Luxury mascaras may offer benefits that drugstore versions do not, according to previous HuffPost coverage. Differences in ingredients and brush design help higher-end mascaras elongate and add volume to lashes without clumping or excessive flaking. However, individual preferences vary, and drugstore mascaras can also deliver excellent results.
Expert-Recommended Luxury Mascaras
Merit Beauty Clean Lash Lengthening Mascara
Senior shopping writer Lourdes Avila Uribe praises Merit's mascara: "If you love a natural lash, this is about to become your go-to mascara. It's the ideal everyday lash-enhancer: clean, natural and slick. It looks like your own lashes, but infinitely better." She notes the brush gives a fluttery, feathery effect and the formula provides a shiny, wet look that won't smudge. It is easy to remove at the end of the day. Priced at $28.
Caliray Come Hell or High Water Tubing Mascara
Tubing mascaras contain polymers that wrap around lashes to lengthen and define, reducing smudging and flaking compared to traditional mascaras. Caliray's version is an Allure 2022 Best of Beauty award winner, designed to curl, add volume, and wash off with warm water. Available from $14 at Sephora.
Tarte Maneater Mascara
Makeup artist Aleksandra Ambrozy told HuffPost in 2018 that high-end mascaras perform "far more superior to drugstore ones." Her all-time favorite is Tarte's Maneater mascara, which provides "amazing buildable volume and length." Priced at $28.
Tarte Tartlette XL Tubing Mascara
This tubing mascara is a bestselling option at Sephora and an Allure 2024 Best of Beauty award winner. The formula contains peptides and biotin to lift, thicken, and condition lashes for a defined look. Available from $15.
Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara
Ambrozy previously recommended Dior's Diorshow Lash-Extension Effect mascara, now discontinued. The Diorshow Iconic Overcurl is a substitute designed for curling and volume, with a bent brush and nourishing jojoba esters. Priced at $35.
Benefit Badgal Bang Mascara
Former HuffPost writer Kristen Adaway shared that Benefit's Badgal Bang mascara made her lashes look long without smudging or irritation. "After multiple hours of wear, didn't smudge or give me the dreaded raccoon-eye effect," she said. Available from $16.
Lancôme Lash Idôle Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara
Ambrozy recommended Lancôme's discontinued Grandiose Extreme mascara; the Lash Idôle is a close match with a bent brush and ultra-tiny bristles for definition and length. Available from $16. A travel size is a good option for trying expensive formulas.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
This cult-favorite high-end mascara features an hourglass brush and curl-priming polymer formula for a dramatically fluttery look. Available from $16.
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara
This mascara reportedly increases lashes' curl by 35% and delivers an effortless smoldering eye with inky color and a defined brush. Available from $15.
Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara
A bestselling vegan tubing mascara with sensitive eye-friendly ingredients, offering results that live up to its name. Priced at $26.
Key Differences Between Drugstore and High-End Mascaras
Cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson explained that luxury mascaras use high-end ingredients that drugstore brands cannot afford. Fibers in high-end mascaras may adhere better to lashes because brands can afford more fibers or combinations. Brush design is equally important. Makeup artist Aleksandra Ambrozy noted that drugstore mascaras often fail to deliver length and volume without clumping compared to higher-end options. Price differences also stem from marketing, and parent companies may share formula elements across brands (e.g., L'Oreal owns Lancome and Maybelline). Comparing ingredients can reveal similarities.
