2017 BEST Drugstore Mascaras – Big Blog
Hope everyone is having a great week – whether you have snow, rain or sunshine right now! 🙂
I’ve researched and selected some of the 11 highest-rated (by consumers online as well as beauty magazine and web site ‘best of‘ articles), affordable, drugstore MASCARAS for 2017 to review for you here. However, if I’ve left off your favorite, or one you have been meaning to investigate, please let me know and I’ll add it to my list to review soon.
I tried all of these mascaras over a two week period, and purchased them in a few shopping trips to make sure I was including all the ones that beauty users prefer.
Some days, I even used two different mascaras (one for each eye) to test more in a shorter amount of time and get better comparisons. 🙂
I’m not ruling any of these out, as different formulas work for different people, depending on things like natural lash length, sensitivities and skin type (to name a few). But, the ones I have marked as my *favorites worked best for me and are mascaras I would recommend.
And, I’ve created a drawing for each mascara so you can see how they look on lashes!!!
This list is alphabetical by brand:
Color: black – also comes in blackest black and black waterproof
Promised result: Exclusive anti-breakage, pro-vitamin formula reduces breakage and strengthens lashes. Gives instant longer, all day wear, clump-free lashes
Wand: straight, fast bristled wand with ‘soft-touch’ brush that reaches very lash in one coat
I liked the soft, long fiber bristles of this brush, but did find that the mascara bled a bit under my eyes during the day (which is something I’ve got to watch for with naturally more oily skin). Although I think I need to give this one more of a chance to see if, with continued use, it does make lashes stronger and more resistant to breakage.
Color: very black – also comes in black, black brown and brown
Promised result: 200% more volume and zero clumps
Wand:’double-sided’ medium long, curved, plastic wand with micro bristles all around.
I was able to find this mascara packaged with a free Perfect Point Plus black eyeliner, which was nice bonus. The curved (a little hard to see in the pictures) wand for this mascara really helped to separate lashes that had no clumps and no bleeding. Although it didn’t give me the longest lashes of these options, this one was one of my favorites.
Color: very black – also comes in black, black brown and brown
Promised result: both build-able volume AND length
Wand: straight, medium-long wand with micro plastic bristles all around the sides, some tapering at the very end
Fusion is able to give lashes more length with its ‘fiber stretch formula,’
that also helps with thickness. Its buildable too, so using more than one swipe will work to accentuate both length and thickness (even though it advertises that you can attain both attributes with just one swipe).
I really liked this mascara and the way it made my lashes look.
color: very black, also comes in black and black brown
promised result: 400% corner-to-corner volume for fanned out, full lashes
wand: ‘lash styler’- medium long cylinder wand tip with very small straight plastic bristles that are slightly graduated in length
The great thing about this mascara is that it will work well even on smaller lashes because it is able to grab and coat every lash with the small, precise teeth on the wand tip. And, with several coats you can build length as well as dense volume.
The Super Sizer has been rated highly since its debut in 2015. Its fine for contact lens wearers and a very good waterproof version that is easy to wash off with soap and water (without the clumping problems that some other waterproof mascaras seem to have).
- *TELESCOPIC Original (gold tube) and Carbon Black (black tube) – L’Oreal Paris
Color: Original is blackest black – also comes in black brown and black
Carbon Black only comes in that color (a deep black with a slight blue to make it darker than the regular black)
Promised result: intense length, lash by lash separation, and no clumps, 60% longer lashes
Wand: each of these wands is a long square flexible plastic, with tiny plastic teeth along each of the four corners
The L’Oreal Telescopic mascaras have been around for a number of years now, and have been one of my go-to mascaras since they hit the market. These always deliver on length and I usually choose one of them when I’m short on time and need to toss a mascara in my purse that I know will deliver.
Both are okay for sensitive eyes as well as contact lens wearers.
Color: black/noir
Promised result: instant volume and ‘ferocious’ full glossy lash density
Wand: straight, medium long plastic wand with straight mini bristles all around
*bonus shot – my ferocious feline:
Raven
This one did provide a ton of volume, but it seemed a bit goopy and I had some under eye bleed. btw – this one is the waterproof version, and I did find that the washable version rated better overall with online reviews (so, will give it another try some time with the washable version).
Color: blackest black, also comes in very black and brownish black
Promised result: scoops and lifts lashes from root to tip for dramatic volume and lift – no need to use a curler
Wand: shorter, plastic tip with all-around ‘cup-shaped’ bristles (although in reality the actual bristles seem to have a little less emphasized cup detailing than the close-up picture on the packaging)
This mascara really does bring the drama, for long, thick lashes. The washable formula is very creamy and seems to stay put pretty well. Overall, I like this mascara very well!
I did find that people either love or hate it and that there were some complaints about clumping, but I didn’t have any problems with that.
color: blackest black
promised result: lifts and plumps from the roots for a voluminous, dramatic winged arc effect
wand: slightly curved longer plastic tip with graduated micro-plastic bristles on just one side
I had such positive results with the Push up Drama, that I also had to get this one. It is great at lifting and separating lashes, and I like that it has the bristles just on one side of the curved wand tip.
Push up Angel was consistently rated higher than Push Up Drama, and I think I agree because of its ability to keep lashes long and separated.
Good job L’Oreal! – these two mascaras are really fabulous for more dramatic eye lashes (long, lifted lashes are great any time of the day).
color: black, also comes in blackest black, blackened brown and blackest black waterproof
promised result: amplified volume and length with a high shine black fiber formula
wand: unique square shaped bristle ends are supposed to anchor color to lashes with a ‘magnifying lash brush’
Honestly, I was not that impressed with this selection and did not feel that it did very much for my lashes. It seems a little dry and I was not able to get much volume or length even with three coats. Coincidentally, this is probably the least expensive option in this post.
If this is a mascara that you have had great results with, I would love to hear your experience. I chose this one because, like the others, it received pretty consistent positive reviews – so I know some ladies are having good results with it.
The square brush is one of the only I’ve seen and the tube itself is unusual because it tapers on the sides (making it easier to grip).
color: black, also comes in extreme black
promised result: ‘Defy-Gravity’ brush plumps every lash for 12x volume and 70% more lift
wand: medium-long, curved, fat brush with soft fiber bristles
The fibers on this brush are huge!, compared to others. I found that it needed several coats to really get some length, however it does seem to curve lashes as advertised. And, the black is pleasantly intense.
Are you still with me?! That was a ton of mascaras, for one post. Please comment with your favorite drugstore mascara choice – so I can see how these really pan out for others.
xoxo,
Jen
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Ooh great reviews!!! Your drawings are amazing:) You’re so talented!!
Thank you tons, Lauren!! So glad you stopped by.
Have a gorgeous weekend!