

That’s why many mascara formulas also contain nourishing ingredients like castor, almond, or jojoba oil to moisturize your lashes and promote growth. Meanwhile, if you want your mascara to be waterproof and smudgeproof, the presence of extra waxes and silicones will increase its water resistance, but they can also cause your lashes to dry out or shed.
BEST EYESHADOW FOR BLUE EYES OVER 40 FREE
If you have sensitive eyes or skin, look for “clean” formulations that are free of parabens, fragrance, sulfates, and silicones, which could potentially be irritating. For example, if wearing makeup that is vegan and cruelty free is important to you, you’ll want to steer clear of animal ingredients or animal-derived ingredients like honey, beeswax, lanolin, or carmine (a red colorant obtained from insect shells). Use the handy links below to jump right to the type of mascara you’re looking for, or read on to learn more about the criteria we considered as we put together this list.īest overall | Best for natural-looking lashes | Best (less expensive) for natural-looking lashes | Best volumizing | Best (less expensive) volumizing | Best lengthening | Best (less expensive) lengthening | Best curling | Best (less expensive) curling | Best precision | Best (less expensive) precision | Best tubing | Best (less expensive) tubing | Best “clean” | Best (less expensive) “clean” | Best for sensitive eyes | Best (less expensive) for sensitive eyes | Best dramatic | Best conditioning | Best (less expensive) conditioning | Best waterproof | Best (less expensive) waterproof | Best colorful | Best (less expensive) colorful | Best primer | Best (less expensive) primerįormulation: The basic ingredients in mascara typically don’t differ too much from tube to tube - they essentially all boil down to a combination of wax and pigment - but the specific ingredients included in a certain product can vary widely. No matter which you choose, here’s a tip from makeup artist Lauren Aiello on the best technique for enhancing your lashes’ thickness and giving them an extra lift: “After applying a coat to the underside of your lashes, look down and apply one to the top, starting from the root and combing through, flicking upward at the ends.” And of course, to magnify the results, always go for a second coat. To help narrow down the choices, we talked to tons of makeup artists about their favorite mascaras in every category, whether you’re searching for one that will give you natural-looking lashes, a drugstore dupe for a high-end brand, a formula that won’t irritate sensitive eyes, or all of the above. The massive variety is part of the fun - and the challenge - in choosing a mascara. Some are tearproof and tint your lashes to unknown depths of blackness, while others promise the featheriness of false eyelashes. Some lengthen, volumize, separate, and curl. Photo-Illustration: The Strategist Photos: Retailers
