It’s most likely the one makeup item every woman has in her beauty arsenal. And while its function is simple— lengthening the lashes—choosing a mascara is anything but. That’s because the choices have become complicated. Now there is so much variety in brushes and auxiliary benefits (curling, coloring and/or thickening lashes), that women practically need a glossary to make the purchase. We’ve laid out some ground rules below to help you navigate—and maybe to introduce you to a few mascaras you didn’t know about.
[length, no clumps]
Clinique High Lengths Mascara
Clinique came out with the unique brushless wand used here, and I have really liked it. The semi-flexible plastic applicator applies color smoothly and never clumps like many other products. You may need to reapply the mascara a few times, as not much color gets on the
lash with each pass. But if your eye area is sensitive and you’re prone to itchy eyes, Clinique is the preferred brand.
$17 at department stores
[easy peasy]
Lancome Oscillat ion Powerbooster
If you haven’t tried it yet, you owe it to yourself. Lancome’s Oscillation line does all the work for you, rotating the brush 7,000 oscillations per minute to coat your lashes with color—or, in this case, primer. Powerbooster promises stronger, fuller and longer lashes when used prior to mascara application. This one’s for you if you think of yourself as a klutz and have the makeup disaster tales to prove it.
$34 at department stores
[added health benefits]
Jane Iredale Longest Lash
This brand is known for 20 years of mineral-based cosmetics, and the mascara is no exception. It contains sea minerals that condition lashes and cellulose fibers that coat the lashes for that long, full look. And it comes in a soft tube, making it easier to write your start date on there. Remember, you’re not supposed to use the same mascara tube longer than three months. Bacteria builds up on the brush and in the product with repeated use, which can cause eye infections.
$33 at Soft Surroundings
[it’s tubular!]
Trish McEvoy Lash Curling Mascara
This is the kind of mascara that coats each lash with a ‘tube,’ which makes them seem longer and fuller. It is a relatively new technology, and people either love it or hate it. It literally forms 360-degree water-resistant tubes around the lashes and doesn’t smudge or smear. The brush adds curl to lashes as well, lifting and curving each lash. It is supposed to slide off with warm water, but it also ‘rolls’ off with pressure from the fingertips.
$31 at fine department stores
[lash extensions]
Wunder2 WunderExtensions
Made in Italy, this blue-tinted mascara volumizes and hydrates lashes for a thickening effect. Additionally, this mascara adds extension fibers to increase length.
$28.95 from Soft Surroundings
