The makeup I wear the least is also somehow the makeup I own the most of: mascara. I’ve always strived to get naturally lifted, fluttery lashes from a swipe of mascara, but instead my stubbornly straight, borderline downturned eyelashes fall flat in seconds. Add to that the dreaded raccoon eyes and smudging, and most days mascara wasn’t worth the effort.
Then, a few months ago I tried L’Oréal’s Voluminous Waterproof Mascara ($11) for the first time. It was truly the closest my lashes have ever come to looking like I’d always wanted them to: lifted, curled, fluttery—and to my surprise they looked just as plush (and clump-free) hours later. Since then it’s been a makeup drawer staple, but admittedly I’ve been swayed by big promises from viral (and more expensive) formulas, swearing they have the next best thing to lash extensions.
Last month I was getting ready for a wedding with one of those aforementioned formulas I was mentally willing to really work this time. Instead, this recently-purchased mascara left my lashes a complete mess, clumpy, heavy and dry. With no backup packed, I ran to the drugstore and grabbed L’Oréal’s Voluminous Waterproof Mascara. Throughout an outdoor summer wedding, my lashes rivaled falsies and never wavered.
Lesson learned. I’ve officially given up the search because L’Oréal’s Voluminous formula is the clear winner for the feathery lashes of my dreams. I’m not the only one who has come to the same conclusion—over 76,000 Amazon shoppers rate it a perfect five stars. “This mascara gives me the look of false lashes without having to wear false lashes,” says one reviewer. The same person also called out the “thick and dramatic look” it delivers with “just a few strokes.” “I have an extremely active lifestyle…this mascara has withstood it all,” notes a second fan. “Most waterproof mascara is flaky, irritating and you cannot build upon it. This is perfect,” raves a third. Another says, it “really extends [their] lashes with no extensions or curling.”
