The 13 Best Lengthening Mascaras of 2024

Best Overall

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara

View On Thrivecausemetics.com

If you want big, bold, long lashes, there’s no better mascara than Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara. There are many reasons why this pick stands out from the rest, but the main reason is how it lengthens. Many formulas use powder pigments to build upon natural lashes, but those are also prone to flaking. This one, on the other hand, acts like a tubing mascara — coating each lash from root to tip and building upon the hair with flake-free tubing technology.

In addition to offering wow-worthy length, this mascara’s fibrous tubes also hydrate and condition lashes with the help of shea butter, castor seed oil, and orchid stem cell complex, so it makes lashes prettier (and stronger) from the inside out. Even with the powerhouse formula, we never felt that it weighed our lashes down. Instead, this offered a weightless, falsie-level flutter.

Best of all, unlike so many tubing mascaras, the Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara is so easy to remove. We only needed a splash of water — not even a heavy-duty makeup remover — for the remnants to dissolve. While this might make you think the formula would be prone to smudging, we were thoroughly impressed that we didn’t experience any flakes, smudges, or running after a full day. 

One little word to the wise, though: We could apply all the coats we wanted, but we had to do so while each layer was still wet in order to prevent clumping.

Benefits: Conditions, strengthens, and lengthens | Shades: 3 | Waterproof: No

Best Budget

Maybelline Sky High Mascara

View On Amazon $10 View On Ulta $13 View On Beautybay.com

We love all of Maybelline’s products, but their mascaras are truly sensational. While the brand has a new product going viral on TikTok almost every week, none compare to the buzz that Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara garnered. After it first went viral in 2021, it was sold out everywhere for weeks. Thankfully, it has stayed in stock in recent months — but that doesn’t mean the hype has died down. 

The results from this are so incredible that InStyle’s Commerce Editor, Mary Honkus, completely ditched her luxury mascara to use this. “It completely restored my faith in drugstore formulas. I receive endless compliments (and constantly get asked if I have lash extensions) when wearing this,” she says. 

Like the name suggests, this mascara takes lashes sky high thanks to bamboo extract, extending them to eyebrows without weighing them down. Part of the reason it works so well is the exclusive Flex Tower brush — the flexible design ensures you can adequately coat every lash in the lengthening formula. Because of this, the brush can feel a bit flimsy at first, but with practice it becomes second nature to use (and it’s so much better at reaching baby lashes along the inner corners than stiffer wands).

Benefits: Lengthens and lifts | Shades: 4 | Waterproof: No

Best Splurge

Pat McGrath Labs FetishEyes Mascara

View On Nordstrom $34 View On Ulta $34 View On Sephora $34

As one of the most admired makeup artists of all time, Pat McGrath’s creations simply do not disappoint — and this high-stakes mascara is no exception. “Not only does Pat McGrath FetishEyes Mascara have a great name, but it delivers truly long lashes and a super black finish,” says Jenna Kristina, Los Angeles-based celebrity makeup artist and Brand Ambassador for Maybelline New York.

Because the formula is so highly pigmented and thick, we were treated to a bold eye look from the get go. While we loved the results, we had to carefully apply it to prevent any mishaps, and wiping excess product off the wand was an extra step that made the process more seamless. Don’t let that deter you though — we found that the dramatic look this creates is truly hard to beat: The dark formula glided onto our lashes and made them look not only longer, but thicker, too. 

Benefits: Lengthens and defines | Shades: 1 | Waterproof: No

Best Fiber Mascara

Milk Makeup Kush High Volumizing Mascara

View On Sephora $15 View On Milkmakeup.com View On Spacenk.com

The reason fiber mascaras are extremely effective is because they contain tiny fibers — typically silk, nylon, or rayon — that cling to lash tips, extending the length and fullness of your flutter. This vegan formula is infused with heart-shaped fibers (though, they’re so tiny that they don’t actually look like hearts to the plain eye) to build up each individual lash, resulting in an eyelash makeover. The large brush also features crisscross bristles to catch every last lash, and because the wand is weighted, we found that it offered even more control during the application process. 

As much as we loved the wand and brush, it’s worth mentioning that, thanks to the size, it does pick up quite a bit of product. Because of this, we found that the best approach for a mess-free experience was to wipe off the excess product before applying. But don’t worry: Wiping didn’t lessen the mascara’s effect. It only took just a single pass to fully coat our lashes in length-boosting goodness. 

If you’re craving a va-va-voom appeal, this formula is buildable — we were able to easily build the drama. As long as we let the mascara dry between each coat, we avoided any clumping and were left with a gorgeous, eye-opening look. Plus, even after three coats, our lashes didn’t look dry or crusty. This was thanks to hemp-derived cannabis seed oil that nourished and softened our lashes. 

Benefits: Volumizes and lengthens | Shades: 1 | Waterproof: No

Best Clean

ILIA Beauty Limitless Lash Mascara

View On Amazon $28 View On Nordstrom $28 View On Sephora $13

“I love the dual-sided brush of Ilia Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara,” says Karissa Bodnar, founder and CEO of Thrive Causemetics. What does a double-sided wand do, though? During our testing, we found that it boosted lash appearance in a few ways: On one hand, it ensured that the product was evenly distributed and made it easy to brush out clumps, so we didn’t have to worry about spidery-looking lashes. On the other, the two sides allowed us to easily tailor our lash look. Specifically, we found that the shorter bristles helped boost volume and curl, while the longer bristles offered eye-opening length. (The curl is nothing to totally write home about — but that’s nothing a good lash curler can’t fix.)

Benefits: Volumizes and lengthens | Shades: 1 | Waterproof: No

Best with Primer

Honest Beauty Mascara + Lash Primer

View On Amazon $20 View On Ulta $20 View On Honest.com

If regular mascara isn’t giving you the results you're after, you should try a lash primer. This two-in-one pick from Honest Beauty has a primer and a mascara that work in tandem to take lashes to new lengths. The two-step process was extremely easy to follow: First, we brushed on the primer to coat our lashes with jojoba esters that strengthen and protect them. After waiting 30 seconds, we applied a coat of mascara to give our lashes length and lift. Overall, our lashes looked longer and fuller, not to mention notably darker.

While this undoubtedly enhances lashes, it doesn’t make them look cakey or overly dramatic compared to a natural flutter. Instead, you can expect natural-looking lashes, without any clumping or product transfer in sight. 

Beyond how long your lashes looked and how well the formula performed, we appreciated the cruelty-free formula and 100 percent tree-free paper carton made with upcycled sugarcane. One thing we’d change about the product, though, is the length of the primer wand. It was quite small, which made it a bit tricky to reach every lash — but with practice, it gets easier. 

Benefits: Primes and lengthens | Shades: 1 | Waterproof: No

Best Tubing

Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara

View On Amazon $33 View On Sephora $13 View On Caliraybeauty.com

A true triple threat, this tubing mascara delivers it all: Volume, length and curl. Its brush is its secret weapon, with wavy fibers and a defined tip to catch and separate each and every lash. Then there’s the formula itself, which is spiked with two percent argan oil to nourish, along with a triple-wax mix and film-forming agents to lengthen while fighting off smudges (but be wary that after a few hours it can begin to flake ever so slightly). The tubing technology means the mascara comes right off at the end of the day, but the formula is water-resistant until then. For a feel-good bonus, the clean formula comes in a tube made from 100 percent recycled ocean plastic.

Benefits: Volumizes, curls, and lengthens | Shades: 1 | Waterproof: No

Best Waterproof

Dior Diorshow Waterproof Mascara

View On Sephora $33 View On Dior.com

When you want to wrap your lashes in luxury, this is the mascara for you. A long-standing favorite among professional makeup artists and makeup enthusiasts alike, it delivers on drama — big time. Diorshow curls, lengthens, and thickens like few others, living up to its reputation as a runway staple. And the waterproof version means it’ll stay put even longer. 

If you have hooded or smaller eyes, the big, voluminous brush may be too big and cause smudges. Other than that, though, the formula is so powerful that you can skip lash primer before applying. Plus, if you really want to make a statement, opt for the bright blue shade.

Benefits: Volumizes and lengthens | Shades: 3 | Waterproof: Yes

Best Volumizing

Lancôme Lash Idôle Lash-Lifting & Volumizing Mascara

View On Amazon $30 View On Nordstrom $30 View On Sephora $16

Want mega volume but struggle to find a formula that doesn’t weigh lashes down? Lancôme Lash Idôle is the solution. It creates a major fanned-out effect that rivals false lashes yet somehow feels completely weightless. The key is in both the formula and the brush. The former is enriched with white tea extract to nourish fringe, while the brush is completely covered with micro-bristles that latch onto every hair, ensuring that none are left behind. The brush also features a slight curve which pushes lashes up and out, giving them staying power for up to 24 hours. While buildable, you’ll need to apply each coat quickly because if you try to layer once the formula dries it can get clumpy.  

Benefits: Volumizes and lengthens | Shades: 1 | Waterproof: No

Best Colored

L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara

View On Amazon $9 View On Ulta $11 View On Walmart $9

There’s no need to always stick to basic black mascara. “L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in burgundy offers a gorgeous pop of color that is both striking and subtle at the same time. I also love this shade because it is so inclusive and beautiful on all eye colors and skin tones,” says Alex Sanchez, California-based National Makeup Artist for Lancôme. Along with the burgundy hue, the mascara also comes in an assortment of fun colors including cobalt blue, deep violet, and deep green (though keep in mind that they’re somewhat muted). 

The wide color range isn’t the only thing going for this mascara. It also amplifies lashes to five times their natural thickness, building a bit of boldness with every swipe. Clump-free and smudge-resistant, the formula is spiked with panthenol and ceramide-R to nourish and protect lashes, too. 

Benefits: Volumizes and lengthens | Shades: 7 | Waterproof: No

Best Conditioning

Wander Beauty Treatment Mascara

View On Amazon $18 View On Nordstrom View On Sephora $26

Talk about a twofer — Wander Beauty Upgraded Lashes Treatment Mascara is essentially a lash serum and mascara in one, saving you a step. The jet-black formula contains conditioning copper peptides to boost collagen production and extend the growth cycle of hair follicles, while Widelash (the brand’s custom ingredient) aids with thickness and volume. The mascara has been clinically proven to deliver fuller, longer lashes in only two weeks, as well as minimize lash fallout. 

There’s also the hourglass-shaped brush that’s coated in comb-like bristles to lift and separate every lash, creating buildable drama that won’t clump, cake, or smudge. While it’s expected because of the nourishing capabilities, it’s important to note that the formula is a bit thicker, which some people might not like — this doesn’t affect the overall performance, but it can feel a bit heavy during the first application.

Benefits: Nourishes, volumizes, and lengthens | Shades: 1 | Waterproof: No

Best Technology

Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara

View On Sephora $16

There is some serious science behind this lash-boosting formula. The name says it all — you might have to do some convincing to prove your eyelashes are real. Wondering what the secret is? The wand and formula are magnetically charged. The wand takes iron oxide pigments from the formula and deposits them on lashes. This helps each lash get an even coat, giving them a fuller appearance and extending the length by as much as 40 percent. 

That’s not all, though: The formula has an impressively long wear, lasting for up to 36 hours, and the brush features zig-zag bristles to fan out and define every lash. We don’t have a single strife with the formula itself (and honestly, can’t get over the technology), but the packaging could use some work as silver flecks flake off after a few weeks. 

Benefits: Volumizes and lengthens | Shades: 1 | Waterproof: No