Best Overall

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Chocolate

$29

$24 at Amazon$29 at Sephora$29 at Ulta

Benefits: Volume | Shades: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This bestselling mascara from Too Faced is the GOAT—it does a fantastic job of adding volume, length, and curl to lashes. I’ve been using the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Deep Black for years, but this was my first time trying the Chocolate shade. I love how this pick adds oomph to your lashes while still looking super natural, thanks to the bristles and formula. The hourglass-shaped brush is made with nylon bristles, which I prefer over silicone mascara wands, and it coats each lash with film-forming polymers that keep the curl in place and peptides that help condition lashes while you wear it.

One issue with this mascara is that the brush is quite large. It som. It rubs against my upper lash line, causing the mascara to smudge on my eyelids. However, I think the effect it has on my lashes is worth the occasional Q-tip clean-up I have to do after using it.

Best Overall, Runner-Up

L’Oreal Mascara

$14

$9 at Amazon

$14

$10 at Ulta$11 at Target

Benefits: Volume | Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you can’t justify paying the premium price for the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Chocolate, or you don’t want to spend that much on mascara, the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Volume Mascara in Latte Brown is the perfect dupe. I use the Blackest Black shade daily; it’s my favorite pick from the drugstore and always makes my lashes look full and fluttery. I love this pick in Latte Brown because it’s more subtly sexy and less noticeable than the Blackest Black shade (in a good way). The formula coats all my lashes really nicely, and I only need to apply a few layers for it to make an impact.

Unfortunately, the formula sometimes gets a little too thick on my lashes, making them look a bit clumpy. To avoid this, I like to run the brush along the rim of the mascara tube to scrape some of the excess mascara off the wand before applying it to my lashes.

Best Lengthening

Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Lengthening Mascara

$14

$11 at Amazon$14 at Ulta$11 at Target

Benefits: Length, definition | Shades: 5 | Cruelty-Free: No

When I first tried this mascara, I literally said, “Whoa” out loud to myself. It added an insane amount of length and a bit of volume to my lashes, too. I like that the mascara comes in a rich brown shade that’s dark yet still understated. The long, narrow brush was excellent for reaching the lashes at the inner and outer corners of my eyes, and I loved how the bristles combined with the formula to give my lashes a significant boost in length. While I didn’t find this pick super buildable (meaning you won’t be able to get dramatic volume with it), it did a good job of defining and separating each lash. Note: This formula takes some time to dry, so we recommend waiting before applying anything else to your eyes.

Best Separating

e.l.f. Lash N’ Roll Mascara

$7

$7 at Amazon$7 at Ulta$7 at Target

Benefits: Curl, separation | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

First off, let’s talk about the price—this pick from e.l.f. only costs $7 a tube and is available in most drugstores nationwide. It’s a pretty great steal for a product that gets the job done and then some. I thought this pick effectively separated and curled my lashes while adding a bit of length to them, too. I like that the curved wand helps you target and grip each lash at the roots, allowing for the formula to be evenly dispersed. It separated my lashes evenly and didn’t run or flake while I tested it out.

Best Volumizing

YSL Beauty Extreme Volume Mascara

$34 at Sephora

$34

$33 at Nordstrom$34 at Macy’s

Benefits: Volume, length | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: No

If you’re looking for a mascara that will drench your lashes in a warm brown hue and add tons of volume, this is the one for you. The buildable formula can be layered to create intense drama, thickness, and significant length. I noticed that it offered a good amount of curl to my lashes, too. I love the nylon bristle brush—it effectively coats my lashes with the formula in just a swipe or two. The brush is pretty large, so you might have trouble reaching the inner and outer corners of your lashes, but it helps give center lashes a big lift.

Best Curling

Dior Diorshow Iconic Mascara

$46 at Amazon$35 at Sephora$35 at Ulta

Benefits: Curl, volume | Shades: 5 | Cruelty-Free: No

If you have straight lashes, then you know how important it is to find a wand that works to lift them from the roots. Unfortunately, I have pretty straight lashes, and I always use an eyelash curler to help me add a bit of a boost before applying mascara. I liked this formula because it curls lashes and adds volume on its own without feeling heavy. In fact, it has almost an airy feel to it, which is ideal for those who want some curl but don’t want their lids weighed down. The Brown shade was dark enough to show up well on my brown lashes, but when I took this mascara out of the tube for the first time, the formula was a little drier than I expected.

Best Clean

Saie Mascara 101

$26

$21 at Amazon$26 at SephoraView on Saiehello.com

Benefits: Definition, clump-free | Shades: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re craving defined lashes with cleaner ingredients, look no further. The combination of the formula and the brush offered a really clean sweep of my lashes, meaning it was clump-free, and I didn’t get any mascara on my upper lash line, which sometimes happens with other mascaras I use. This made the application process that much easier and smoother. I also like that this formula contains minimal ingredients (beeswax, shea butter, and a hydra-mineral complex, to name a few) that work together to moisturize and nourish the lashes. The biggest downside to this pick is that it didn’t significantly add volume or length to my lashes. It didn’t give my lashes a wow factor, so I’d say it’s ideal for those who want a more natural-looking mascara look with minimal ingredients.

Best Tubing

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extension Tubing Mascara

$32

$31 at AmazonView on Thrivecausemetics.com

Benefits: Lengthening, separation | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you struggle to keep your mascara from smudging or smearing down your face after just a few hours of wear, consider trying a tubing formula, like this pick from Thrive Causemetics. The formula added a lot of length to my lashes, more than I achieved with some of the other brown mascaras I tested. It also added a bit of volume and even a slight curl to my lashes while remaining clump- and mess-free. It remained in place throughout the day but was easily removed at night. I used eye makeup remover to remove the mascara, but you could easily wash this off with water and be good to go. The only thing I didn’t love about this pick was that the formula feels pretty wet on the lashes when you first apply it, so you must let it dry before adding anything else to your eyes, such as eyeliner or eyeshadow.

Best for Sensitive Eyes

Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Mascara

$20

$18 at Amazon$20 at SephoraView on Walmart

Benefits: Lengthening, curling, safe for sensitive eyes | Shades: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This pick from Tower28 left zero clumps in my lashes—I was amazed. Each swipe was a clean sweep, and I felt like it added a nice amount of length and curl, too. I didn’t feel that this formula added a significant amount of volume to my lashes, so I would recommend it to those who prefer a more natural-looking eyelash appearance. The lightweight formula didn’t irritate my eyes, and I appreciate that it’s safe for contact lenses. The cherry on top? It washes off easily.

Caitlyn Martyn, former associate editor with sensitive eyes (not shown): “If I get a little mascara caught in my contact lenses, my eyes almost always turn red. But since this product doesn’t flake off or cause irritation, I can wear it confidently and comfortably.”