Mascara is one of the best makeup tools in your arsenal to dramatically change your look and create a more polished appearance. The right mascara can take lashes that are short, light, straight, or sparse and transform them into a luscious, dramatic fringe that will turn heads wherever you go.
Because there are so many options, it can be hard to choose one that suits your needs. For a lot of people, it’s common to use multiple mascaras to achieve a specific look. However, if you want a single product to give you dream lashes, you should choose one from the list below.
1. Maybelline Lash Sensational
Price: $8.99
Maybelline has been making great mascaras since they launched their iconic pink tube of Great Lash in the 1970s.1
Lash Sensational is one of their most popular new offerings, and it’s easy to see why. The brush has a curved shape that features fanned-out bristles that are perfectly spaced to capture and lift every lash from root to tip. The formula is liquid enough to make it buildable, but it isn’t so wet that it smudges or clumps during application.
The curved brush is great for adding extra lift and length to lashes, and it helps to enhance and set any curl you’ve already applied. It can be purchased in both waterproof and non-waterproof formulas, and it is easy to remove regardless of which formula you choose.2
Benefits
- Buildable coverage
- Lengthens and volumizes
- Available in washable and waterproof
- Plastic, fanned-bristle brush
2. L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise
Price: $9.99
L’Oreal’s Voluminous Lash Paradise mascara has gained a huge cult following in a short amount of time. Many beauty gurus and makeup artists praise it for the gorgeous formula and application. The brush is soft, hourglass-shaped, and dense with wavy bristles that will coat your lashes in rich, dark pigment for a dramatic effect.3
This is the perfect mascara if you’re looking for a way to add intense volume to your lashes without spending a fortune. The formula is smooth and clump-free, and it dries to a soft, natural feel, so you don’t get flaky or crusty lashes as the day goes on.
Benefits
- Adds dramatic length and volume
- Extremely pigmented
- Lashes dry soft and natural
- Resistant to clumps and flaking
3. Urban Decay Troublemaker
Price: $15.00
Troublemaker is the newest mascara from Urban Decay, and it’s designed to deliver the darkest, thickest lash look of 2019. The mascara is formulated with vitamin E and panthenol to nourish your lashes, but it also contains special polymers that coat each eyelash with rich, black pigment that doesn’t flake, smudge, clump, or smear.
Urban Decay also specially designed the Troublemaker brush with precision hooked bristles that grab and comb your lashes with each stroke. The brush is able to fan and curl your lashes for a more dramatic effect.4
Benefits
- Hooked-bristle brush combs and separates lashes
- The special formula contains fibers and silica for added volume
- Rich, intense black pigment
- Lasts without smudging or smearing
4. Shu Uemura Petal Lash Mascara
Price: $29.00
This mascara may have a luxe price tag, but it is well worth the extra money if you are looking for a lightweight mascara that gives beautiful, lasting effects. Petal Lash is ideal for short or straight lashes, but anyone can use this mascara with great results.
This mascara is a volumizing, lacquer-style formula that helps to add length to short lashes and set the curl of straight lashes. It’s intended to be “petal light,” so it doesn’t weigh down any lift or curl you’ve achieved, and it’s flexible enough to keep your lashes looking and feeling natural.
The curved brush is made up of short, crossed bristles that are able to catch even the shortest, finest lashes at the root and coat them flawlessly.5
Benefits
- Lightweight, flexible formula
- Ideal for short or straight lashes
- Budge-proof formula resists “raccoon eye”
- Won’t weigh down the lash curl
5. Dior Diorshow
Price: $29.50
Whether you want your lashes to be black as night or a more natural deep brown, Diorshow delivers. This might be the most high-dollar product on the list, but this is a luxury mascara that definitely lives up to its price tag.
It’s billed as a “buildable, professional lengthening mascara” and promises a lash extension effect. This is the mascara that makeup artists use and love because of its combination of lash-loving ingredients and smooth, microfiber formula. This allows you to build up from a natural, everyday eye look to head-turning drama with just a few swipes. It also contains Dior’s signature rose essence for a truly luxe experience.6
Diorshow really shines with the packaging as well. The tube utilizes Dior’s patented AIR-LOCK wiping system that keeps the brush from getting too wet or clumpy, and it also helps to keep your mascara day-one fresh throughout the life of the tube.
Benefits
- Available in multiple colors
- Microfiber-enhanced for bold lashes
- Nourishing formula enriched with rose essence
- Paraben-free
- Packaging keeps product fresh longer
Elevate Your Look for 2019
The mascaras featured in this roundup all make the cut because they are high-quality formulas that deliver consistently beautiful results. Each one has the ability to take your lashes from drab to drama without irritating your eyes or smudging after a long day.
This year, you should resolve to elevate your appearance with a great mascara. The right mascara is the perfect tool to pull your look together and give you an extra boost of confidence regardless of what you’re doing.
