30 Editor-Approved Mascaras for Every Budget

October 21, 2021

By: Mary Honkus | Makeup.com by L'Oréal

person wearing blue graphic eye makeup holding mascara wand up to eyelashes

Whether your lash goals are to volumize, lengthen, thicken or anything in between, finding the right mascara for your lash type isn’t always an easy feat. There’s certainly no shortage of formulas to try, but we know that spending all of your money on finding the one isn’t ideal. So to narrow down the playing field, we rounded up our 30 favorite mascaras of all time. Below find the best affordable and luxury options for dramatic volume and extreme length.

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Maybelline New York Volum’ Express Colossal Mascara

For a formula that will stand up against sweat, rain and tears, look no further than this option from Maybelline. The seriously longwear formula dramatically volumizes lashes, is flake- and smudge-resistant, plus lasts for up to 36 hours.

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Valentino Beauty Magnificent Mascara

Instantly fake the look falsies with this mascara that adds 15x the volume of your naked lashes. The intensely black formula will stay intact up to 24 hours, flake-free.

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NYX Professional Makeup Worth the Hype Mascara

Want to add a fun pop of color to your mascara collection? Choose from electric purple, royal blue, deep brown or traditional black. At just $8 each, you can get every shade of this comfortable, lengthening pick without breaking the bank.

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IT Cosmetics Lash Blowout Mascara

The wand, designed to mimic a barrel hairbrush, features tiny microspheres that latch onto every lash to boost volume, length and lift. Plus, the biotin-infused formula strengthens lashes and intensifies the rich black pigment.

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L’Oréal Paris Bambi Oversized Eye Mascara

Get that wide, doe-eyed look in a single swipe with this lifting, curling and volumizing mascara. The brush latches on to even the tiniest lashes and extends them so you look more awake.

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Urban Decay Lash Freak Volumizing Mascara

The unique asymmetrical brush is designed to load each lash with the maximum amount of formula to give you extreme volume, sans clumps. First, use the tip of the wand to separate and define every lash then use the flat, curved edge to lift them to new heights.

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Lancôme Grandiôse Mascara

This mascara is the first ever to be created with a swan neck-shaped brush. The design curves with your face so you’re more easily able to reach every single lash without any mishaps.

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YSL Beauty Radical Volumizing Mascara

The luxe black and gold packaging houses a powerful formula that seamlessly volumizes and defines long and short lashes for a fluffy, dramatic look.

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L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara

This volumizing mascara has been a cult favorite for years. It works to lengthen and build up lash thickness up to five times their natural size. One editor swears by it because it doesn’t flake or smudge, no matter how watery her eyes are.

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La Roche-Posay Toleriane Extension Mascara

Specifically crafted for sensitive eyes, this dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic mascara lengthens and volumizes without any irritation.

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Lancôme Définicils High-Definition Mascara

If your lashes need a little oomph, grab this pick. One swipe of the thin, fluffy brush dispenses a muted black formula that gives you natural definition and results in an effortless ‘I woke up like this’ look.

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Maybelline New York Great Lash Mascara

This iconic mascara has been around for 50 years — and for good reason. The volumizing formula thickens and conditions to give you an eye-catching full lash look in seconds.

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Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

This ultra-creamy lash-enhancer defines and volumizes each lash with every coat. Plus, it's formulated with marine collagen and honey, so it’s actually nourishing and protecting lashes, too.

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NYX Professional Makeup On The Rise Volume Liftscara

Replicate the look of an expensive lash lift for only $11 with Liftscara, which instantly lengthens and curls.

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Giorgio Armani Beauty Eyes To Kill Classico Mascara

A high-impact, glamorous look has never been easier to achieve, thanks to this mascara. Together the patented bristle-weave brush and the intense formula define, lengthen and volumize every single lash in a single coat.

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L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Washable Mascara

The wand, which is made with over 200 bristles, efficiently catches every lash and fluffs them out for a striking, full-bodied effect.

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IT Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara

Consider this mascara skincare for your lashes. Developed with plastic surgeons, it contains powerful eyelash-lifting polymers, strengthening biotin and volumizing collagen — which all work together to condition and create a fuller looking lash line.

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Lancôme Lash Idôle Mascara

If you’re looking for an everyday mascara, this one from Lancôme is perfect. It enhances your natural lashes by offering lift, length and fluffiness without looking over the top.

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Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

Your lashes will reach new sky-high lengths with this TikTok-viral mascara. Formulated with bamboo extract, it works to elongate and volumize without flaking or smudging.

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L’Oréal Paris Air Volume Mega Mascara

When applying volumizing mascara there’s usually a thin line between achieving gorgeous fluffy lashes and frustrating clumpiness. You won’t experience that with this pick though, because the formula is feather-light and totally buildable, allowing you to apply multiple clump-free coats.

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YSL Beauty The Curler Mascara

Formulated with bamboo, coconut and walnut leaf, this nourishing mascara dramatically curls lashes with the curved brush — no eyelash curler required.

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IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes+ Volumizing Mascara With Lash Serum

Infused with argan oil, biotin and jojoba oil, this volumizing mascara conditions to minimize lash loss and is easily removable without harsh tugging.

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BeautyCounter Think Big All-in-One Mascara

Experience fuller, thicker lashes with this clean mascara formula. As you continue to use it, the tripeptide complex in the formula strengthens and conditions your lashes so they look bolder with each wear.

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Grande Cosmetics GrandeFANATIC Fanning & Curling Mascara

Because this lifting mascara is formulated with Widelash, Grande Cosmetics’ signature biotin peptide, the chance of you losing lashes from wear actually decreases. How, you ask? It helps to anchor the one to two lashes you naturally lose per day so your eyelashes look fuller and healthier with continued use.

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