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10 best mascaras that will effortlessly lengthen and define your lashes

Want lashes for days? The secret to a sky-high flutter is out

Lucy Smith
Freelance beauty journalist
Thursday 06 February 2025 09:55 GMT
Every product we tried was flake-free and didn’t budge
Every product we tried was flake-free and didn’t budge (The Independent)
Our Top Picks

Mascara is one of those beauty products that can seem a bit monotonous and, admittedly, it’s often hard to distinguish your curling mascaras from your volumising ones. I’m here to tell you, though, that some mascaras actually are cut from a different cloth – you just have to know where to look.

Whether you’re after a waterproof mascara that won’t budge in the gym; one that gives your lashes extra length, or even one that’s undetectable, I’ve got the product for you.

I’ve been scouring the beauty aisles of high street and high-end stores, on the hunt for the best mascaras on the market in the UK. I’ve done away with all the clunky spoolies and sticky formulas, whittling down the industry’s hundreds of iterations to bring you my top 10 picks.

If you’re new to the make-up game, I’m here to help you get up to speed. Whether you like a wispy lash or a bold, statement eye, there are a couple of things to look out for across the board when choosing the best mascara for you.

Scroll on for everything you need to know, plus my favourite formulas for every lash requirement and budget.

How I tested

We tested myriad mascaras, to bring you the best

After researching the mascaras that are most talked about, as well as any new releases from popular brands, I created a longlist of around 40 formulas for testing. I then proceeded to test each mascara for a full eight hours wear, applying in the morning (each to a freshly curled lash) before checking in on the state of my eyes throughout the day. I paid attention to any immediate results – considering if there was any drooping or clumping – as well as, in the long term, if the mascara smudged or caused irritation. I noted the practicality of each wand, how effective the coverage was and how many coats were required. Often, a mascara that appeared great upon application would then prove a poor choice after leaving me with panda eyes later on. As such, my 40-product longlist was eventually whittled down to just 10 mascaras.

I curled my lashes before testing every mascara, to give each formula an even chance of success
I curled my lashes before testing every mascara, to give each formula an even chance of success (Lucy Smith/The Independent)

Why you can trust us

As The Independent’s beauty writer, I’m constantly browsing the latest products and formulas. Whether it’s new skincare and fragrance launches or a new colour in Maybelline’s best-selling lash sensational sky high mascara, you can bet I’m on top of it. I’ve more than five years’ experience working in the industry and, in that time, I’ve accrued make-up intel from brand contacts and experts, as well as my own personal use of products. I’ve tested and reviewed myriad mascaras and have only recommended the ones I truly believe are worth your hard-earned cash.

The best mascaras for 2025 are:

  • Best overall – Milk Makeup kush mascara: £26, Sephora.co.uk
  • Best budget buy – Maybelline great lash mascara: £6.75, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best for defining – Refy lash sculpt mascara: £20, Sephora.co.uk
  • Best for feathery lashes – Lancôme lash idôle mascara: £26, Sephora.co.uk
  • Best for green and blue eyes – Clinique high impact mascara, black honey: £25.50, Boots.com

Milk Makeup kush mascara

Milk best mascara review indybest
  • Best: Overall
  • Lash effect: Volumising, curling and defining every lash
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: Yes
  • Shades: Black
  • Waterproof version available: Yes
  • Brush type: ‘Puff puff’ bristle brush
  • Why we love it
    • Easy to apply quickly
    • Maintains lash curl
    • Separates and fans out lashes
    • Leaves lashes volumised and lifted

If you have blonde lashes, you’ll know how annoying it can be to seemingly finish coating every lash only to turn your gaze downwards to reveal a white blonde lash line. This is something I’ve become used to over the years and is, aside from the occasional lash tint, part and parcel of the fair-hair experience – or so I thought.

Milk Makeup’s kush mascara wand somehow gets underneath the lashes in a way that reaches both the top of the lash line and encapsulates the hairs. This surprised me, given the fairly straight and narrow design of the spoolie. What’s more, the formula enables you to apply multiple coats without any clumping. It also gives some serious volume at the root. I reach for this product all the time and have no doubt I’ll be repurchasing after I’ve scraped every last ounce out of my current tube.

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Maybelline great lash mascara

best mascara maybelline great last indybest
  • Best: Budget buy
  • Lash effect: Defining and lengthening
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: Technically no, according to PETA, though the brand claims to be cruelty-free
  • Shades: Black
  • Waterproof version available: Yes
  • Brush type: Bristle
  • Why we love it
    • Clearly separates lashes
    • Tapered spoolie makes it easy to reach inner/outer corners

Finding a budget-friendly mascara that applies and wears like a dream is often a thing of, well, dreams. If you’ve heard everyone wax lyrical about Maybelline’s lash sensational sky high mascara, you may have written off this one but do not overlook ‘great lash’. This is a do-it-all product that effectively lifts, curls, lengthens and defines, leaving your lashes looking gorgeous and wispy, all for less than £10.

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Refy lash sculpt mascara

best mascara refy lash sculpt indybest
  • Best: For defining lashes
  • Lash effect: Defining, separating and fanning-out lashes
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: Yes
  • Shades: Black
  • Waterproof version available: No
  • Brush type: Silicone
  • Why we love it
    • Pushes product in-between lashes right to the root
    • Great for coating hard-to-reach lashes at the outer edge
  • Take note
    • Not as effective on bottom lashes
    • Can clump if you try to re-comb it through several times

Complete with its single-sided applicator, Refy’s lash sculpt is not only unique but actually does what it says on the tin: sculpts your lashes. The spoolie is crescent-shaped and, contrary to expectation, curves in the opposite direction to your lashes (no, you can’t flip it). Somehow, it works, with the outer edge of the brush gripping those hard-to-reach outer lashes, while the petite tapered end reaches the stubby, previously inaccessible ones towards the inner corner of the eye.

It’s a bit clunky on the bottom lashes and doesn’t lend itself to multiple coats but the formula is reliable and neither smudges nor crumbles. It’s a product I genuinely reach for in my day-to-day routine.

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Lancôme lash idôle mascara

best mascara lancome lash idole indybest
  • Best: For feathery lashes
  • Lash effect: Volumising and creating feathery, cluster-like lashes
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: No
  • Shades: Black, glossy black (waterproof), brown
  • Waterproof version available: Yes
  • Brush type: Elastomer brush
  • Why we love it
    • Arched brush maintains any curl from your lash curler
    • Easy to apply quickly
  • Take note
    • Formula is a touch heavy and weighs down lashes

As someone with naturally poker straight/droopy lashes, I’ve always been sceptical about curved spoolies on mascaras, deeming them more of a gimmick than a productive feature. With Lancôme’s lash idôle mascara, however, this isn’t the case. While those with straight lashes will still reach for a lash curler, once your lashes are curled, Lancôme’s brush helps to plump the curl even further.

It’s best to be sparing with this water-based formula, to prevent weighing down the curl, but I enjoyed how easy it is to coat the lash from root to tip in just one pass, thanks to the spoolie’s lash-hugging shape. My one bugbear is that the cumbersome size of the brush doesn’t bode well for the clumsy among us. On more than one occasion, I caught my eye while applying this formula and, as is always the way, blinked the product onto a full face of make-up – not ideal.

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Benefit fan fest mascara

best mascara benefit fanfest indybest
  • Best: For fanned-out lashes
  • Lash effect: Curling and fanning
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: No
  • Shades: Black
  • Waterproof version available: It’s already water resistant
  • Brush type: Full-flex fibre brush
  • Why we love it
    • Maintains height from lash curler, due to lightweight formula
    • Doesn’t smudge
    • Gets between each and every lash
    • Doesn’t clump

This mascara impressed me from the first swipe until the end of the day. I’m not normally one for a fibre brush and, more often, reach for plastic/silicone spoolies. However, this one separated every lash; looked just as good whether I’d opted for a hasty or precise application; and maintained all the height from my lash curling. The formula neither clumps nor smudges, and the fact it happens to be water-resistant is a bonus. Full marks, no notes.

  1.  £27 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Clinique high impact mascara, black honey

best mascara clinique high impact mascara black honey indybest
  • Best: For blue and green eyes
  • Lash effect: Subtly defining and feathering
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: No
  • Shades: Black honey, black, black-brown
  • Waterproof version available: Yes
  • Brush type: Soft-fibre brush
  • Why we love it
    • Defines lashes without appearing harsh
    • A great addition to a minimal make-up look
    • Fluffy finish

I’m obsessed with both Clinique’s black honey almost lipstick and the matching lip oil, so, naturally, I had high hopes for this mascara. Initially though, this product had me letting out a sigh of disappointment as, from the first stroke, it appeared as though nothing had come off the spoolie. As I continued to brush the product through all my lashes, however, the subtle burgundy hue began to develop, giving my lashes a natural definition, as though they’d been freshly tinted.

With this formula, your eyes are left looking bright and awake – especially blue/green eyes, thanks to the magic of colour theory – in a way that would leave passers-by none the wiser that you’re wearing make-up. It’s perfect for those ‘no make-up’ make-up days. Plus, the brush is easy to use and forgiving to beauty beginners.

  1.  £25 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Givenchy l’interdit couture volume mascara

best mascara givenchy l'interdit mascara indybest
  • Best: For lengthening
  • Lash effect: Subtly defining and lengthening
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: No
  • Shades: Black
  • Waterproof version available: No
  • Brush type: Bio-sourced ‘exclusive’ soft brush
  • Why we love it
    • Lightweight
    • Coats lashes right to the tip
    • Gives lashes height
  • Take note
    • Larger brush makes it hard to reach lash roots
    • Subtler than some other formulas

There’s no denying this is a premium product but I think it’s worth its price tag. Often, when mascaras are good at lengthening it’s because of some extra fibres in the formula. This isn’t something that bothers me, per se, but it does mean the finish is bolder than you might like. With the Givenchy l’interdit couture mascara, the formula coats every lash but does so without pushing clumps of lashes together. Rather, it pulls the lashes apart, to give the appearance of a wispy, full lash line, without the heaviness of extra fibres or a thick, gloopy formula. It does, however, have the sort of brush that’s bound to encourage smudge accidents but, in my opinion, the final results are worth it.

  1.  £34 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Dior Diorshow iconic overcurl mascara

best mascara dior diorshow iconic overcurl mascara brown indybest
  • Best: Brown mascara
  • Lash effect: Fluffing, with a wispy ‘your lashes but better’ effect
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: No
  • Shades: Brown, black, blue
  • Waterproof version available: Yes
  • Brush type: Nylon fibrous brush
  • Why we love it
    • Gives natural eye definition
    • Curved shape plumps results from a lash curler
    • Lengthens from root to tip
  • Take note
    • Brush shape makes applying bottom lash mascara tricky

Brown mascaras are great when you want to draw attention elsewhere – for instance, to a red lip or shimmering highlighter – and the Diorshow iconic overcurl mascara is a top pick. That’s not to say it makes your lashes look ‘less than’. In fact, it leaves them looking – much like Clinique’s black honey option – like perfect natural lashes. We’re talking full at the root, defined at the tips and expertly combed without even a hint of product detectable. It’s a tad clunky when it comes to coating your bottom lashes but, if you’re aiming for the barely there look, bypassing the lower lashes might not be the worst idea.

  1.  £35 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Lancôme hypnôse drama instant extreme volume mascara

best mascara lancome hypnose drama indybest
  • Best: For volume
  • Lash effect: Thickening for a fuller, bolder lash line
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: No
  • Shades: Black
  • Waterproof version available: Yes
  • Brush type: S-shaped convex fibre brush
  • Why we love it
    • S-shaped brush perfectly settles into the natural curve of the lash line
    • Coats lashes from root to tip
    • Doesn’t smudge
  • Take note
    • Bristles/formula graze skin above lash line
    • Can clump if overworked

When I removed Lancôme’s hypnôse drama brush from its tube, I found quite a lot of product exits with it and, from first glance, it appeared quite clumpy, as though it would be a nightmare to distribute. I’m pleased to say this wasn’t the case, however – rather, the cluster of fibre bristles ensured every hair was reached, without slicking them all together. The finish is bold, with a thick lash line and volume throughout. I wouldn’t say it’s an everyday mascara (unless you’re one for a daily sweep of eyeshadow and liner) but it’s definitely a top pick for a night on the town.

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Benefit they’re real! magnet mascara

best mascara benefit they're real magnet indybest
  • Best: For height
  • Lash effect: Weightless lengthening and volume from the root
  • Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free: No
  • Shades: Black
  • Waterproof version available: No
  • Brush type: Zig zag extender brush with magnetically charged core
  • Why we love it
    • Takes lashes sky high
    • Adds volume
  • Take note
    • Big brush can cause product to catch on eyelid skin/surrounding eye
    • Lots of product on brush
    • Can smudge on under-eyes

Mascaras are among Benefit’s most iconic products and, as evidenced by my two Benefit inclusions here, they don’t let you down. The original they’re real mascara was my poison of choice as a late teen and I wasn’t actually familiar with the magnet edition, despite it being released back in 2021. Comparing the product on just one eye versus my naked lashes on the other, it was clear the unique, magnetically charged brush was working wonders. Despite coating my lashes with several layers of the formula, they weren’t weighed down. Rather, my lashes appeared tall, flicking upwards at the outer corners, for a sultry effect.

As the day wore on, those several coats did begin to smudge around my under eyes – something the original formula didn’t do – though, even with this, it didn’t appear as though the product had dissipated from the lashes themselves, leaving a glamorous finish from dawn until dusk.

  1.  £21 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Mascara FAQs

How to choose the right mascara for you

A good mascara won’t smudge and it won’t weigh down the lashes, right? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. While oil-based mascaras (waterproof mascaras usually fall into this category) are the best for height and curl, the natural oils on our skin can break down these formulas and cause them to flake or smudge around the eyes. Not to mention oil-based mascaras can be tricky to remove. On the flipside, water-based mascaras are gentler on sensitive eyes and easier to remove, but these formulas often weigh down the lashes, undoing any height gained from using a lash curler.

The solution? Tailor your mascara to your skin type and usage. For daily application, a water-based mascara will be less harsh on the lashes and easy to remove with most face washes, from micellar water to cream cleansers. For a night out on the town and a full face of glam, an oil-based mascara will give your eyes a dramatic fanned-out finish. For the oily skin types among us, just make sure to set the skin around your eyes with a loose powder.

As for brush types, most mascaras can be divided into two categories: fibre and plastic/silicone. In layman’s terms this essentially describes the fluffy, soft bristle-type wands versus the spiky hard ones. Each brand will likely have its own signature spoolie name but you can generally tell which category you’re dealing with just by looking at the wand.

What’s the difference between them? A fibre brush normally makes short work of volumising and creating a bold, feathery lash line. Meanwhile, plastic/silicone spoolies are the kings of definition and make accessing the ins and outs of your lashes feel easy, from the roots to the tips.

Top tips for making the most of your mascara

The shelf life of an average mascara is two to four months, so, to get the most out of it, follow these tips:

  • To avoid dry clumps of mascara, keep your brush clean. The best way to do this is by submerging it in warm water for five minutes. Similarly, if you find a wand you love, clean it and save it.
  • Do not pump your mascara – pumping adds more air to the tube, which causes it to dry out.
  • If you want your lashes to have full-on drama, we advise applying a primer, which helps to really get your mascara working.

The verdict: Mascaras

While it was a photo finish between Benefit’s fan fest mascara and Milk Makeup’s kush, the latter just pipped the former to the post, thanks to Milk’s ability to volumise, define and curl. The fan fest was a close second, and it’s the best mascara for fanned-out lashes as well as being the best waterproof mascara on test. Honourable mentions go to Maybelline’s great lash for its sheer affordability and wow-worthy results, as well as Givenchy’s l’interdit couture as a premium – but definitely worth it – pick for a wispy, fluttery finish.

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