Key ingredients: isoparaffin, hydrogenated rosinate, glyceryl rosinate | Number of shades: 6
Best Splurge: Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara
Why it’s worth it: Sure, this mascara is on the higher end of the price scale, but you can always count on Chanel to deliver serious results. The Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara uses a conditioning, volumizing formula to create precisely separated lashes that can withstand anything that might lead to smudging (shout out to provitamin B5). We love how this formula is both super creamy and non-clumping—a combination you don’t find every day.
Key ingredients: eicosene copolymer, beeswax, rice bran wax | Number of shades: 1
Best for Working Out: Gen See Spectator Sport Mascara
Why it’s worth it: 2024 brought Gen See’s Spectator Sport Mascara its second Best of Beauty Award, and rightfully so. The formula presents as powdery (a part of its no-budge magic) and requires a couple of pumps of the brush into the tube to expose the product to oxygen to get things creamy. Apply a few swipes of this weather-withstanding, sob-safe mascara and bask in the length, volume, and pigment.
Tester feedback: “Unlike so many water-resistant mascaras, this one goes on weightlessly, with clump-free buildability,” contributing editor Marci Robin shared with Allure.
Key ingredients: panthenol | Number of shades: 4
Frequently Asked Questions
How are waterproof mascaras different from standard mascaras?
While standard mascaras do the trick in lengthening, volumizing, darkening, and separating your lashes, waterproof mascaras are better suited for long-wear and durability. “Waterproof mascaras are designed to be more resistant to running and smudging with tears and sweat, and some can even a day at the pool,” cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos tells Allure. “They often contain ingredients polymers that adhere strongly to lashes and create a water-resistant film.” Waterproof mascaras rely on film-forming copolymers, which help with flexibility, holding the eyelash’s curl, and boosting temperature resistance.
“Some waterproof mascaras are totally anhydrous, meaning they contain no water, so they dry differently and sometimes can take longer,” continues Dobos. “The unique, natural composition of beeswax makes it a useful ingredient in all mascaras but especially waterproof formulas.”
Are waterproof mascaras safe for your lashes?
Waterproof mascara itself is always safe for lashes, but the product tends to be more difficult to remove when it comes time to wash off your makeup, posing potential distress to your lashes. Dobos explains, “Your usual micellar water might not cut it. Rubbing and pulling at lashes can cause breakage or already loose lashes to come out.” But, not all hope is lost—the way in which you approach removal can make a difference.“Using a bi-phase or oil-based eye makeup remover helps reduce pulling or tugging at the delicate eye area to remove. Isohexadecane and silicones work to dissolve the tenacious polymer films,” Dobos adds.
How should I choose a waterproof mascara?
As always, your perfect-match-mascara depends on what you’re looking to get out of the product. Do you want a waterproof mascara that prioritizes lengthening? One that is especially heat-resistant? One that can withstand a day of water-sport practice? Look at the mascara’s description and ingredients before you head to checkout. “Some examples of ingredients to look for are Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, and VP/Eicosene Copolymer,” Dobos advises.
