What’s up, everybody!ย I’ve been looking for a very good mascara for quite some time now, and my search for the best and brightest ended up being an overwhelming one. With all these latest lengthening and volumizing mascaras being released in the market lately, I’d say there’s really a lot of contenders out there. I pretty much tested a bunch of mascaras to see which one is a stand out for me. Given the fact that I don’t have a lot of lashes, plus they’re short, stiff, and straight, finding the one that’ll work for me has been quite challenging. Nevertheless, I found some that are really really great, and the difference among them can be very subtle. Let’s see which mascaras made the cut.
Lancome Hypnose Drama Instant Full Body Volume Mascara (0.22 oz:ย $27.50) – This has a slightly curved brush, a bit like an S-shape. The brush itself can be a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because its shape can reach and coat the inner corners of the eye which has tiny lashes in it, so it’s quite accurate in that sense. However, its S-shaped brush can also be a challenge as it doesn’t curl the lashes well. Formula-wise, it’s more of a lengthening mascara as opposed to being volumizing.
L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara ($9.99) – This is probably the best affordable mascara you can find nowadays. It’s waterproof, smudge-proof, gives a decent volume and lengthening effect on the lashes, but it’s not that dramatic. It does a good job of evenly separating my lashes with decent volumization, but it doesn’t give me that big fat lashes that I want. However, this is worth looking into if you’re on a tight budget.
Benefit BADgal Bang! Volumizing Mascara (Mini/0.14 oz: $12, Standard size/0.30 oz: $24) – This latest release from Benefit has a nice edgy packaging that looks very unique. This is a good everyday mascara if you don’t care that much about extreme volumization and lengthening effect but prefers a more lightweight substance. I find the formula to be quite wet but not necessarily smudgy, it just takes a while to dry. It’s a 36-hour water-resistant mascara so it might be difficult to remove for some, but for me, it’s not that bad really.ย However, this particular mascara has quite a flimsy brush that a lot of us may not be used to, and can be a turn off for some.
Sisley Paris Mascara So Intense Fortifying Volumizing ($67) – This is probably the most interesting and most unique mascara I’ve ever owned. As you can see in the photo below, the brush looks like no other mascara brush before. It is shaped like a comb with very very tiny bristles. I’ve always been skeptical for its volumizing ability, given its tricky brush shape of course, and also for its exorbitant price. True to my suspicion, and in all honesty, this isn’t the best volumizing mascara in my experience, that is unless of course, if you already have long natural lashes. However, this mascara’s formula and brush applicator really lengthen the lashes and is the best at it. Since the brush itself is very fine, it can really reach into corners and can coat lower lashes, so it’s very accurate. The formula is very long-wearing too and it can withstand extreme humidity without any issue. I took this on a trip to one of the most humid places on earth, and my lashes remained long and coated but not necessarily curled or volumized.
Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara (0.44 oz: $23) – I like this mascara a lot. It’s one of the best in volumizing and lengthening lashes without any fuss. It doesn’t smudge, it’s long-wearing, it delivers, it works, and I really don’t have any issues with it, except that it’s getting harder and harder to find.ย I don’t know if it’s because it’s always in demand or that it’s gonna be discontinued soon. But for me, this is one of the best mascaras in the market that won’t disappoint anyone. It’s similar to Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, and it’s great for anyone with sensitive eyes and for those contact lens wearers.
Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara (Mini/0.21 oz: $14, Standard size/0.32 oz: $26) – I’m actually quite surprised at how much I love this mascara. It’s very volumizing and the formula is also very reliable. In fact, this mascara is at the top of my list as being one of the best. It gives big dramatic long lashes that last for hours and hours without smudging. I can’t complain.
Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara (Mini/0.13 oz: $12, Standard size/0.33 oz: $25) – This is probably my most favorite Lancome mascara as of the moment, and it’s also one of the best mascaras I’ve ever tried. It’s really very volumizing and very lengthening, it’s indeed true to its name. The formula is creamy and it coasts the lashes well, making them big, dramatic, and long. The effect lasts for hours without smudging or clumping. No wonder it’s Allure’s Best of Beauty 2017. Oh, and I love the cute pink accent on its packaging too.
Chanel Le Volume Waterproof Mascara (0.21 oz: $32) – I’ve had a few samples of this mascara before, but I just kinda ignored them because the formula looks goopy and clumpy around the brush. At first, I thought I may have just gotten some bad batch of samples, but one day I decided to try one of them and I was actually impressed at home dramatic and volumized my lashes looked. The formula is not really clumpy and smudgy once you apply it on the lashes. In fact, it actually helps to coat each strand of my lashes in order to make it look thick and full. The result is one super volumized dramatic lashes that makes you look very awake.
YSL The Shock Volumizing Mascara (0.28 oz: $29) – This mascara truly gave me the shock. It’s the best-scented mascara I’ve ever tried, and it really smells good. Apart from that, it’s also very volumizing, lengthening and overall very good in terms of performance and wear time. I like that it curls the lashes very well and you only need one coat to get that very dramatic lash look. This is really awesome and I truly recommend it.
Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme Mascara (0.27 oz: $45) – This mascara is one of the reasons why I love Tom Ford’s makeup products. It’s a very reliable, all-around perfect mascara when it comes to volumizing and lengthening the lashes. It doesn’t smudge, it’s not runny, it’s easy to remove, it doesn’t flake, it withstands humidity, it’s basically perfect, but it’s expensive of course, so if you’re looking for a very good high-end mascara, you won’t be disappointed with this. For me, this is a holy grail. Hallelujah!
Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara (Mini/0.17 oz: $12, Standard size/0.27 oz: $23) – This is the mascara that started my love for mascaras. It’s the best in volumizing, lengthening, and complete lash drama. It’s also great for Asians, or for anyone who doesn’t have a lot of lashes because it really gives you that extra volume to make your eyes look wide awake and poppin’. This can be difficult to remove though, but the pink tube which is the non-waterproof version is a bit easier to take off and it is long-wearing as well. Anyhow, this mascara doesn’t smudge, it’s super reliable, and it’s my favorite mascara of all time.
Bottom line, I am in love with all the mascaras reviewed here and I’ve been alternately using them because it’s just so hard to choose just one product as being the best. What was once a quest to find the perfect mascara ended up of me collecting some great products with reliable formulas. If I have to recommend some, I’d say, if you’re looking for a very very affordable and reliable mascara, go with the L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara, but if you want a very good high-end one, get the Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme. Other than that, you won’t be disappointed with Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, YSL The Shock, Chanel Le Volume Waterproof, Lancome Monsieur Big, Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir, and Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara.