There are countless five-star mascaras on the market, but as someone with very oily eyelids and eyes that constantly water, very few pass my scrupulous tests. For the average mascara wearer, I would say that high street and high end formulas can be equally as effective at creating lift, volume, and thickness, but the features I look for tend to come at steeper price points.
I need a mascara that won't smudge onto or under my lids, flake off, or run down my cheeks with a little bit of moisture. I have long believed that the best mascaras for me are those with 'tubing' properties that coat each lash and don't move at all throughout the day, but they aren't so easy to come by if you're shopping on the high street.
