I’ve Tried Dozens of Drugstore Mascaras This Year—These 11 Rival High-End Favorites

Best Overall

Maybelline Sky High Mascara

View On Amazon $10 View On Ulta $10 View On Target $10

Out of all the drugstore mascaras I’ve tested to date, this is the one I recommend most. It features a long, narrow brush that makes targeting each lash easy and has perfectly dispersed bristles for separating and evenly coating the lashes. The formula is pretty wet but not in a thick or goopy way—it just makes combing through your lashes and building up the formula effortless.

This mascara truly does it all. It makes my lashes look longer, fuller, beautifully lifted, and fanned out. I can wear it on minimal makeup days or build it up to suit more dramatic looks. Perhaps the best part is that it doesn’t flake or smudge—even on the most humid days. It is slightly tricky to remove because it comes off in small bits rather than dissolving with eye makeup remover, but thankfully it’s not so difficult that it requires tugging at your lashes. If you’re looking for a long-wearing mascara that promises to give you beautiful definition, I highly recommend this gem from Maybelline.

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Essence Lash Princess Curl & Volume Mascara

View On Amazon $5 View On Ulta $4 View On Target

Drugstore mascaras are typically more affordable than high-end options, this one is inexpensive even by those standards. The larger-than-average brush does a great job of building the formula onto the lashes to create impressive volume that isn’t clumpy or spidery. It helps pack on the formula quickly without needing to apply several coats, but despite its size, it could still grip my lashes, separate them, and apply the mascara precisely. One coat gave me noticeable length and thickness, while a second coat created more drama. And even after building it up a bit, I never felt like my lashes were heavy or losing their curl.

The one con I experienced with this one was a tiny bit of smudging near the outer corners of my eyes. It was far from the worst smudging I’ve experienced when testing mascaras, but if you’re prone to mascara bleeding or smearing, just keep this in mind.

Best Tubing

e.l.f. Lash Xtndr Tubing Mascara

View On Target $7 View On Elfcosmetics.com

I’m a die-hard fan of tubing mascaras thanks to their budge-proof yet easy-to-remove formulas. This one truly meets higher-end options. The skinny brush gives you complete control over where you apply it, and the semi-wet formula glides on effortlessly without ever looking clumpy. It does a fantastic job of separating the lashes, giving them noticeable length, and adding some beautiful definition, though it’s not ideal for creating super dramatic volume.

Not only do I love how easy it is to apply and how gorgeous it makes my lashes look, but the way it wears throughout the day and the ease of removal makes it truly top-tier. After testing it for several months, I can confirm that I never experienced flaking or smudging—not one time. Like a true tubing formula, it’s painless to remove with just warm water and your go-to face wash.

Best Volumizing

L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

View On Amazon $10 View On Ulta $13 View On Target $10

Those looking for a mascara that offers buildable volume should try this one from L'Oréal. It has a large brush, which can make it tricky to apply the formula to your corner lashes, but it holds a nice amount of product so you don’t need to keep re-dipping. One coat did a nice job of thickening my lashes while keeping them separated and lightweight, while a second coat created a slightly more dramatic look. It’s buildable without getting too clumpy.

The formula is on the drier side compared to others I tested, which is a nice thing if you can get a little messy with your mascara application—you won’t get as much product all over your eyelids. I was pleased with how full and separated my lashes looked, and that they remained lifted all day long. I experienced a tiny bit of smudging under my eyes with this one, so I recommend applying a bit of setting powder to that area to keep it at a minimum.

Best Curling

e.l.f. Lash N' Roll Mascara

View On Amazon $6 View On Ulta $6 View On Target $6

People with straight lashes know how frustrating it can be to achieve a lifted look. If that’s you, I recommend starting by using an eyelash curler to give your lashes a lift, and then applying a curling mascara, like this one from e.l.f.. While I do have relatively curled lashes to begin with, I noticed that this mascara accentuated their curve. The half-moon-shaped brush hugs your eyes, gripping each lash from the root and coating it in the formula. Because the brush allows you to get really close to the base of your lashes, it helps to give them a serious lift. I also found that the formula was super lightweight, which is essential to maintain your curl and not weigh your lashes down.

Although I would have loved to see a bit more length and volume from this one, I was pleased with the naturally defined look it created. I didn’t experience smudging or flaking and the removal process was painless.

Best Separating

L'Oréal Telescopic Original Washable Mascara

View On Ulta View On Target $11

If you struggle with your eyelashes sticking together when applying mascara, try this one. This popular mascara has had a large fan club for many years, and I’ve been a proud member since high school. The narrow brush features perfectly dispersed bristles that grip, separate, and comb your lashes to create a beautiful fanned-out look. It adds a healthy dose of length and volume, is never clumpy, and wears nicely without smudging or flaking. I love that I can coat my lashes from root to tip thanks to the skinny brush that houses the perfect amount of product. I never experience clumping or weighed-down lashes when I wear this one—I’m always left with clean-looking definition that lasts.

Best Lifting

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

View On Amazon $8 View On Ulta $9 View On Walmart $10

The curved brush of this lifting mascara from Maybelline hugs your lashes beautifully, gripping them right at the base to give them a serious boost—perfect if you notice your lashes falling throughout the day. It evenly coats them from root to tip, lending to a voluminous, separated, and defined look that’s beautiful for everyday makeup looks and more glam looks when built up. I love that the inner part of the brush has short bristles to grip the lashes, while the outer curve features longer bristles to comb them and add some length to the tips.

While it added serious volume, this formula never weighed down my lashes or depleted their curl. I was able to achieve a wide-awake look that lasted all day. I never experienced smudging when using this pick, just a tiny bit of flaking, which I could easily brush away with my fingers.

Best Buildable

L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara

View On Amazon $9 View On Ulta $11 View On Target $9

A mascara formula that goes on lightly and can be built up to create a dramatic effect is a versatile product that everyone should have in their makeup bag. This one from L'Oréal does just that. With one coat, my lashes looked dark and naturally defined. But with two and then three coats, I got significant volume and noticeable length. It did get a bit clumpy as I layered it up since I don’t think the brush shape is ideal for separating the lashes, but I was able to smooth the clumps by wiping the excess product off the brush and combing through them again. The formula didn’t weigh down my lashes or create significant smudging—it lasted well throughout the day.

Best Brown Mascara

COVERGIRL Lash Blast Cleantopia Mascara

View On Amazon $11 View On Ulta $14 View On Walmart $11

I have a serious bone to pick with a lot of brown mascaras on the market. Most of them are not the rich, chocolatey brown I crave, rather they’re black-brown and look pretty much like plain old black on the eyes. The drugstore is particularly lacking in the true brown mascara department, and while I do wish this one from Covergirl was even more saturated in color, I still think it’s a solid option. It does look noticeably brown on my lashes, and the formula is fantastic. Not only is it vegan and clean, derived from 72% natural-origin ingredients, but it looks beautiful and lasts all day without smudging or flaking. It nicely defined my lashes, giving them moderate length and volume that’s perfect for minimal makeup days. This is the brown mascara you want for a natural look and top-tier performance.

Best for Glam Looks

Essence Cosmetics Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara

View On Amazon $5 View On Ulta $4 View On Target $5

I’m not sure I’ve ever used a mascara (drugstore or otherwise) that built up so quickly to create such a dramatic effect. Just one coat of this formula made my lashes look super voluminous and long, while two coats made them look like falsies (hence the name). The narrow-ish brush was perfect for separating each lash, targeting my corner lashes, and evenly coating them in the volumizing formula. The application process was fast and easy, and the look it created was among my favorites.

Things got tricky with its performance. On one of the days I tested it, I only experienced minimal smudging. But on another day that was humid and drizzling, it smudged significantly underneath my eyes even though I didn’t apply it to my bottom lashes. This was undoubtedly disappointing, but I’m still willing to recommend it on drier days and for those who don’t usually have an issue with smudging. Plus, it only costs $5, so I think it’s absolutely worth trying if you like how it looks.