Truth is, the best drugstore mascara can be just as effective as its more expensive counterparts. Celebrity makeup artist Amrita Mehta emphasizes that the quality of mascaras boils down to compatibility rather than price. In today’s beauty landscape, drugstore brands invest significant effort into formulating diverse mascaras tailored to different lash types. They undergo extensive research, development, and testing—akin to luxury brands.
Vogue’s top picks:
- Best Overall: L’Oréal Voluminous Mascara, $11
- Best Volumizing: CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara, $13
- Best Falsies-Effect: Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara, $5
- Best Lengthening: Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara, $13
- Best Clean: Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer, $20
- Best Tubing: Milani Highly Rated Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara, $13
- Best Vegan: Pacifica Vegan Collagen Fluffy Lash Mascara, $16