The 23 Best Drugstore Mascaras, According to Glamour Editors

Finding a great clean mascara—one that actually gives you volume without running down your face 15 minutes later—is hard. Getting that at the drugstore? It's impossible…or at least it was until CoverGirl released a clean, vegan version of its famous LashBlast mascara. It's got everything you love from the original formula—the crazy length, the fluffy brush, the precise definition—without any parabens, sulfates, talc, or mineral oil. Game changer. —L.S.

Let's be real, the first thing that drew me to this mascara was the name—Bambi is the ultimate doe-eyed icon in my book—but it's not just good marketing. Where this mascara truly stands out is the brush, which has a mix of long and short bristles to grab every lash. After one swipe, I was wowed. It fanned out my lashes so they were super fluttery, and the brush made it seem like I have double the lashes I actually do—giving me the doll eyes of my dreams in seconds. —Bella Cacciatore, beauty associate

If I could use only one drugstore mascara for the rest of my life, it'd be this Glamour Beauty Award winner. In my own words, it's the best cheap mascara on the market. For a mere $9, my lashes look lifted and fuller, thanks to this fiber-infused formula, which comes in three different shades of black, depending on the intensity you want. If you're obsessed with lash lifts, consider this your new go-to. —Talia Gutierrez, beauty assistant

Usually I find that wiry brushes are great for length but hardly do anything for volume. This is one of those rarities that actually manage to give both, thanks to the fact that the brush bends as you glide it—letting it grab each and every tiny lash along the way. The formula, which is infused with bamboo extract and fibers, is also super comfortable and doesn't budge a millimeter once it's on. —L.S. 

I cannot emphasize enough how much the wand looks like every other mascara wand on the market, with nary a bell or whistle in sight. One coat seems normal, with some length and darkening, but no more than any other mascara. But if you keep going, it builds and builds, and then you have seriously stunning, brow-grazing results. Don't believe me? Just look at these photos. —B.C.

This formula is so light-as-air it might as well be whipped. Seriously, I didn't know it was possible for a mascara to feel like nothing on your lashes. Don't think that means it doesn't do anything though, because the second you wiggle the brush through, it transforms even the stubbiest lashes into long, full, fluttery ones. So if you find most formulas weigh your lashes down, this is the one you need to try. —L.S.

I’m the kind of person who has to curl their eyelashes before applying mascara, and this one from Maybelline is one of the rare few that are great for holding those curls in place. My preferred technique is to wiggle the bristles into the base of my lashes, and then if I want a little lift, I’ll gently stamp them against my waterline. Drama, drama, drama! —Talia Abbas, commerce writer

This is my absolute favorite drugstore mascara. I love watching my eyelashes build to baby-doll-like proportions with tons of separation and volume. The brush perfectly reaches each and every lash–even the elusive shorter inner lashes. It's a nonnegotiable for anyone on the hunt for an instantly fluffy look. —Brionna Jimerson, associate social media manager

You know a waterproof mascara is The Good Stuff when it can last through an entire Nicholas Sparks movie, which is exactly what this drugstore formula did. The thin brush hooks on to every individual lash, giving you really fanned-out lashes. It didn't even clump when (spoiler) a major character in The Best of Me dies. —Anna Moeslein, senior editor

I’ve always considered L’Oréal Telescopic my little secret, since it’s much less flashy than other drugstore mascaras. Imagine my surprise then when I started seeing it pop up all over TikTok. While its packaging is unassuming, its tiny brush manages to coat every single one of my stubby lashes and makes them long and fluttery. Although it's advertised as a lengthening mascara, Telescopic also adds some drama and makes my lashes look full and thick. It's never flaked or smudged on me, and I will love it forever. —B.C.

I have two criteria for waterproof mascara: ultra definition and unmovable staying power. I check off both boxes with Revlon's Volume + Length Magnified Mascara, which I restock on every other Target run during the summer. It's beach-proof, shower-proof, and crying-over-a-breakup-proof (yep, I know from experience), with a brush that carefully defines my lashes as well as premium brand mascaras I've tried. While the formula can stay put through just about any splash-zone situation and melting-hot summer commutes to work, it comes off easily with an oil-based eye-makeup remover at the end of the day. —Halie LeSavage, weekend writer

I feel like a naked mole rat (google it) without mascara, so I don't leave the house without it. This one adds volume and color and makes my lashes look thicker without adding length. (I already use an eyelash serum, so a lengthening mascara on top of that makes my lashes look like spider legs.) It glides on smoothly and evenly and stays put—no smudges or flakes—until I decide it’s coming off. —Kim Fusaro, branded content director

So many mascaras leave my lashes looking short and clumpy. But this one is made without wax—a first for Maybelline, actually—so all you get is really intense pigment that makes your lashes look longer and darker. I also really like the curved shape of the brush: It grabs every lash at once, separating them as you swipe. —Marla Goller, senior video producer

This mascara took home the W from our Glamour Beauty Awards in 2019. Its two-step formula, which features a black primer on one side and a fiber booster on the other, lets you create lashes with an equal amount of volume and length. One of our judges even said it rivals the best falsies. I can wholeheartedly confirm. —T.A.

My eyelash pet peeve is clumping, and as someone with short lashes, I need to be able to build with a brush that separates. I’ve tried all types of mascaras (both high-end and drugstore), but I swear this is the best brush around. —Madeline Hirsch, senior social media manager

Yes, Burt's Bees makes more than just lip balm. I purchased this nourishing jojoba-oil-infused tube of mascara for the first time on a whim (during my usual late-night stroll through Target). Basically sold after reading “long-lasting and instant definition” on the packaging, I'll continue to rave about the bargain you're getting on a 100% natural, lash-conditioning mascara. —T.G.

I’m very particular about the mascara that I use. It can’t be too wet or make my eyelashes feel heavy, and the wand can’t be so big that I accidentally stab myself in the eye because of the size. To get the best of both worlds, I usually aim for a mascara with a small wand and wait for the formula to dry out. Then I took a chance on this mascara and haven't looked back. Straight out of the box, it has a formula that’s more on the dry side and lightweight on my eyelashes. The shape of the bottle and the small wand also make sure that just the right amount of product coats my lashes. The fact that the handle is bendable is an added bonus. —Khaliha Hawkins, producer

It doesn’t take much to make me cry: a viral “random act of kindness” tweet, the first three bars of any song from Les Misérables, a random text from my tween brother, you get the idea. There’s a 50% chance that I’m weeping or close to it at all times; thus strong waterproof mascara is a must in my beauty routine. CoverGirl’s new Exhibitionist mascara is the best of the tear-free bunch I’ve tried this year. Not only is it a waterproof mascara that held up through the final scene of A Star Is Born (twice), but it’s the easiest-to-apply mascara out there. Just two coats give me natural, feathery lashes. —H.L.

Maybe it’s because I grew up near the beach, maybe it’s because I sleep through three alarms every morning, but I use very little makeup most days. A pump of CC cream and a coat of mascara is all I need to get out the door. Enter: Maybelline's Full 'N Soft mascara. The formula is hypoallergenic, so it doesn't bug my dry eyes, and the wand adds volume without caking up my lashes (hence the "Full N' Soft"). —Shanna Shipin, commerce editor

A good primer makes all the difference when applying mascara, at least for my short eyelashes. This lightweight conditioner and primer delivers both volume and length to each lash without feeling heaving—or worse, leaving clumpy white bits behind. —T.G.

Why fix what's not broken? It's been my mom's fave for decades and was the very first mascara I ever tried. The wand is small but mighty. It gives you long lashes but still looks subtle. The neon packaging is a throwback, but that's what makes me love it even more. —Erin Parker, commerce writer