Benefits: lengthening, lifting, volumizing | Waterproof?: no | Shades: 1 (Cuz I’m Black)
Best Thickening: Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang Mascara
Why it’s worth it: This smudge-proof mascara doesn’t just promise big, long lashes—it delivers. The lightweight yet intensely pigmented formula coats each lash flawlessly, giving you that bold, fluttery look without any heaviness. Infused with provitamin B5, it adds thickness and conditions your lashes to help strengthen them over time. It’s even tested to hold up for up to 36 hours (though, of course, we know you’d never skip your nightly skin-care routine, right?). But hypothetically, if you did want to roll out of bed and go, you’d still wake up with yesterday’s mascara smudge-free and looking effortlessly put-together.
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Tester feedback: “I almost always end up with smudged mascara (and eyeliner) along my lower lash line, but BadGal never strays down there—even when I’ve, ahem, on the rare occasion, fallen asleep with my makeup,” says commerce editor Sarah Han. “Even on a regular day of wear, it simply does what it sets out to do: lend some oomph to my teensy lashes without weighing them down.” Instead of Intense Black, Han reaches for Rebel Brown or Wild Plum for her preferred, more subtle look.
Benefits: thickening, conditioning, separating | Waterproof?: no, but available separately | Shades: 4 (Intense Black, Rebel Brown, Wild Plum, Power Blue)
Best Tubing: Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Why it’s worth it: If a swipe of mascara is all you need to feel put together, let us introduce you to your next obsession: Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara. When Tarte dropped its first-ever tubing mascara in 2022, it practically broke TikTok with its lengthening, volumizing, and curling abilities. Instead of piling on pigment, however, it creates lightweight “tubes” around each lash, delivering enviable length without the heaviness. While tubing mascaras aren’t waterproof, they wash off effortlessly with just water and a little pressure—to say the least, this one stays perfectly put until you want to take it off.
P.S. If you’re in the mood for more drama, the XL version of the original has the same conditioning, smudge-proof, and sweatproof formula, but takes length and volume to the next level—and it won a well-deserved 2024 Best of Beauty Award, too.
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Tester feedback: “I have a bad habit of rubbing my eyes throughout the day, so smudge-proof mascara is an absolute must, and Tartelette is perfect for this,” says senior director of audience development Lexi Herrick. “It extends my short lashes and gives them so much more volume, and is deeply resistant to any kind of smudge or smear. Combine that with the affordable price and this really is a mascara that packs a TON of value.”
