The best drugstore mascaras in 2024, tested and reviewed

There are plenty of makeup products worthy of a splurge, but it’s hard to justify spending big bucks on a great mascara when you can find high-quality options at the drugstore.

Drugstore mascaras can far outperform their luxury counterparts, offering dramatic volume, sky-high lengthening, smudge-proof pigment and a bit of lift for a fraction of the cost. Plus, some formulations even include nourishing ingredients that help strengthen lashes.

We’ve tested various drugstore brands and can attest that most budget brands are discovering innovative ways to enhance their cosmetic offerings. Most have a common objective of creating eye-opening flirty fringes, although there are some trends that a few of these fresh mascaras are capitalizing on.

In previous testing, we noted that colorful pigment options are becoming more accessible, with brown and blue beginning to emerge as an alternative to classic black. Additionally, consumers are more conscious of the ingredients in the products they use and make an effort to select clean formulas. We found that most mascaras contain good-for-you ingredients and plenty secured vegan and cruelty-free certifications.

There’s a never-ending variety of drugstore mascaras to pick for that perfect, voluminous look. We tested 15 to find our new favorite picks, and here’s what we discovered.

Best drugstore mascara: Wet N Wild Mega Length Waterproof Mascara

I’ll admit it: I look completely different when not wearing mascara. My lashes are naturally short and straight, despite all the serums and hacks I’ve tried. If I want to look less like a zombie and doll up my lashes in a pinch, I always reach for a lengthening mascara that can lift my extremely brittle lashes without an eyelash curler.

When I tested this affordable mascara from Wet N Wild, I couldn’t believe how silky smooth the formula felt on my lashes. It rivaled the feel of luxurious mascaras I’ve used in the past, all at a fraction of the cost at only $4. That’s cheaper than your average cup of coffee nowadays.

Aside from the excellent price point, I loved the long, thin wand of this mascara. This made it much easier to apply evenly to my sad little lashes. I was amazed at how much product was in the tube, and despite the abundance of formula, the wand didn’t clump once.

I also appreciated the buildable formula, which is made with vitamin E to soften and protect lashes. It’s also made without sulfates and is cruelty-free, which earns extra points in my book.

The most impressive element of this mascara was its lengthening power, thanks to the precision comb. I loved that the mascara instantly added an impressive lift and wow factor to my fringe, without that overdone “I’m wearing too many coats of mascara” look. Overall, this waterproof mascara created a very natural yet impactful look that I will certainly reach for time and time again.

Best runner-up drugstore mascara: L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Washable Mascara

If you’re interested in all things beauty, you have probably heard of this fan-favorite mascara from L’Oréal. I’ve used this mascara for years and have always loved the slim wand and buildable formula, which is fragrance-free.

This mascara wand is, by far, my favorite of all the drugstore mascaras we tested. It’s the longest — but thinnest — wand with sturdy, spiky spools that activate and coat each lash. It also effectively separates each strand so they don’t clump together. If you have short, straight lashes like myself, this mascara will properly grab each eyelash and lift it without feeling heavy or clumpy. I would note, though, that it does dry quickly and can look cakey if you wait too long to reapply.

After putting it through extensive testing, my one complaint would be that it can create some unwanted residue and smudging after a long day of wear. Granted, I have oily skin, which can add to this buildup, but I did find myself having to swipe the excess smudging from under my eyes.

Best smudge-proof drugstore mascara: L’Oréal Voluminous Panorama Washable Mascara

In a perfect world, all my lashes would be the same precise length. In reality, I have a few sparse areas, and even though some of the hairs naturally extend up to my eyebrows, others are puny and lagging. It’s extremely annoying (even though no one else notices). Yet, somehow, this new mascara miraculously makes my fringe appear completely uniform — and I can’t get enough.

The magic is in the cone-shaped multilevel bristle brush. I found it the ideal shape for grabbing each lash — from corner to corner — and coating them with the volumizing formula. The first time I wore it I couldn’t stop staring at my lashes. They looked incredible. And overall, the eye-opening effect they provided made me look more awake, even if I tossed and turned all night.

Of all the drugstore mascaras we tested for this story, this is the one I continuously find myself reaching for daily for a smudge-free look.

How we tested

We tested 15 drugstore mascaras to uncover the best formulations for all your volumizing, lengthening and lifting needs. We wore each one at least two times to see how they held up against busy days, sweat and inclement weather.

Whether you’re searching for a new go-to mascara that will provide a false lash-level effect or prefer a more natural look, any of these picks will amplify your natural lashes without breaking the bank.

We also considered the following during our testing.

Other drugstore mascaras we tested

After testing this mascara, I was surprised by how little formula was in the tube. No matter how often I dunked my wand and swirled it around, the spoolie simply wasn’t coating. So, without much product to coat my lashes, this mascara truly didn’t do anything for me: no volume, no lift and no length. I would use the wand in other mascara formulas, but that’s extra effort no one has in the mad dash to get somewhere on time.

I appreciated how much formula was in the tube so I could properly coat each lash from root to tip. The formula itself was divine too. This rich mascara is infused with castor oil to condition each lash, along with fruit-based waxes that coat the lashes for a longer-lasting look.

My only complaint about this mascara is that the formula was a bit too thick, making it easier to clump. I would use this mascara sparingly, but I found you don’t need much to create an impactful look.

I was extremely impressed with the amount of formula in the tube, so much so that it was practically oozing out. This mascara had the most formula by far.

However, after testing it more, I noticed the application could get clumpy due to the abundance of formula on the rounder, shorter wand. Even though it coated my lashes, it didn’t lift them, due to the heavy formula. This drugstore find could be better suited for someone with naturally long and lifted lashes, but for those with shorter fringes, it won’t do much.

The Falsies Surreal Extensions promises to enhance length by 36% and boost volume tenfold. This is possible, thanks to the formula and brush duo: The former is filled with fibers of varying lengths that quickly adhere to and build upon lashes. Then, the extended helix brush — which features long, twisted bristles — helps to disperse the fibers onto individual lashes from every angle.

I found that this formula-brush combination made for a va-va-voom effect after one coat, while two coats created a true false-eyelashes effect — not over-the-top bushy lashes, though. The result resembled a pair of tasteful wispies. I did experience minor flaking after 12 hours of wear, but overall, Maybelline unsurprisingly knocked it out of the park with this mascara, and I understand how it has garnered hundreds of millions of views on TikTok.

Everything about this mascara creates the perfect recipe for extra-long, defined eyelashes. The tapered silicone brush with short spiked bristles acts as the ideal vehicle for grabbing and coating each lash. I prefer this wand style over most others because the lack of bushy bristles prevents accidental application smudges and makes for the most streamlined swipe.

Now, it’s important to read the directions. Normally, I’d add coats from root to tip, but the box explicitly states to layer this only along the tips before it dries. I did as it said, and it was as if my lashes magically grew. Even though they didn’t quite reach my eyebrows, the results were striking enough for this mascara to earn a permanent spot on my vanity.

The lashes on my left eye aren’t as uniform as my right eye, as I have some sparse areas with shorter hairs, but this mascara made every last lash look even and long, ensuring my fringe looked consistent across both eyes. Most high-end mascaras can’t do this, so I was especially happy with the result. Plus, because it’s infused with castor oil, it helps condition the tinier hairs so they can grow stronger.

The one minor inconvenience I experienced was a bit of flakiness after about six hours. I easily wiped away the minor flakes that accumulated under my eyes. Aside from that, the formula is nearly perfect, especially for those who want to pump up the drama.

Surprisingly enough, the dark-blue tint looked like my regular black mascara once applied. The difference is so minor that someone would have to get close to notice it’s actually navy. That said, I did see the brightening benefits of the blue hue. It helped me look more wide-eyed and awake, which I greatly appreciate considering my sleep schedule has been so out of whack lately.

Aside from the color, the clean formula also impressed me. It was refreshing to read the ingredients and be familiar with almost everything on the list. Cleantopia contains cellulose plant fibers to boost volume, as well as aloe leaf extract, ceramides and maracuja oil to condition lashes. Along with the plant-powered formula, the hourglass-shaped fluffy brush made it easy to grab shorter lashes near my inner corners to get an even coat across the board.

This doesn’t produce the falsie-level lashes that I usually prefer. I’ve yet to find a “clean” mascara to achieve this but I am a fan and think it’s a solid choice for everyday makeup when you’re looking to subtly enhance your natural features.

I’ll be honest: I don’t often like mascaras made by skin care brands. It’s not that there’s ever anything inherently bad about these formulas; they just typically create a very soft, natural effect, which, as I stated above, is the exact opposite of how I prefer my lashes to be — long, dark and dramatic. However, this mascara added length, lift, volume and definition to my lashes in just a few swipes, taking them to new heights and giving me the eye-opening effect I was after. I attribute the striking results to the dual-sided brush. One side is scattered with shorter plastic bristles that lengthen with each pass. Flip it over to find longer bristles that comb the formula through the lashes and seamlessly separate them for a clump-free, volumized fringe.

It’s important to follow the directions, starting with the short bristles for the first coat, then flipping over to the long side for the second to amplify lashes. Beyond the brush, I value that Neutrogena took the time to ensure the panthenol-infused formula was ophthalmologist-tested and safe for sensitive eyes and contact wearers.

In my opinion, mascara formulas need to have a certain consistency to perform to the best of their abilities. They shouldn’t be too watery or clumpy, and as Goldilocks would say, they need to be “just right.” This formula’s thickness translated to luscious, volumized lashes once applied. I was surprised by how much fuller my fringe looked after one coat.

The slender rubber brush expertly combed the mascara through each lash, making it look thicker and filling in sparse spots without leaving unsightly clumps in its wake. While this shines at volumizing lashes, it lacks at lengthening. My eyelashes are naturally long, and I didn’t see much difference after a few coats. Keep this in mind if your main goal is to elongate your lashes.

I loved how this delivered eye-opening length and a touch of volume, which impressed me considering the clean formula. In my experience, clean formulas usually deliver more natural-looking results. While large wands have their time and place, I almost always prefer brushes like this. Not only because of the uncanny lengthening ability but because the slim shape prevents any mishaps from happening (read: smudging mascara on my eyelids), which occurs all too often with my hooded eyes.

I also appreciated that my lashes didn’t feel or look crunchy; this was probably due to the inclusion of nourishing jojoba oil and rice bran, ingredients that are said to help strengthen and grow natural lashes. I will say this was a bit difficult to remove at the end of the night, but overall, this is a solid mascara for those conscious about what they put near their eyes.

One swipe of this drugstore mascara was enough to notice a change. My fringe looked fuller, longer and healthier. The color was also a welcome change from the pitch-black mascaras I usually wear. I found that the brown softened the overall eye look and unexpectedly brought out the green flecks in my eyes. With this year’s makeup trends leaning more natural and soft, I think this is a welcome addition to any makeup bag — and honestly, you really can’t beat that price.

With makeup trends leaning more natural and soft, I think this is a welcome addition to any makeup bag — and honestly, you really can’t beat that price.

I typically like a plumped-but-not-clumped look, although this was a lovely change that gave me dramatic results more appropriate for everyday wear — say to the office or out to lunch.

I was also impressed with how it held up after a misty NYC day. I experienced slight smudging under my eyes, but for the most part, my lashes still looked fresh through the unfortunate rain and humidity.

FAQs