy removal.
Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara
Pros
- Perfect scores for volumizing and lengthening
- Resists smudging
- Highly buildable
Cons
- May flake
Benefits: Volumizing, lengthening | Colors: Black, brown, blue
Why we love it: Overall? "A great mascara that gives volume and length in two swipes."
Performance: This YSL wand got perfect scores when it came to volumizing and lengthening, and performed best for being buildable.
Tester notes: The rich, true-black hue "gives a sexy, dramatic look without being too clumpy," said one tester.
Wear/removal: A couple testers noticed some flaking by the end of the day, though multiple testers attested to its ability to withstand smudges even through tears, saying, "even when I rubbed my eyes, it didn't smudge."
L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Mascara
Pros
- Perfect score for smooth application
- Non-irritating formula
- Buildable, non-clumpy wear
Cons
- Mediocre scores for volumizing and curling
Benefits: Separating, lengthening | Colors: Blackest black, black, black brown
Why we love it: This winning formula strikes the ideal balance.
Performance: It not only got perfect scores for going on smoothly and not causing irritation or redness, but the buildable formula doesn't clump or flake even with extended wear. Despite its name, it only got mediocre scores for volumizing and curling lashes, but the spiky, flexible wand does a great job at separating and stretching lashes.
Tester notes: "This formula is fantastic. I love how it made for natural lashes but it was buildable to a more dramatic look without being clumpy," said one tester, while another said, "made for a very soft, doe-eyed look."
Wear/removal: It "did not budge throughout the day; no smearing, smudging or flaking, yet was easy to wash off at the end of the day," said another tester.
COVERGIRL Exhibitionist Stretch & Strengthen Mascara
Pros
- Top scores for lengthening short lashes
- Non-irritating
- Super pigmented formula
Cons
- Not the best at curling or volumizing
Benefits: Lengthening | Colors: Very black, black, black brown
Why we love it: If you have short lashes, this lengthening powerhouse is the pick for you. In testing, it got a perfect score for not irritating eyes.
Performance: It scored best for lengthening lashes in our tests. Keep in mind, though, it scored only mid-range for curling and volumizing.
Tester notes: Testers loved the inky, deep pigment of this mascara, saying "this is one of the deepest blacks I have tried." Another praised the brush, saying, "the bristles on the brush are well-spaced and abundant, so it layers on the lashes easily and evenly."
Wear/removal: Some testers found it hard to remove, but the majority agreed it "lasted throughout the day and washed off easily at night."
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Waterproof Mascara
Pros
- Top scores to volumize, lengthen and separates lashes
- Won't smudge, run or fade
Cons
- Tough to remove
Benefits: Volumizing, lengthening, separating | Colors: Black
Why we love it: Perfect for weddings, hot summer days and everything in between, this mascara doesn't budge and was the clear winner among all of the waterproof mascaras we tested.
Performance: Consumer testers said it excelled in volumizing, lengthening and separating while also creating a natural look. The coverage was so voluminous after one application that a tester decided to forego her eyeliner.
Wear/removal: It scored high in every single category, except for one: easy removal (but to be fair, that's the whole point of a waterproof option!). The tradeoff? A tester said it stayed on when she cried, sweat and even rubbed her eyes.
How we test mascaras
Our Beauty Lab experts evaluate performance (volume, length, curl, separation), wearability (flaking, smudging) and ease of application; we also send mascaras home to a panel of consumer testers who weigh in on their everyday performance in real life, too.
We start by rounding up the most popular mascara formulas on the market, often starting with hundreds and then whittling down the field. We test each product for performance, wearability, ease of application and consumer satisfaction. For waterproof mascara, the Lab monitors results as testers doused their mascara-coated lashes in warm water to see how well each product resisted smearing and running.
Since wearability outside the Lab is just as important as performance in the Lab, we also send mascara samples to hundreds of real consumers around the country. These testers wear the product and weigh in on its performance, like whether it volumized, lengthened and curled lashes, or clumped, flaked and smudged under eyes through the day.
We've tested hundreds of mascaras over the past decade. In our last five tests, we carried out consumer studies on 729 testers and we tallied results from approximately 6,668 survey questions. In our penultimate test, our consumer use study was carried out on 402 testers, and we tallied results from 6,432 questions answered.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Director Jessica Teich teamed with Beauty Lab pros to write this article. Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann led past Lab and consumer tests, analyzed the data and compiled them in a technical report, and Data Engineer Nik Greenwald helped with the latest round of testing, while Jessica distilled the findings, gathered additional recommendations from makeup artists and editors and wrote this roundup.
Jessica (she/her) is the director of editorial commerce and product reviews with over a decade of experience as a product tester, reviewer, writer, and editor in lifestyle, travel, and beauty. She oversees Good Housekeeping's affiliate commerce strategy and content across product reviews, gift guides, product news, and sales and deals tentpoles. Previously, she was the beauty editor at USA TODAY's Reviewed where she created, launched, and ran its beauty vertical. Jessica is an on-air lifestyle expert for national television broadcasts including TODAY, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, and Tamron Hall Show, in addition to hosting video series and producing on-camera product reviews. She regularly covers beauty, travel, and lifestyle trends for publications like The Boston Globe, USA TODAY, and The New York Times.
Sabina (she/her) is the director of the Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she has overseen skincare, haircare and makeup testing since 2012. She also reviews applications, substantiates claims and evaluates products for the GH Seal and the Beauty Awards and Sustainability Awards programs. She has a B.S. in chemistry from Ithaca College and more than 16 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical and personal care industries.
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