If there were a deserted island for every mascara that people claim they would bring with them if stranded, you'd have to start searching for more ocean. (Jury's still out on whether long, fluttery eyelashes could actually constitute as an effective SOS plan.)
Still, in a sea of formulas that each promises to lengthen, curl, or bulk yours up, choosing the right mascara for you can feel like a treasure hunt. So we asked POPSUGAR beauty editors to share the tubes they'd swim to shore with. Ahoy is right.
It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara
Editor's pick: It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara [1] ($24)
The Results
"In the same way art collectors can appreciate a good watercolour painting, every day I thank all that is holy for great mascaras. I used to think I could play the product field in this department, but after I hurriedly left my apartment without applying my go-to It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara [2], I realised there was no other formula in our beauty closet that delivered the same volume, pigment, and false lash-effect. You better believe I'll be holding my very last tube tight, because you never really know what you've got until it's gone." — Kelsey Castañon, senior beauty editor
Tarte Light, Camera, Lashes Mascara
Editor's pick: Tarte Light, Camera, Lashes Mascara [3] ($23)
The Results
"I have decent-length eyelashes, but they are so fine you can barely see them. So when I use mascara I look for formulas that lengthen and volumize. I've recently gone through a tube of Tarte's Light, Camera, Lashes [4] and now I'm wondering why I hadn't tried it sooner. The pointed wand and tight bristles grip my lashes and give them a nice curl without having to use a lash curler — which I am terrified of, BTW. The formula also makes my average-length lashes noticeably longer. A few days ago, a friend of mine asked me which falsies I was wearing, but it was really just three good coats of this mascara— guess you can say the proof is in the pudding." — Aimee Simeon, assistant beauty editor
Milk Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara
Editor's Pick: Milk Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara [5] ($24)
Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara
Editor's pick: Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara [6]($29)
The Results
"My new favourite is Hourglass's Caution Extreme Mascara [7]. It promises 400% more volume, which, let's be honest, seems like a major marketing gimmick, but take a look at my lashes. They're thicc, as the children say. There are a lot of things to love about this mascara: the wand is the perfect shape, so it gets every tiny lash and coating the tips without having to worry about it transferring to your lid. It's great for lower lashes for this reason as well. My lashes become thicker, not clumpy, and the formula isn't unnecessarily wet or too dry: it's the perfect consistency to coat, thicken and separate." — Kirbie Johnson, host and sr. reporter
The Results
"Mascaras expire after three to four months, and I just hit that sad milestone with my Milk Makeup KUSH Mascara [8]. Before I run off to Sephora and buy a new one (or five), I intend to give this little guy a Viking funeral to commemorate how much he meant to my lashes. I love that I can apply it without a mirror and still get a lifted-but-natural look every time. An added bonus? The formula is made with CBD oil (hence, Kush), not beeswax, which means it's vegan." — Alaina Demopoulos, beauty writer
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
Editor's Pick: Urban Decay Perversion Mascara [9] ($24)
The Results
"I love how black the Urban Decay Perversion Mascara [10]'s pigment is. It makes my lashes look miles-long and adds just the right amount of volume without being clumpy. When I want extra oomph, I layer it over Urban Decay Subversion Lash Primer [11] ($22) which gives the formula even more oomph." –Sarah Siegel, assistant editor, beauty and shop
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Volume Plumping Mascara
Editor's pick: Neutrogena [12] Hydro Boost Volume Plumping Mascara [13] ($7)
The Results
"Once upon a time, Neutrogena sent me a big ol' box of Hydro Boost [14] products — never in a million years would I have thought my favourite item from the skincare line would be the mascara. The Hydro Boost Volume Plumping Mascara [15] ($7) formula contains the same moisture punch, complete with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and keratin. Can't argue with these sky-high results." — Maggie Panos, Voices editor
Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket
Editor's pick: Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket in Blackest Black [16] ($8)
The Results
"This mascara completely transforms my eyelashes. I love the long, full, clump-free look and this tube has never disappointed. In fact, I regularly get asked if my lashes are fake when I'm wearing this formula -- people can't believe they're real." — Kathleen Harper, associate native fashion editor
Tarte Maneater Voluptuous Mascara
Editor's pick: Tarte Maneater Voluptuous Mascara [17] ($23)
The Results
"My all-time favourite mascara is Tarte's Maneater [18]. Although this hasn't been around as long as many of the greats, it changed my beauty routine the moment I swiped it on. The brush has hundreds of flexible bristles that work to lift, curl, and elongate every lash. Maneater has a triple-black formula that gives my lashes so much volume without any clumps or flaking. I'll buy it again and again." — Erin Collum, assistant editor, trending and viral features
Covergirl The SuperSizer Mascara
Editor's pick: CoverGirl The Super Sizer Mascara [19] ($7)
The Results
"I was convinced that drugstore mascaras were second tier, until I tried Covergirl's The SuperSizer [20]. I like my lashes to have both length and volume; this mascara makes them stand out without feeling clumpy or like I need falsies. Also, it doesn't leave the dreaded under-eye runoff. I'm officially a drugstore convert, but only for this teal tube." — India Yaffe, editorial assistant, shop