I’m a firm believer that mascara is one of the places in your makeup routine that you absolutely do not need to invest heavily in. Some of the best mascaras I have tried and continue to repurchase have been available on the high street or when I’m doing my food shop. I have long, straight lashes, so I always curl them before applying mascara. I’ve found that the best affordable mascaras will hold the curl all day and won’t droop or crumble off. Of course, no mascara is perfect (except maybe one—we’ll get to that), so below, I’ve noted the pros and any cons with each mascara pick.
If you have short or curled lashes, look out for mascaras that have a plastic brush. These seem to work best for lengthening and gripping shorter lashes without leaving an imprint on your lid, a nightmare if you’ve already done your eye shadow or liner. Fibrous bristle brushes are great for loading volume onto your lashes. So if you are happy with the length but want them to look fluttery and full, this kind of brush is your best option.
Below are my picks of the best high-street mascaras across the board.
This was one of the first mascaras that I actually loved. The difference it makes to the length of your lashes is incredible, and it contains a Grow-Lash Complex to nourish your eyelashes and help them lengthen sans mascara, too. It’s all about lengthening here, so not for you if you want any noticeable volume.
Looking for fanned-out lashes? This separates lashes and holds them in place. It’s great for adding flutter but not length.
Light volume is the best way I could describe this mascara. The formula is whipped, so it gives a generous dose of flutter to the lashes. I recommend two coats maximum though before it starts to clump up.
With 250 natural bristles on this mascara wand, you can definitely coat every single lash. It also contains jojoba oil for nourishing the lashes too.
The small brush is perfect for top and bottom lashes, and you can really create lift by getting right to the root of the lash comfortably. I would opt for this one for length rather than volume.
I would say, right now, this is my favourite high-street mascara. The length you can achieve is incredible, and while it doesn’t create lots of volume, because it catches the little lashes, it really is an all-round winner.
If curl is your top priority, this is an excellent choice. The curved brush grips your lashes to coat them and give 24-hour hold. I haven’t ever worn it for a full 24 hours, but for a solid 12 hours, it didn’t budge.
You can layer this up to six times, and it remains clump-free. That’s how light the formula is. I would say this is less of a wow impact, but for natural, fluttery, everyday wear, it creates good volume and length.
The brush for this is really traditional and good for natural, everyday volume. While it’s not groundbreaking, it doesn’t clump (a real mascara pet peeve of mine), and the formula lasts all day.
If I had to describe this mascara in two words, it would be enviable length. The plastic bristles are almost nonexistent, but it makes it easier to lift from the root of the lash. This isn’t a mascara to layer up, though, as the result will be clumpy.
Fluttery lashes are the MO with this mascara. It curls and separates for that doe-eyed look, but don’t expect tons of length here.
A dupe for the cult-favourite Benefit mascara, this provides length and volume in abundance. The bristles at the tip of the brush can be used for the inner corner and bottom lashes too.
The tiny bristles on this plastic wand give the shortest lashes new length. The formula sets quickly, but layering more than two coats does result in a little bit of clumping up. Next up, the very best cream eye shadows.
