20 Best Mascaras, Tested & Reviewed in 2024

I've tested dozens of formulas over the years—but Maybelline Sky High is the best.

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Not to brag, but people constantly stop me to compliment my eyelashes, usually asking where I got my eyelash extensions done. Funnily enough, tho, I've never had lash extensions and rely solely on the best mascaras to give me length, volume, and separation. Sure, eyelash serums have made them stronger and more conditioned, which can make them appear a bit longer and thicker. But in reality, the secret to my fake-looking lashes is simply a spectacular mascara (particularly one with a good wand—depending on if I want length, curl, or thickness—suggests celebrity makeup artist Jenna Nicole).

But I didn't always have my finger on the pulse of the best mascaras—I've actually tested legit hundreds over my yearslong beauty editor career to narrow down which are the best for my lashes. And I'll be the first to admit, too, that mascara is extremely personal (like foundation and nude lipstick), which is why I entirely recommend shopping for a formula that'll meet your specific needs and lash goals. Hence the reason for this list: The top-rated mascaras of all time that I've personally tested myself, as well as favorites from other Cosmo staffers and experts. Here's a bb list before we get to all of the goods:

Keep reading for a full breakdown of the best 20 mascaras of 2024—from brands like Ilia, Maybelline, L'Oreal, Tower 28, and more—plus, the most important tips and tricks to keep in mind when shopping for a new mascara online or in-store.

Maybelline's Sky High Mascara is kind of an overachiever. It uses tiny bamboo fibers to add a ton of length and volume to teeny-tiny lashes and it has a slim, flexible brush with a tapered tip that makes application quick, easy, and mess-free. Every time I use it, I'm shocked at how incredible my lashes look for such minimal effort. Did I mention it comes off easily with just warm water too? Obsessed.

✨Try it if: You love extra long, separated lashes, or prefer a thin wand to get into the corners of your eyes

Glowing customer review: "The brush is perfect for separating your lashes and preventing clumps. I love that it stays on and won't smudge until you wash it off."

My broke college self could really only afford this mascara, but it wasn't a prob because it's legit so good. Even now, when I have a drawer filled with expensive mascaras, I often reach for this formula, because it's so reliable. It makes my lashes look long and thick, but the best part is that it legit does not smudge or flake. I mean, just read through the 245,000+ five-star reviews and try not to be influenced.

✨Try it if: You want a super cheap mascara that doesn't smudge or flake

Glowing customer review: "I have been using this product for years, I have my daughter hooked on it as well and recommend to my friends. NO clumping, easy to remove, and makes your lashes pop! After applying, my lashes are so thick and long, and they are very sparse as I have aged. I don't even need a second coat! This is the only mascara I will ever use! And ummm, the price!!"

Sure, I have fantastic lashes (it's true!), but associate editor Siena Gagliano's are also always so stunning and thick. Her favorite formula? This drugstore mascara from Covergirl. "The curved brush cups my lashes, which lightly curls them while building volume and length," she says. But she notes the best part is that she can seriously layer the fomrula, wriggling it on over and over without ever dealing with clumps.

✨Try it if: You like to layer on your mascara but despise a clumpy look

Glowing customer review: "I have used this Covergirl mascara for years—it's the best there is. It's easy to put on and stays fresh all day. The curved brush is really great too, it doesn't leave mascara on my lids or cheeks."

If you're looking for a mascara that lifts, lengthens, holds a curl, and separates your lashes, this is your MVP. The dual-sided wand has staggered bristles on one side to help you really load up your lashes, along with long, comb-like teeth on the other side so you can brush out any clumps while defining each lash. Oh, and the formula—like all Ilia products—is clean, eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and made without potentially sketch ingredients.

✨Try it if: You stick to clean, natural makeup formulas and love a lifted, long lash look

Glowing customer review: "Holy grail mascara! Incredible volume and length—no need to worry about clumping or flaking."

I truly cannot stop raving about this mascara to every single person I meet. If you compliment my lashes, odds are, I'm gonna go on a whole diatribe about how this is the reason and why everyone needs it. So, it's no wonder it's totally blown up on TikTok. This mascara gives my lashes a fanned out, voluminous look without causing any clumps. Instead, it leaves my lashes defined and separated, making my eyes look wide and awake.

✨Try it if: You want your eyes to look bigger with fanned out, long lashes

Glowing customer review: "One of the best mascaras I’ve ever used! It gives the perfect balance of volume, length, and color without weighing my lashes down too much. Also no noticeable flaking."

Yup, you can make my lashes stronger and healthier with mascara. This formula combines an ultra-black, lengthening, and thickening mascara with a slew of delicious, strengthening peptides that help condition my lashes with regular use, making them softer and stronger. And the black, lengthening formula makes my lashes look so full and plush.

✨Try it if: You want to help condition your lashes to potentially spark some growth

Glowing customer review: "Excellent product! I have ordered it 14 times over the years! I have very sensitive eyes as I wear contacts. This mascara does NOT irritate my eyes/contacts! Comes off very easily with eye makeup remover. Combine the Mascara with the Serum and it doesn't get better than the duo. I get a lot of compliments on my long lashes!"

I thought I'd hate having to layer on two steps just to get long lashes, but I actually look forward to swiping this on. The primer is loaded with conditioning panthenol and ceramides to help moisturize my lashes and keep 'em strong and healthy. Then, I layer on the mascara, which is filled with tubes to add length and volume. Plus, because it's a tubing mascara, it's so damn easy to remove.

✨Try it if: You want a formula that also softens and strengthens your lashes (along with makes 'em look hella long)

Glowing customer review: "Lasts a full 12-hour shift and longer, never smudges. I’ve been using this for about 5-6 years. I love how it just washes right off so easily without smearing all over my face. Best mascara ever!"

My lashes are extremely fine and thin, meaning they've gotta be curled to look even remotely good generally. But turns out, with this mascara, I can skip a lash curler altogether. The formula uses a polymer that's often used in curly hair products that helps define your lashes and add hold for an all-day curl, plus it's loaded with nourishing castor oil and panthenol to keep your lashes silky soft. Tip: Bring this for travel or on the go, because you won't need to pack an accompanying lash curler. I rarely bring any other mascara on a trip.

✨Try it if: You want curled, lifted lashes that last

Glowing customer review: "Excellent mascara. Lengths, volumizes, and lasts a while. Feels nice and not too heavy on the lashes. Not to mention, it also has cute packaging!"

I love a bougie beauty product as much as the next editor, but drugstore mascaras are where it's at, y'all. And I'd never guess this formula from E.l.f. was less than $10. It curls and defines my lashes for a soft, natural look, but it legit doesn't flake, smear, or smudge throughout the day at all.

✨Try it if: You don't wanna spend a ton of $$$ on a mascara, but love curled, defined lashes

Glowing customer review: "I finally found a mascara that doesn't flake, smudge, or transfer! E.l.f. is yet to disappoint, and their ingredients are very clean. The price is amazing."

The beauty of this mascara is that you can layer it on and get absolutely no clumps (re: "MAC stack"). I love a dramatic, bold lash look, so I layer on three or four coats to get max volume and length. But on days when I want to be more ~demure~, I stick to one or two coats to get some definition and lift. TBH, it's the ideal mascara for taking from day to night. Another v cool thing: This mascara is available in two styles, the mega brush tip (my go-to for my top lashes), as well as a micro brush for lower lashes or short lashes.

✨Try it if: You like to try different lash looks but don't want to rely on a bunch of formulas

Glowing customer review: "I love most of MAC's mascaras, and thought a different line was as good as it gets, but this is literally unbelievable. While it's easy to let it get out of control and get uneven, used slowly and carefully, it's way more fun than false lashes and washes right off with a primer underneath. It also doesn't flake."

Listen, I get it: Not everyone wants XXL lashes. I also have days when I want to be a natural, ~clean girl~, and on those occasions, I'm always swiping on this Ami Colé mascara. The bright-orange tube isn't the only stunning part of this product—it defines and separates my lashes, making my eyes look brighter and more awake with one single coat. It gives me a teensy bit of length to help widen my eyes too.

✨Try it if: You want separated, curled, defined lashes and love a natural look

Glowing customer review: "This is amazing—buy it!!! So much lift and separation and curl. Literally anything you could want in a mascara, and I’ve tried so many different types. No clumps AT ALL and the price point is right. Do yourself a favor and buy this today."

As much as I love a bold fake-eyelashes look, I also sometimes like to keep things more natural, and on those days, I reach for this ColourPop brown mascara. It's in a stunning chocolate brown shade that looks good on every single eye color, and the formula really lives up to the name for giving me a soft look while still defining and brightening my eyes a bit.

✨Try it if: You prefer a more natural look—both in color and length and volume

Glowing customer review: "This is my go to brown mascara! It's a prefect natural look that doesn't overwhelm my small eyes. I love how buildable the length is with extra coats!"

FYI: Tubing mascaras wrap each lash in tube-like polymers to create extra thickness and length that still looks super natural. It sounds strange, but trust me when I say it works so well and honestly holds up better than my traditional mascaras. Wriggle the wand through your curled lashes, and work quickly, since it dries fast to prevent flaking.

✨Try it if: You hate the hassle of removing a tough mascara before bed

Glowing customer review: "This was definitely an impulse buy after watching some videos on Instagram and YouTube but I can happily say I have no regrets. It does everything it claims—lengthens, volumizes, separates, and defines my lashes without flaking."

Listen, this mascara is probs the only thing I'll ever be able to afford from Chanel, and I'm not mad about it. The wand is thick and dense with bristles, so you can seriously work the formula into your lashes for a volumized, falsies-level finish. Yes, it's expensive, but I would honestly buy this mascara even if I weren't a beauty editor.

✨Try it if: You want a chic, spensy mascara that actually makes your lashes voluminous and long

Glowing customer review:"All I have to say is that this is the BEST mascara I've ever used! It's perfect in every way and gives me long, beautiful lashes. Buy it!"

Want super voluminous lashes without the clumps? Enter: The Nars Climax Mascara. This full, dense brush will deposit a ton of pigment for ultra volume, yet its tightly packed bristles help comb out clumps before they happen. Plus, the formulation is made to be extra creamy in order to prevent smudges and clumps when layering. It's *magic.*

✨Try it if: You want full lashes without the clumpy, spidery look

Glowing customer review: "The two things I look for in mascara are how well it lengthens and thickens and whether or not it smudges on my face throughout the day. This mascara is excellent on both counts living up to the claims of being smudge-proof and clump-proof."

This mascara went viral years ago for how long it made people's lashes, and I somehow evaded the hype... until recently when I finally gave in. Truly, I get why it's called lash extensions in a tube. When I layer this on my lashes, it's like they double in length with every coat. Plus, it's also made with sensitive eyes in mind (AKA without synthetic fragrance)—Cosmo staffers who wear contact lenses swear by this stuff.

However, be aware this doesn't create a ton of volume. So if you prefer thick, voluminous, heavy-looking lashes, you prob won't like this. Instead, this makes my lashes practically touch my eyebrows, separating and defining each one.

✨Try it if: You want extra, extra, extra long lashes that are separated

Glowing customer review: "This is hands down the best mascara I have ever used. My lashes have never looked longer. It goes on cleanly and comes off easily. I’m telling all my friends about it."

If you hate how mascaras leave your lashes feeling stiff and straw-like, then pls try this volumizing and thickening formula from Rare Beauty. It's mixed with a touch of castor oil to keep your lashes feeling soft and strong (not the usual crunchy and dry) and also helps to prevent flaking after layering it on.

✨Try it if: You hate the crunchy, thick feeling most mascaras leave on your lashes

Glowing customer review:"This is honestly such an amazing mascara—it does everything really well. It creates lots of thickness and volume and holds a curl really nicely too."

Not only is this mascara’s formula filled with moisturizing CBD oil, but it also has little bb fibers that legit lock onto your lashes, leaving you with volume, length, and curl. Plus, the wand has teeny-tiny bristles at the top, perfect for reaching those inner-corner lashes.

Glowing customer review: "I'm a nurse who works 18-hour shifts and I'm telling you at the end of those days my lashes look just as curled and amazing as they do the beginning. My lashes are still soft to the touch and taking it off is not painful like it is with other mascaras."

Struggle with sparse lashes? This cult-favorite formula has an hourglass-shaped wand that separates and curls each lash, giving even the sparsest of lashes extra volume and length. The result? An intense finish for a doe-eyed look. But the best part is that the waterproof formula is going to last you all day, yet is gentle and easy to remove—in other words, you won't be stuck scrubbing your lashes with soap in the PM.

✨Try it if: You want a mascara that won't smudge or smear when your eyes water or while swimming

Glowing customer review: "If you are like me—a contact lens-wearing, allergy-sufferer with runny eyes—then you know that most mascaras don't stay in place, but this one really does. It's totally waterproof!"

When I first met makeup artist and cofounder of Bakeup Jo Baker, I told her I love spidery, ultra-dense, Twiggy-level lashes. Immediately, she filled me in on a lil secret that she'd be launching my perfect mascara... And she was right. This gives me va-va-voom, major lashes, thanks to the wand's big, curved brush with varying-sized bristles. The formula is buildable too, so I can start with run-of-the-mill dramatic lashes, then slowly layer it up to falsies vibes.

Yes, it can smudge a lil bit and be a tad messy when I'm applying because the wand is so big. But I just wipe it up with a micellar water-soaked cotton swab, and I'm good to go. (Or I totally rock the smudgey look, á la one of Baker's star clients, Lucy Boynton.)

✨Try it if: You love extremely voluminous, long, almost-spidery lashes

Glowing customer review: "Absolutely Love this mascara! Goes on velvety smooth without clumping. My lashes look luscious! Fabulous!"

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.

Siena Gagliano is the associate editor at Cosmopolitan, where she primarily covers beauty, fashion, travel, and lifestyle. Wanna know how to get the best brows of your life? Gotchu. What about how to find the best fashion deals of the season, the softest sheets on the market, or exactly how to use retinol without irritating your skin? Check, check, and check. Before joining Cosmopolitan, Siena was a writer at Bustle and several other media outlets. As her 2024 goal, she has vowed to find the best (extra) dirty martini NYC has to offer—and yes, that means ~attempting~ to try every cute cocktail spot in the city (hit her up with some recs, pls). Follow Siena on Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look at that magazine life.

Lauren Balsamo is deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports. She has covered beauty for nine years at Cosmopolitan and has contributed to Women’s Health and Seventeen magazines as well. Follow her on Instagram.

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