Best Drugstore Mascara on the Market in 2018
Not so long ago, we have talked about the top 10 best drugstore eyeliner products you will fall in love with. Of course, you have plenty of choices when it comes to eye makeup, but today we will focus on the best drugstore mascara you might want to try. After all, what would your makeup be without lush and perfect eyelashes? You need amazing mascara tint, hours of hold, waterproof features, and length and volume effects.
You may also like to try organic mascara – the newest trend in eye makeup that you will find very interesting. Such products come with a lot of promise in making you look fabulous without side-effect. Moreover, if you want cruelty free, easy to use, affordable, and organic ingredients-rich mascara, you know you have to consider these products as well.
One of the first things you need to look for in a mascara is its hypoallergenic and non-toxic features. Let us all remember that mascara, just like eyeliners, get in touch with your eyes and can interact with your eyes. And since your eyes are sensitive and vulnerable to environmental factors, you need the safest mascara you can get. You should immediately stop using any eye makeup that stings, makes your eyes feel uncomfortable, produce tears, and produce redness or itchiness.
When it comes to choosing the best drugstore mascara on the market, you may feel like going on a quest adventure. There are too many brands, too many products, too many types of brushes, and too many promises. Nevertheless, we are here to help.
What you should know is that all mascaras come with some advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, you should know what mascara mistakes you should avoid and how to apply any type of mascara for the best results. Teen girls using mascara need a bit of help from their mothers, sisters or friends, as even the best drugstore mascara can smudge if you do not use it correctly.
Today, we will focus on some of the best mascara from drugstore choices you can make to achieve flawless lashes in a matter of minutes! Are you ready to look fabulous? Are you ready to unleash the power of gorgeous eyelashes – risk free? If you are searching for the best drugstore mascara on the market, check out our top ten picks below!
Top 10 Best Drugstore Mascara Choices of 2018
In the chart below, you will find my top 10 rated best drugstore mascara products on the market. For a more in-depth review of each product, please click on the “Read Review” link.
Product Image |
Product Name |
My Review |
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Best Drugstore Mascara Types
Before we begin, we have to mention a few things, so you can make a refined choice when it comes to the best drugstore mascara. First, when choosing mascara, you need to know a few things about the mascara’s ingredients: you can find organic mascara, perfect for sensitive eyes, and regular mascara, fit for women who do not have sensitive eyes.
Of course, we prefer those mascaras that also come with enriched formulas and contain as little chemicals as possible. However, natural and organic mascaras come with their drawbacks, but we will cross that bridge when we get there.
Another issue to keep in mind when it comes to choosing mascara is the brush. Mascaras come with all sorts of brushes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Make sure you choose your mascara depending on its main purpose (and its type of brush that should fit that exact purpose).
From this point of view, you can get lengthening mascara, volumizing mascara, curling mascara, and lash-defining mascara. They all come with their own types of brushes, compositions, and textures.
Of course, most mascaras have multiple purposes and goals, so you can easily buy one mascara for both length and volume and so on. For the purpose of this article, we split the mascaras we tested into two main categories: regular mascara and organic mascara. These types include many of the mascara purposes mentioned above.
Now that we touched the subject of mascara types, let us delve into the details, shall we?
Type 1: The Best Drugstore Mascara – Regular Mascara
These products have the largest market availability and they are the most affordable as well. Regular mascara comes in many shades, types, brush-varieties, and range of prices. They can help you get those long, well-defined, curved, feline lashes you always wanted. They are age-independent and can become a girls’ favorite in no time.
Their drawback most of the times is that they do not go great with sensitive eyes. You can go through life using any type of mascara and do not even think about eye problems – which makes you a lucky lady. Other women, however, immediately feel when something is wrong with their eye makeup.
If the mascara is not waterproof or at least water resistant or it is not smudge-proof, they will feel stings and itches. The irritation can further cause tears and swelling. Of course, you should immediately stop using such a product.
Regular mascara does its job well. What matters is for you to find the one that is great for you. Now that we have seen the generalities of such products, let us take a closer look at their pros and cons.
Pros
- plus Easy to find
- plus Affordable
- plus Efficient
Cons
- close Do not work for sensitive eyes
- close May not create the perfect look you want
- close You need to know how to apply them
Type 2: Best Drugstore Mascara – Organic Mascara
Organic mascara is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, contains no parabens and gluten, no artificial dye or chemicals. In other words, it is perfect for sensitive eyes. Natural and organic mascaras are not new. In fact, they have been around for a while. Their biggest problem was that they smudged and ran down, lacking the chemicals holding them into place. Now, they are much better and even red carpet stylists recommend them.
Organic mascaras are also good for women who have some issues with their lashes – thin, vulnerable, and prone to falling and so on. If you are in this category, if you are considering a switch to organic mascara, you might also think about adding an eyelash growth serum to your makeup routine. These serums really do work and help you to grow longer, thicker and more beautiful lashes in case you need this.
Now let us see the pros and cons of organic mascaras!
Pros
- plus Good for sensitive eyes
- plus Natural/organic ingredients
- plus Enriched formulas
Cons
- close Pricy
- close Harder to find
- close May smudge, clump, flake or run
Common Features of our Best Drugstore Mascara Picks
In order for us to find which the best drugstore mascara of 2017 are, we tested and tried quite many. We went for cool looks with dark, curled, long and well-defined lashes. We also went for demure, feminine, and seductive looks as well.
One of the first things we want to recommend is that you pick the color that best matches your eyes and skin tone. You do not necessarily need to use only black mascara. On the contrary, there are many colors and tints to try to emphasize on your blue, green, or hazel eyes.
One factor we insisted on was pigmentation vs. hold – you need to get a mascara that holds for hours if not for days. You need mascara that is smudge-proof and water-resistant (if not waterproof). You need mascara that goes down easily with makeup remover and so on.
We found that these mascaras do hold well during office days and night-outs. Many of them are smudge-proof and many of them are waterproof. Organic mascaras do tend to flake or smudge a little, but you should see every individual review to get a better idea about each organic mascara on this list.
We also found a handful of mascaras coming with enhanced formulas packed with vitamins and essential oils or natural extracts that nourish the hairs and cause no irritations even if they interact with your eyes.
After a careful consideration of each mascara, we reached the following conclusion: all the best drugstore mascaras on the list share a common set of excellent features.
- Effectiveness: If you want tinted lashes with a pigment that holds and make your eyes pop, you can pick any of the mascaras on our list. While some are great for curling while others do best with lengthening or volumizing, you will get the lashes you always wanted.
- Mildness: Even the regular mascaras, which are not natural/organic, are mild with your eyes and do not cause allergies or unpleasant side effect. Of course, if you have sensitive eyes you will fare better with the organic type. You should also keep in mind that any eye makeup, including mascara, would eventually hurt your eyes if you do not use makeup remover at the end of the day.
- Ease of use: All these mascaras are easy to use, even by beginners. Each comes with its own special type of brush and you will get those perfect lashes in no time. You may need a second coating if you want even more astonishing tint.
- Multiple benefits: As we said, many of these mascaras also come with vitamins and ingredients that nourish and protect your lashes. If you want to make sure you get a product that is safe and good for your lashes, you can consider the organic type as your main priority.
- Hold: Some mascaras will hold you more than others, granted, but since we talk about the best drugstore mascara of 2017, we have to say we were impressed with their holding times. You should make your choice depending on the levels of smudge-proof, waterproof, and tear-proof you want.
- Affordability: Even if one or two products on this list may seem pricy, we vouch for their excellent value for money they bring. Organic mascaras are a bit more expensive, but you will get what you have been promised, especially if you have sensitive eyes.
Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Drugstore Mascara on the Market
No matter how safe, mild, and tested these products are you still need to take into account a few thing before buying one or more of them. While we have focused on many such things when writing each individual review, we still need to sum them up to help you make the best choice.
1. Correct Application
Before you go shopping for any of the drugstore mascara products on this list, you need to be aware of your own application skills and the correct mascara application rules. You may take mascara for granted and forget to let it dry well. You may also underestimate the richness of one product and use more coatings than necessary – or vice versa.
One rule is picking the correct mascara and brush for your lashes. If you want volumizing mascara, pick a volumizing one. While one product covers many of your makeup goals, you still need to consider the length, density, and type of lashes you want.
Picking the correct mascara may also depend on your type of skin. We all know women with oily skin tend to have issues with makeup in general as products tend to run away, clump, or flake after a few hours. If you experience such issues, make sure you properly prep your eyes and skin before using any eye makeup, including mascara.
If you are a teenager who just starts using makeup, make sure you pick the right tint for your eyes, the right product for your skin and lashes, and the right brush depending on the mascara results you want to get.
Lastly, do not forget to shake the mascara recipient before using the product. Mascaras are liquid and if you do not use them for a while, they get dry or precipitate on the bottom of the recipient. It would be a shame to dismiss a good product just because you allowed it to form clumps and clogs.
2. Mascara Side Effects
As we said when we talked about eyeliners, be aware of the fact that your eyes are some of the most sensitive and vulnerable organs. No matter what products you use in the proximity of your eyes, they have to be safe.
You should make no compromise when it comes to buying good mascara. It will likely interact with your eyes eventually – and with your skin as well. Pick the products that come with approvals, certifications, and guarantees. Make sure you read the package/box carefully. If you know you are allergic or sensitive to some of the ingredients, get another product. Also, make sure you use the product within its expiration range. Mascaras get dry if they are old – or worse, they become sticky and gooey – and you do not want that nowhere near your eyes.
There are plenty of side effects you can overlook or deem as unimportant, but you should not: if your eyes itch, if you get excess tears, eye dryness, skin dryness, eye discomfort, and so on, you should immediately stop using the product. In all fairness, you should do a skin test before applying anything on or near your eyes. Make sure you do not develop an allergic or toxic reaction to the mascara.
3. Mascaras’ Colors and Shimmer Effects
While you may think that black is just black, the cosmetic industry is more than willing to offer you an infinite palette of color choices. Read the labels and descriptions carefully – you may pick a brownish black instead of a black mascara just because you were not attentive enough. You can also make mistakes out of hurry or poor attention: some mascaras work better for brown eyes and brown hair, while others make better options of you have fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes for instance.
You should also read the label in order to learn more about the mascara you want to buy: is it matte or does it show a satin shimmer? Do you want a product with a deep dark pigmentation, or you need a softer tint?
Before choosing your mascara, make sure the color is the one you want to get. It would be a shame to spend money on a product you will not use.
Questions to Ask Yourself before Buying the Best Drugstore Mascara on the Market
We emphasized on many important things while we assessed and rated each individual product, but you still need to ask yourself a few more questions before you start shopping. There are many FAQs answered on each of the reviews linked here, but let us resume some of the most important inquiries people have in relationship with these drugstore mascaras.
1. Q: Are these products cruelty free?
A: Yes, most of them are. Some manufacturers of organic mascaras take pride in their cruelty-free all natural formulas. If you have doubts about regular mascaras’ testing on animals, you should carefully read the labels and product descriptions. If you are still in the shadows regarding this issue, we encourage you to question the manufacturer.
2. Q: Are these products good for all types of lashes?
A: Yes and no in the same time. Yes – they are universally good mascaras that will offer you the tint, volume, curve, and definition you want. However, we strongly recommend you to read each individual review of each of the products on this list to make sure you pick the product (or products) that best suite your needs.
3. Q: Will these mascaras hold me all day long?
A: Some will hold you better than others will. Some will hold you today and tomorrow if you do not remove it. Pick the mascara that matches all your needs. You may need one to complete your daily casual makeup – as you will completely change your makeup for the evening – or you may need one mascara to rule them all and hold you from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. without retouching.
Why are These Best Drugstore Mascara Products Awesome/Valuable?
These best drugstore mascara picks are awesome and valuable for a great number of reasons. We mentioned such reasons on each individual product review, but we are more than glad to summarize our top favorite awesome reasons why everybody should give these mascaras a chance.
Looks and feel
If you look amazing, you will feel amazing as well. Some mascaras on this list may need some retouching mid-day, but overall they are good products with good holding times and resilient tints. There is also an intrinsic psychological added benefit to these mascaras – if your eyes are your seduction weapon, make sure all the mascaras on this list will turn heads.
Ease of use
We said you need to be careful how to apply mascara and how much time you let it dry. You also have to test how many coatings you use and what type of brush works best for your lashes. However, after everything is said and done, these products are still easy to use even by young girls who are beginners in makeup and styling.
Affordability
One may think that drugstore mascaras come cheap. They do not – especially the organic ones. However, if you look at the big picture, you will see that all products on this list are affordable and come with great value for their price. After all, you cannot spend enough when it comes to your eyes’ safety, health, and beauty.
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Common Questions
Before reaching the conclusion of this best drugstore mascara top ten list, we have to focus on three more questions that are common among customers. We noticed people are preoccupied with some issues. While we touched these topics on each individual review, we feel it is important to summarize them here as well.
Q: Are mascaras contact lenses safe?
A: They certainly should not be. Most organic and regular mascaras on this list are safe for contact lens wearers. If you have doubts about a certain product on this list, you should specifically ask the manufacturer about contact lenses safety.
Q: Are organic mascaras 100% organic?
A: They cannot be 100% organic, but we picked ones that are at least 90% organic and 100% natural. They have to contain ingredients that make them mascaras and not ink – if we are allowed this comparison. However, since we are preoccupied with organic makeup in general, we chose the products that show the highest levels of safety and the richest formulas containing natural and organic components.
Q: How much do expiration dates matter with these mascaras?
A: No matter what cosmetic product you use – especially the ones that you keep on your eyes and skin for hours and days – their expiration date matters a lot. Mascaras can dry and spoil even if they are not old – if you do not use them and forget about them on the shelf. Expired mascaras may be a little stickier or drier than you remember them to be – but you should still throw them away.
Organic mascaras have lower shelf lives, as the organic ingredients spoil faster in the lack of chemicals to preserve them. Do not use any old, dry, gooey, expired mascara, organic or not. It may hurt your eyes on the short and long term.
Conclusion
This was our best drugstore mascara products top of 2018! They will offer you the look you always wanted, with long sexy lashes every day.
One of the biggest advantages of these mascaras are their formulas. Even the common classic mascaras come with added vitamins and natural ingredients that will protect and nourish your lashes. Organic ones are safe and protective for sensitive eyes.
These products bring a lot of value from a quality-price balance point of view. Keep in mind that if a product is cheap, it does not mean it is of low quality. On the contrary, we found that some of these mascaras are quite pricy in comparison with other no name products – but they are also better.
Some of these mascaras are the answer to all beginners’ prayers. They slide on smoothly, dry fast, are smudge-proof and hold well. If you are still not skilled in the arts of picking and using professional makeup, these mascaras will smoothly allow teenagers their transition to the makeup world. Just look carefully at our list and get the product that best suits your needs.
Always factor in your skin tone and type. Oily skin is a bit more problematic, as it makes all eye makeup smudge or run off more frequently. You should also mind sensitive dry skin as well, together with sensitive eyes – you may need serums or even primers to make sure the mascara and the eye makeup in general stays where you want it to stay and for as long as you want it to stay.
Do you want to know what the best drugstore mascara on the market is? Check out each individual review we offered for each of the products on the list! If you have more questions, concerns, suggestions or advice for us, do not hesitate to leave your feedback the comments section below!
External References & Citations
- chevron-circle-right Check out Amazon for other best drugstore mascara choices!
- chevron-circle-rightMia Adora Organic Mascara Review
- chevron-circle-rightEndlessly Beautiful Natural Organic Mascara Review
- chevron-circle-rightHairgenics Lavish Lash Fiber Mascara Review
- chevron-circle-rightClinique Lash Power Mascara Review
- chevron-circle-rightEndlessly Beautiful Natural Organic Mascara
- chevron-circle-rightL’Oréal Paris Voluminous Feline Mascara
- chevron-circle-rightMineral Mascara by EVXO
- chevron-circle-rightCovergirl Full Lash Bloom
- chevron-circle-rightMaybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara
- chevron-circle-rightNaturally Rooted Premium Organic Mascara
- chevron-circle-rightHeyBeauty Volume Waterproof Mascara
Last update on 2023-04-18 at 02:11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API