I receive a slew of samples, and when I find something I like, I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
When it comes to the pursuit of long, lush lashes, most of us can’t leave home without applying a little bit of mascara or even applying a pair of false lashes before leaving the house. While they’re great for dramatic effect and a slew of selfies, faux lashes aren’t a fit for everyone’s daily routine whether it’s due to waiting for the glue to dry, getting the strip to sit close to your lashline, handling the heavier load on your lashes, or just having your lengthier lashes pressed against your glasses all day (like me). So finding a formula that mimics the look of false lashes without the extra steps (and the aggravation that can come with it) has become a big priority for me in order for my lashes to be visible behind my frames.
And with National Lash Day here, I decided to dig through the drawers of my vanity to share some of my favorite formulas that get me the lust-worthy lashes without transforming them into spider legs or sticking to my glasses. These mascara not only fatten up your lashes but ensures that they reach new heights — no falsies necessary.
- Benefit Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara, $12-$24
My lashes are a funny bunch — while some of them appear normal, I have quite a few that grow out either straigh out or down. Sure, an eye lash curler can help guide them in the right direction, but this was the mascara that helped keep them in place. Its hook and roll brush lifts, curls, and separates every last lash for a perfectly fannned out finish that lasts for up to 12 hours! But don’t worry about rubbing your eyelashes off when it’s time to wash up, as it’s pretty easy to remove and helps nourish the lashes with a dose of B5 and serine.
- Maybelline Total Temptation Mascara, $7.99
One of my first beauty buys of 2018, I picked up a tube after spotting it several times in my social feeds with fans declaring their love of false lash-effect it delivered. And I wasn’t disappointed. The coconut oil-infused, whipped formula feels light and flexible, even adding a bit of extra length to the volume it already enhances. Plus, its plush brush makes it easy to apply on my uppper and lower lashes for a cute doll-eyed effect without missing a single fiber.
- IT Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara, $24
IT Cosmetics might be best known for its skin enhancing complexion products, but don’t skip the eye makeup! I’ve burned through at least two tubes of this mascara because it gives me the length and volume I want without having to layer constantly (and taking up more time in my morning routine). I love how nimble and skinny the brush is, making it easy to nab even the tiniest ones in the corners. And its Elastic Stretch Technology extends your lashes to deliver that falsies effect while conditioning them so they look just as amazing after you wipe it off.
- L’Oréal Lash Paradise Mascara, $8.97
One of biggest launches of last year, Lash Paradise became beloved by editors and influencers alike. In fact, many of them found it to be a comparable dupe for Too Faced’s iconic Better Than Sex Mascara. And I agreed after trying it for a few weeks, preferring the drugstore mascara’s brush since it was slightly smaller than Too Faced version (though similar in shape). For me, the brush was more manueverable during application, especially for my lower lashes, which could easily end up overloaded and make a muck out of my undereye area.
- Urban Deacy Troublemaker Mascara, $11-$24
Calling a mascara a troublemaker (or a bad gal, for that matter) is bound to intrigue the cosmically curious, like me. And it toally had its hook in me when I discovered that only was the darkest black mascaras on shelves but also the longest lasting. No smearing, no flaking, no moving, nada — the formula had apparently been proven to be sex-proof! While I haven’t tested the mascara under those steamy circumstances, it’s held up incredibly well during a sweaty concert when most of my other makeup melted off before the headliner and will probably look amazing under the brand’s upcoming Double Team colored mascara that be available on March 15th in the US.
- CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara, $6.29
A classic mascara, this is one of the first that I fell in love with when I was just a beauty intern and continue to come back to. While most might’ve balked at the brush, I loved the short bristles because they easily separated and fanned out my lashes. Its lightweight formula made to easy to layer on when I wanted the added drama without creating a cluster of clumps in the process.
- Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara, $12-$24
I consider this one of my holy grail mascara for a number of reasons, the biggest of which was the brush. The cone shape allowed me to nab each and every lash as well as apply more of the mascara onto the outer corner of lashline, which help make my eyes look larger without applying any eyeliner. Plus the ultrablack pigments in the ultralight formula defined my lashes like a set of falsies without having having to pile on the product.