If your natural lashes are looking limp, the best volumizing mascaras can help you achieve long, lush lashes so good, you won’t even have to consider extensions. These formulas often contain fibers that help elongate your fringe, plus nourishing ingredients like seed oils, vitamin E, and biotin to encourage thickness (no growth serum necessary). Over my career as a beauty editor, I’ve reviewed dozens of mascaras and tapped multiple makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts to narrow down the very best on the market. Here’s what caught our eyes (both literally and figuratively). Our overall top pick was the Maybelline Volum’ Express Falsies Volumizing, Washable Mascara because it’s under $10, it doesn’t clump and even though it’s not waterproof, it lasts through sweat, tears, and even sleep. We also included other best-selling products that really deliver.
Our top volumizing mascaras, at a glance
- Best Overall: Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Volumizing, Washable Mascara, $8
- Best Waterproof: L’Oréal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara, $10
- Best Drugstore: Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara, $4
- Best for Sensitive Eyes: Ilia Fullest Volumizing Mascara, $28
- Best for Short Lashes: Milk Makeup Kush High Volumizing Mascara, $28
How we chose the best volumizing mascaras
How we tested volumizing mascaras
We tested volumizing mascaras by evaluating their ingredients, how well they separated and elongated our lashes and longevity. We looked for mascaras that coated our lashes in just a few swipes, and added thickness to each lash, enhancing our eye makeup. We also looked for formulas that were budge-proof and lasted all day through sweat, environmental stressors—heck, even tears.
Meet the experts
- Nydia Figueroa, celebrity makeup artist
- Brielle Pollara, New-Jersey based makeup artist
All your volumizing mascara questions answered here
Best Overall: Maybelline Volum’ Express Falsies Volumizing, Washable Mascara
A favorite secret weapon of many makeup artists, this mascara is best known for its flexible, nearly 360-degree bended wand that acts almost like an eyelash curler, making it easy to bend and coat each individual lash.
“This is hands-down my favorite drugstore mascara and honestly better than many high-end mascaras I’ve tried—including luxury brands,” says Glamour commerce director Brie Schwartz. “It builds a full lash look that’s slightly less thick than other mascaras, but still dense and fluttery without being spidery or overly separated (check out the eye). Application is easy and clump-free, though as with many mascaras, a fresh tube can deposit a lot of product on the lashes at first, which can get clumpy. Once you’ve used it a few times, the formula hits its stride and applies perfectly. It’s also super forgiving—if you tend to get mascara everywhere during application (as I do), this one is easy to clean up without smudging. Most impressively, it lasts forever. I’ve put it on at 8 a.m., worn it through the day, slept in it (I know, I know), and even hit the gym the next morning—and while it doesn’t look perfect after all that, it never clumps, flakes, or fades completely. For a drugstore pick, it’s unbeatable.”
Best Lengthening: Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara
.png)
.png)
.png)
A favorite of Pollara’s, this mascara thickens and lengthens lashes but never flakes or smudges. The formula includes film-forming polymers (aka formula that solidifies) that help curl lashes and lock this shape in place, plus plumping peptides to give your lashes a more-full effect.
“Too Faced mascara can’t do any wrong in my book. It’s been one of my most trusted mascaras for volume. When I want more drama on my eyes, I use this mascara for a more full effect. The formula is a little bit heavier than most mascaras, so I would recommend using a lash comb to distribute product evenly and avoid a clumpy finish,” says Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle.
Best Drugstore: Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
“This mascara has been a kit staple of mine for a while because it adds volume and gives lashes a false-lash effect. It’s a great price point, which is important because I go through mascara so often. I love that it’s also waterproof, which is a plus for someone who wants their mascara to last all day,” says Figueroa.
And she’s not lying—it’s also a favorite of Glamour’s commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary. “I’ve been using this mascara for years, and I’ve never found anything else like it. It’s super lightweight on the lashes, and the brush is fluffy and thick, but picks up just the right amount of product. It simply never clumps or smears. I wore this outside on a 10-degree day in NYC when my eyes were tearing up from the cold, and it didn’t flake or move. It instantly makes my lashes look more separated, plush, and pillowy, and the best part is that it’s literally $5 and stays on up until you wash it off with a makeup remover!”
Best Waterproof: L’Oréal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara
.png)
.png)
“This is one of my favorite drugstore mascaras because it’s affordable and works really well to magnify the lashes. It never applies clumpy, but creates the thick, dramatic look you’ll want out of a volumizing mascara,” says Pollara.
Glamour’s Kilkeary is also a massive fan of this long-wearing formula because it literally doesn’t move. “I’ve applied this bad boy early in the a.m., and it doesn’t streak, smudge, flake, or move even 12 hours later when I get home. This one is always my go-to if I want something that won’t slide or smudge, especially if I’m running around New York and facing various temperature fluctuations between the hot subway and chilly winds.”
Best for Sensitive Eyes: Ilia Fullest Volumizing Mascara
.png)
.png)
.png)
If you have sensitive eyes, Pollara recommends this Ilia mascara. “The formula and hourglass shape of the brush work in conjunction to create a voluminous finish, and it’s formulated with provitamin B5 and arginine to promote stronger, healthier-looking lashes,” she says.
Glamour’s Calle likes that it doesn’t cause any irritation. “My eyes are very sensitive, and I wear contacts, which is why I can’t do lash extensions or wear fake lashes for long. Since I mainly stick to mascara, I try to look for ones that are gentle on my eyelid area. This one is great because I don’t have to worry about it causing any itchiness or redness—not even when I remove it. It adds just the right amount of volume for my everyday makeup.”
Best for Short Lashes: Milk Makeup Kush High Volumizing Mascara
.png)
.png)
.png)
“This mascara has the best brush to build volume and has fibers, which adds to making the lashes look thicker,” says Figueroa. She also loves layering this one for extra drama but says that it can hold its own for coating your lashes root to tip for a more natural look.
“For other women who are older like me, you’ll understand when I say I have hooded eyelids that are becoming even more hooded with each passing year. And I’m actually cool with that—trust me, I have earned these wrinkles. But for those moments when I want visibly long lashes that make my eyes pop, it can be hard to find a formula that can fight gravity. That’s where Milk Makeup’s Kush High Volumizing Mascara comes in,” says Glamour contributor Charlotte Twine. “I was happy to see that the formula created natural-looking, wispy, visibly long lashes that could hold the shape after using my Shu Uemura lash curler. The company promises, ‘The fluffy brush’s unique crisscross bristles catch and coat every lash to thicken from root to tip,’ and I found that to be the case. The lashes are separated and defined, giving more low-key vibes rather than evening vamp. And since most readers probably have longer lashes than mine (ones that actually point up in the first place), they may have even more dramatic results.”
Best Curling: Benefit Badgal Bounce Mascara
.png)
.png)
.png)
The name of this volumizing mascara doesn’t lie: it really does add bounce to lashes that look a little flat. It has a blend of flower extracts, rice wax, and provitamin B5 to help strengthen lashes and ensure they don’t flake or break.
“I’ve been using this mascara nonstop since I first tested it,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary. “I absolutely love the wand because it’s thin enough to get into every nook and cranny of your lashes, yet thick enough to disperse a decent amount of product. My lashes tend to be pretty flat, so I love how this formula is able to cling right onto them, lift and curl them right up. I actually found myself skipping my eyelash curler when using this. I’m a huge fan of the tube’s metallic pink hue; the color makes it easy for me to find in my makeup bag when I’m searching for it.”
Best Luxury: YSL Beauty Lash Clash Mascara
.png)
.png)
.png)
If you’re a mascara fiend and want to splurge on your next tube, look to this high-end mascara that’s probably the most pigmented formula on this list. The star element of this tube is its oversized and very fluffy brush that helps paint the pigment on each and every lash for complete coverage and fullness.
“I’m a member of the Short Lashes That Point Down Club. For the unfamiliar, this means that no matter how many highly recommended brands we try, they simply do not create the long, curly lashes that have been promised—even with a lash curler,” says Twine. “So obviously, I’m a little bit skeptical about mascaras, but I was surprisingly pleased with YSL’s Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara, which bills itself as having ‘highly pigmented black or brown color and 200% more volume with up to 24-hour smudgeproof wear’—and I can confirm that’s true.” Twine says the formula is so thick, it instantly dramatizes your eye look. “Plus—and this is crucial—it actually held the curl. I fell asleep with the Lash Clash on (hey, guys, don’t judge!), and when I woke up, it had hardly budged. So for readers who don’t have short, stumpy lashes like mine, I foresee long, swoon-worthy eye fringe in your future.”
Best for Growth: Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Volumizing Platinum Mascara
.png)
.png)
.png)
Figueroa recommends this mascara if you’re looking to help improve your lash health and growth. “It has a serum cocktail that includes biotin, which helps the lashes grow longer and thicker. I also love the brush because it grabs every single lash and it can build volume with each layer,” she says.
“I have a lot of trouble finding a good mascara that makes my short lashes stand out (although, they’re a bit longer than usual, thanks to RevitaLash serum). I hate super-clumpy, dramatic mascara that turns my eyes into bat wings—and really hate when the clumps smear or dot my contacts,” says Glamour commerce editor Malia Griggs. “That being said, I was surprised and pleased with Tarte’s newest mascara. It comes in a puffy silver tube (it’s not exactly space-saving, but it is pretty to look at) and has a thin brush with medium-thick bristles and a slightly tapered end. Its formula is on the thicker side—not Diorshow thick but not Glossier Lash Flick thin either. Somewhere in between. It glides on smoothly, clinging to each of my lashes individually, and they truly stand out. It’s not a subtle effect that I’d wear everyday, but there’s no smudging under my eyes, and my lashes really pop with volume. It’s clear I am wearing mascara, and sometimes that’s the look I want—for a dinner out with friends or a more formal event.”
Best Lifting Mascara: It Cosmetics Lash Blowout Mascara
This buildable mascara is a game changer if you feel like your lashes are droopy and straight. Glamour’s Kilkeary loves this pick because it does a nice job at separating lashes out and never clumps or sticks. “I seriously have never had an issue with too much pigment with this formula. It clings onto lashes like a magnet and gives you a full, thick fringe without anything clumping together,” she says.
Long-Lasting: Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Volumizing and Curling Mascara
Let’s be real—half the battle of finding the right mascara comes down to this question: Will it make it through your eight-hour work day? This volumizing and curling mascara does just that, and holds curls for a full day. This 2024 Glamour Beauty Award winner does just that.
“As someone who has tested mascaras for more than 25 years, I’ve narrowed my favorites down to a top five, and this one from Charlotte Tilbury is easily among the most volumizing I’ve ever tried,” says Schwartz. “I love a full, thick lash—not overly separated like a tubing mascara—and this delivers just that. It creates a bold, lush volume without clumping or feeling overly wet, though the wand does pick up a lot of product on the first use. A quick wipe-off solves that, making application much smoother. The curved applicator helps create a rounded, lifted effect, rather than a straight, spiky look, which I appreciate. The one downside? After a second coat, the formula can weigh lashes down, making them look a bit droopy. However, with one coat and an eyelash curler, it gives an open, full-lash effect that holds up beautifully.”
Your volumizing mascara questions, answered
What should you look for when shopping for a volumizing mascara?
When shopping for a volumizing mascara, Pollara recommends paying attention to the shape of the brush and bristles. “A crescent-shaped wand with densely packed bristles tends to work best for volumizing your lashes because it helps give them an elongated swoop. Volumizing formulas also often have thicker consistencies made up of waxes and fibers that will hold your lash curl in place, so look for those ingredients,” she says. Pro tip: Try the mini versions before you commit to a full-size.
What are your tips for adding volume to thin and sparse lashes?
“A great way to add volume to thin lashes is by taking your time when applying mascara. Start by looking straight in the mirror, and lean your head back while applying so that you can still see yourself to get to the root of the lash,” Figueroa says. Next, wiggle the wand at the base of your lashes and pull the brush outward and upward to fully coat your lashes. Using an ergonomic lash curler like the Surratt Relevee Lash Curler can also give your lashes the appearance of looking more curled and full, according to Pollara.
Any tips for making your eyes look bigger with mascara?
Mascaras can also make your eyes look bigger if you use certain application methods. Figueroa recommends using a technique called “mascara cocktailing,” which is using two different mascaras that do two different things to create your perfect lash. “Coat your lashes with a volumizing mascara, and then add a lengthening mascara on the outer ends of your lashes to give a lifted effect to the eyes and make them look wider and brighter.”
How to apply mascara on bottom lashes
The makeup artists we spoke to say less is more. “A big reason why it can be difficult to apply bottom mascara is because you’re using too much mascara. I would wipe a little back inside the tub so that it doesn’t come out oversaturated, and instead use the tip of the mascara wand vertically to coat your bottom lashes,” Figueroa says.
