I’ll be honest: In this line of work, it can be very easy to develop the cosmetics equivalent of champagne taste. Indeed, some of my current faves are products I would have to take out a small loan to afford were I not testing them for a living. (Do we think my bank would be willing to lend me an advance for Augustinus Bader’s The Cream?) But there’s one category where I’m still consistently drawn to the more affordable end of the spectrum: Drugstore mascara. More than a decade into my career, drugstore offerings still dominate the top of my must-have lash list.
While there are certainly pricier options that provide A+ results, you can find just about every formula and wand you can imagine at the drugstore, especially since the early 2010s, when the rise of e-commerce and globalization drove legacy brands and upstarts alike to turbocharge innovation in the space. Today, you can pick up all sorts of mascaras—tubing mascaras, colorful mascaras, mascaras with unique bristle patterns—for less than the monthly price of your favorite streaming service. (Which is especially nice considering you should be throwing your tubes out every three months.)
Ahead, I rounded up some of my favorite drugstore mascaras, including all-around winners, bottom-lash emphasizers, super-affordable options, and more.
The Well-Rounded Wonders
To be clear: There is no one mascara that’s perfect for everyone. Depending on the natural length, curl, and color of your lashes, YMMV. That said, as far as I'm concerned, these two mascaras score 10s across the board, providing length, volume, and curl with little to no clumping, flaking, or smudging.
The internet’s favorite mascara might be the most unsurprising way to start the list, but trust me—this one has earned its praise and then some. The buildable formula can go from “elevated natural” to “falsies effect” in two coats; it doesn’t go on too wet (so no smudging), and it’s available in loads of colors. I do get a little flaking from this one, but 1. I’m in the minority, and 2. It’s still not enough to keep it out of a top spot.
Clump Crusher was my go-to mascara for years, thanks to its not-too-wet formula and a genius brush that really will comb out any and all clumps. The overall effect is what I’ll call “demi wispies in a tube”: Long, defined lashes that look a step above natural but below dramatic.
Are They The Drama?
I’d describe my mascara persona as “the bigger, the better”: I want lots of length and beaucoup volume, with a swoop of curl to boot. (As such, I’m a bit more tolerant of clumping and clean-up than most—you have to be willing to make trade-offs in this life.) These mascaras deliver all the drama I’m looking for, and then some.
This is a wetter formula, so yes, I have to keep a Q-tip on hand for the errant smudge. But it’s well worth it for brow-grazing lashes that make me feel like a model in swingin’ London.
This mascara was a lesson in second chances for me, because I wasn’t dazzled by it upon first wear. But, after a couple of gos, I realized it layers beautifully to create a really bold, fanned-out look. Plus, since it’s a tubing mascara, it's easy to remove when you want to, without smudging or transferring when you don’t.
The Top of the Bottom (Lashes)
Remember that part where I mentioned my preference for dramatic mascara? That means I’m a firm believer in showing love to your bottom lashes, too. It’s a controversial stance, but if you, like me, want to look like you stepped off the cover of a magazine in 1965, consider swiping one of these wands across your lower lash line.
A lifting mascara as a bottom lash pick might seem a bit unorthodox (or, less charitably, nonsensical), but hear me out. The hourglass-shaped brush is super easy to maneuver, and the “ball” at the end—designed for lengthening—grabs right onto bottom lashes and helps keep product from smudging under the eye.
This (very slept on) mascara’s long, straight brush is designed to create “natural-looking length,” which is often the goal when defining lower lashes. The pin-straight brush is as easy to swipe back and forth as it is to jiggle horizontally—exactly what I'm looking for in a bottom lash mascara.
Lash The Rainbow
These mascaras are the boldest and the brightest, the tubes to reach for when you’re looking to add a little color to your makeup look.
If vibrant, fun colors are what you seek, there is absolutely no competition: Colourpop’s BFF Mascara is the gold standard, period. Shades range from vibrant cobalt and bright red to pastels like lilac and teal, and they really do pop, even on dark lashes. It can be a little clumpy, and the wand does pick up a lot of product, but it’s a small price to pay for such fun lashes.
A favorite of Kim Kardashian's (who has certainly tried far more mascaras than most), L’Oréal Paris’ OG Voluminous mascara does exactly what it claims: Create plush, lush lashes, with an emphasis on volume over length, though you do get both. It comes in all the eye-enhancing shades you’d need for a color-theory moment—purple for green eyes, blue for brown, etc., though note that it provides more of a hint and a tint than a wash of color.
Blue-Ribbon On a Budget
As anyone who has been buying makeup for a long time can attest, prices at the drugstore have been steadily rising. But fear not: There are still fantastic options available that, depending on the retailer, will cost less than your mid-afternoon matcha.
You really can’t go wrong with any e.l.f. mascara. Big Mood came very close to occupying this spot, but I ultimately had to go with its sister in volume, Incredi-Curl. This one offers a little more oomph for curling, creating beautiful doll lashes. Note that the brush does pick up a lot of product, so you might want to swipe it against the tube a couple of times before coating your lashes.
Another longtime favorite, this mascara was a strong contender for the “well-rounded workhorses” category. You can layer it from subtle definition for natural looks to darn near false-lashes territory, and at under $4 (depending on the retailer), it punches way above its weight price-wise.
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