The Mascaras and Lashes I Keep Going Back To

Four mascaras that each do a different job, and the two false-lash picks that made DIY lashes easy.

Bridget applying mascara

Lashes finish the whole eye for me, and I keep several mascaras going at once on purpose. One gives me dramatic volume. One lengthens. One is a clean formula with plant-based ingredients. And my drugstore pick proves a bold lash comes at every price.

For false lashes, cluster kits made DIY easy for me. Everything comes in one kit, no guesswork and no extra purchases. When I want subtle, the underlash style lifts my lashes from below and stays barely there.

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You Asked, I Answered

What's the best mascara that doesn't smudge or flake by the end of the day?

Benefit They're Real. It's a lash-thickening mascara that magnifies lashes to twice their size, and it has a transfer-resistant formula. I wake up at five in the morning, and sometimes I don't get home until five at night. The mascara stays put and doesn't smudge. Shop They're Real →

What's the best waterproof mascara for weddings, funerals and beach days?

essence Lash Princess in the waterproof formula. This is a very affordable mascara for everyday use and for special occasions, and it's waterproof. Shop the waterproof Lash Princess →

What's the best mascara for length and volume?

Why not have both? Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes gives you long-lasting volume, and it has a curl effect too. You get the length and the volume for any occasion. Shop Exagger-Eyes →

Mascara

Fake-lash look for less

essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect

"My best drugstore mascara. No falsies needed."

Why I like it:

This one separates every lash and still gives me a bold look. The cone-shaped fiber brush builds volume and length with no clumps. And the price is right.

Bold lashes, clean ingredients

Formless Beauty Elevate Mascara

"My clean beauty mascara: bold results, safer ingredients."

Why I like it:

This is my clean-ingredient mascara. It lifts, lengthens and adds volume with no clumps or flakes, and the deep black lasts all day. It's made with plant waxes, and it has a root extract that keeps your lashes soft.

Big lashes in one coat

Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Mascara

"My volume pick: one coat, 28 hours, no touch-ups."

Why I like it:

One coat gives me big volume and curl. It thickens my lashes and fans them out from root to tip. Charlotte Tilbury rates it for 28 hours, and it's smudge-proof, flake-proof, sweat-proof and clump-proof, so I never touch it up.

Lashes that look twice as long

Benefit They're Real! Beyond Mascara

"My lengthening pick: lashes look twice their size."

Why I like it:

This is my lengthening mascara. The tapered brush grabs every lash and makes them look twice their size. It thickens too, and it doesn't transfer.

False Lashes

DIY lash extensions

KEYYOU Lash Clusters Kit

"My beginner kit: everything in the box, no guesswork."

Why I like it:

Everything comes in the box: 144 thin-band clusters in six lengths, the bond and seal, remover, applicators and a lash brush. Nothing extra to buy. Open it and start. This is the kit that made DIY lashes easy for me.

A soft, natural lash lift

Ardell Seamless Naked Underlash Extensions

"My natural look: lightweight lift from below."

Why I like it:

When I want subtle, I use these. They go under your own lashes and lift them from below. The clusters are curled and crisscrossed, so they blend right in and add a little volume and length.

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