The 35 Best Mascaras Of All Time, From Drugstore Classics To Celebrity Favorites

Having amassed more reviews than any other mascara on Sephora (some 15,000, that is, and about half of them are five-star), Too Faced's Better Than Sex lash enhancer is pretty much a unanimous favorite. The long-lasting, jet-black, clump-free formula has acquired its own cult following and given birth to a slew of dupes. The only negative? It doesn't come in softer shades.

If Better Than Sex is the be-all-end-all of mascaras, then this Benefit Cosmetics best-seller is most definitely the runner-up. Tracee Ellis Ross uses it to achieve her signature "sexy bedroom eye," according to her Vogue Beauty Secrets video. "It's the brush," she says.

Less than five years after launching, Milk Makeup has already obtained saint-like status with its Kush collection, whose star ingredient is cannabis sativa seed (hempseed) oil. This ultra-conditioning, hydrating mascara is the highlight of the lineup.

Lancôme's Définicils mascara qualifies as "iconic." It has maintained its relevance for decades, even throughout every internet-breaking Kardashian launch. Nearly 1,800 people have given it five stars on Nordstrom.

Certified clump-resistant and sensitive eyes-approved, Buxom's beloved mascara doesn't need an extraordinary name or any other bells or whistles to get people's attention. It features a flexible, hourglass brush whose tightly packed bristles give each individual lash attention. You can get right to the root without smudging.

If you aren't wearing falsies, this is the next best thing. It comes with a special Snowflakes brush that combines short and long bristles to lift and plump.

Dior's Diorshow Mascara is so luxe that it's packaged in a patented air-locking tube that prevents oxygen from getting in and drying out the formula. That means you’ll get the perfect consistency every time you use it.

Nearly 4,000 people have given It Cosmetics' best-selling formula five stars on Ulta, including countless who tout it as the best mascara ever. Its ability to lengthen like Mrs. Incredible is its number one superpower.

For $5, you probably don't need much convincing that Essence's falsie-mimicking mascara is worth the money. But in case you do, it's the number-one best-selling mascara on Amazon, boasting more than 130,000 five-star ratings.

For thick, full, reach-the-sky lashes, Monsieur Big delivers. The younger sibling of Lancôme's Définicils mascara is the answer to all who begged the brand to make their iconic formula waterproof.

What makes this fan-favorite so special, you ask? Special enough to warrant yet another mention of Benefit Cosmetics in this list, that is. It's all in the Hook 'n' Roll brush, which grabs, lifts, separates, and curls all at once.

You see this familiar package every time you peruse the makeup aisles in drugstores, probably because it takes up the most shelf space with its 12-color range. It has been called a knockoff of Diorshow, but the many celebrities who openly adore it don't seem to mind.

Of course, not all mascaras are black, and this best-of list deserves a pop of color. ColourPop's unconventional BFF Mascara comes in eight hues, including white, coral, and cobalt blue in addition to your standard blacks and browns.

Urban Decay's Perversion line is a partnership between a super-fine eye pen (the key to a sharp cat-eye, many say) and this makeup artist-favorite mascara. The brand credits its creamy formula for the intense color it provides.

This mascara bills itself as “legendary,” and based on its celeb and makeup artist fan club, it seems to live up to the hype. It’s not even waterproof, but with this kind of staying power, it might as well be.

It's hard to believe that such a full-bodied lash could come of a light-as-a-feather formula, but NARS' Climax Mascara is magic like that. It's perhaps the most explosive when paired with the brand's Orgasm Blush.

Described by the brand as a push-up bra for your lashes, Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes formula has earned more than 100,000 “loves” on Sephora. Reviewers tout its easy application and lengthening abilities as its star qualities.

If there were a single most iconic mascara of all time, Maybelline's Great Lash variety would be it. Its lime-green-and-salmon-colored tube is easily the most recognizable beauty product in history. Its water-based formula was groundbreaking in the '70s and is still widely worshipped today.

With words like "huge" and "extreme" literally in the name, you can bet this mascara will give you the sort of va-va-voom lashes that at one time only lash extensions could provide. The brand describes its rich pigment as "ink-like," but don't let that fool you into thinking it's thick and heavy.

For serious — like, Teresa Giudice-level — drama, reach for Pat McGrath Labs' peptide-packed FetishEyes, the only permanent mascara in the brand's expansive makeup range. It goes especially well with her many palettes and delivers optimal fullness with just one coat.

The product itself refuses to clump, flake, or smudge — the holy trinity for any mascara, much less one you can find at CVS. And the covetable fan effect that its barrel brush creates makes this CoverGirl gem worth worlds more than what it actually sells for and one of the very best bang-for-your-buck mascaras of all time.

Hot on the mascara scene, Thrive Causemetics' Liquid Lash Extensions became an immediate Instagram sensation when it launched in 2017. Better yet, the brand donates a portion of every purchase to various nonprofit organizations that focus on helping women thrive.

If chemical-packed mascaras make your lashes fall out, this is the one for you. Featuring ultra-nourishing jojoba oil and a built-in primer, Kevyn Aucoin's volumizing mascara is sensitive eye-approved.

If it gets Jessica Alba's clean beauty approval, then you know it must be veritably squeaky. This two-in-one mascara doubles as a lash primer and, well, it's about time you started using one of those.

A fiber mascara is made with microscopic fibers like nylon and silk that stick to your lashes and make them appear fuller. Glossier is highly skilled in this variety, and though it's not technically waterproof, its Lash Slick is smudge-proof enough to sustain emotional therapy sessions, according to one reviewer.

Some mascaras just don't live up to their waterproof name. This drugstore gem is different. Trust famous Peloton instructor Emma Lovewell, who told The Cut it "never runs."

Makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury once told Glamour that she "used to cocktail up to five mascaras" to get the volume, length, curl, separation, and drama she wanted. That's why the makeup artist designed her Full Fat Lashes Mascara: It's a one-stop shop.

Another newbie, Wander Beauty's Mile High Club mascara is different because A) its innovative lip gloss-resembling package and B) the fact that it can do eight things: lift, volumize, lengthen, strengthen, nourish, and so forth. It won a wealth of beauty awards in 2019.

What makes this mascara worth its namesake hype is that it's thin (and clump-resistant) enough to apply layer after layer, because who on earth stops after just one coat?

A splurge, yes, but Tom Ford's Extreme Eye Bad Ass Mascara is gaining major traction, mostly for its wand. The bristles are shorter than normal and more spread apart, giving you access to more hard-to-reach places.

You get mascaras that nourish and other ones that lengthen, but this two-in-one wonder does both (and it seriously does deliver on its claim). The dual sides make it possible to focus on one task at a time.

No falsies? No curler? No problem if you happen to have this multitasking mascara on hand. In fact, it's the one Kendall Jenner swears by, according to Us Weekly, so it must be darn good.

Those who weren't blessed by the lash gods may have little to work with, but that's OK, according to this consistent chart-topper — you can still get those coveted ultra voluminous lashes. After one coat of this, nobody will even know how deficient your lash line might be.

Amidst your familiar drugstore classics, this offbeat French formula is a standout in Amazon's best-of lineup, with almost as many reviews as (and a similar overall rating as) CoverGirl's LashBlast Volume Mascara.

Many will argue that nothing could possibly top Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara — not even another version by the very same brand — but Damn Girl! simply shouldn't be compared to its homecoming queen sister because the two couldn't be more different. The creamy mousse yields an inky finish that lasts 24 hours, in case you'd ever want to wear it for that long.