{"id":4447,"date":"2025-08-07T16:06:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T23:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/?p=4447"},"modified":"2025-08-07T16:06:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T23:06:00","slug":"best-drugstore-mascaras-2025-ranked-by-a-beauty-editor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/?p=4447","title":{"rendered":"Best drugstore mascaras 2025, ranked by a beauty editor"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Unlike blush and lip liner, mascara is a makeup item that we tend to stick to once we\u2019ve found a good one. Whether it\u2019s the same brand you\u2019ve used since college or the game-changer that finally helped you to discover your lashes (and no other tube compares), venturing out to try a new mascara can seem daunting.<\/p>\n

One thing that hasn\u2019t changed since your college days: the humble drugstore mascara. Their innovative wand designs and universally loved formulas have greatly improved over the years, but they were pretty exceptional to begin with. While clean mascara formulas have taken off from brands like ILIA and Tower28, many classic drugstore brands have introduced comparable versions \u2014 plus, newer clean brands such as Pacifica have emerged with their own offerings.<\/p>\n

As a beauty editor who\u2019s always kept a mixed bag of drugstore and high-end mascaras, I\u2019m here to guide you on the most loved affordable mascaras and what sets each of them apart. For instance, why CoverGirl\u2019s lash blast supercloud mascara ($12.99, Cvs.com) was my favourite overall and e.l.f\u2019s lash XTNDR ($7, Cvs.com) if you\u2019re on a strict budget. Whether you\u2019re a spider lash-lover or like a subtler frame for the eyes, there\u2019s something at the drugstore for everyone.<\/p>\n

How I tested<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\"I<\/div>
I assessed application, lash effect and how easy they were to remove (Ava Welsing-Kitcher)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

I\u2019ve researched extensively to find the drugstore mascaras that have had the highest status over the past few years and added cult classics that never drop off the shortlists (my own included). I applied one coat of each mascara to my top and bottom lashes with no eyeliner, coating both the underside and topside of my upper lashes (a must for instantly extending their length). After letting it sit for several hours, I recorded the following information:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Application: <\/strong>I assessed how easy each mascara wand and formula was to use, including whether or not it was runny, crumbly, or the brush was just too big to wrangle.<\/li>\n
  • Removal: <\/strong>No one wants to peel their mascara off with their fingernails, so I washed my face as usual and assessed how well each formula melted away (or didn\u2019t). <\/li>\n
  • Lash effect: <\/strong>I like different mascaras for different moods and makeup styles, from barely-there to full-on spider lashes, so the following reviews won\u2019t be affected by a strict personal preference. However, I did analyze which formulas and brushes were the best for volumizing, defining, lengthening, and curling. Any mascaras that left my lashes looking clumpy or droopy weren\u2019t included in my final round-up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    One thing to note is that my eyes don\u2019t get along with waterproof mascara, so all of the following mascaras are standard. <\/p>\n

    Why you can trust IndyBest U.S. reviews <\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Ava Welsing-Kitcher is a beauty editor with years of industry experience, accruing a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the products that do (and importantly don\u2019t) work. She\u2019s familiar with beauty brands both big (think: Benefit, Shark) and small (Kulfi or Ceramonia), and puts all the products she tests through their paces, to ensure they\u2019re truly worth your<\/em> money. <\/strong>Having researched and tested a broad range of mascaras, from budget-friendly to luxury formulas, she is an expert you can trust. <\/p>\n

    The best drugstore mascaras for 2025 are: <\/h2>\n
      \n
    • Best overall<\/strong> \u2013\u00a0CoverGirl lash blast supercloud mascara: $12.99, Cvs.com<\/li>\n
    • Best for a natural look <\/strong>\u2013\u00a0Pacifica vegan collagen fluffy lash mascara: $12.41, Amazon.com<\/li>\n
    • Best for lash lengthening<\/strong> \u2013\u00a0L’Oreal Paris telescopic original mascara: $11.12, Amazon.com<\/li>\n
    • Best for seperation \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>E.l.f. Cosmetics lash XTNDR: $7, Amazon.com<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Unlike blush and lip liner, mascara is a makeup item that we tend to stick to once we\u2019ve found a good one. Whether it\u2019s the same brand you\u2019ve used since college or the game-changer that finally helped you to discover your lashes (and no other tube compares), venturing out to try a new mascara can seem daunting. One thing that hasn\u2019t changed since your college days: the humble drugstore mascara. Their innovative wand designs and universally loved formulas have greatly improved over the years, but they were pretty exceptional to begin with. While clean mascara formulas have taken off from brands like ILIA and Tower28, many classic drugstore brands have introduced comparable versions \u2014 plus, newer clean brands such as Pacifica have emerged with their own offerings. As a beauty editor who\u2019s always kept a mixed bag of drugstore and high-end mascaras, I\u2019m here to guide you on the most loved affordable mascaras and what sets each of them apart. For instance, why CoverGirl\u2019s lash blast supercloud mascara ($12.99, Cvs.com) was my favourite overall and e.l.f\u2019s lash XTNDR ($7, Cvs.com) if you\u2019re on a strict budget. Whether you\u2019re a spider lash-lover or like a subtler frame for the eyes, there\u2019s something at the drugstore for everyone. How I tested I assessed application, lash effect and how easy they were to remove (Ava Welsing-Kitcher) I\u2019ve researched extensively to find the drugstore mascaras that have had the highest status over the past few years and added cult classics that never drop off the shortlists (my own included). I applied one coat of each mascara to my top and bottom lashes with no eyeliner, coating both the underside and topside of my upper lashes (a must for instantly extending their length). After letting it sit for several hours, I recorded the following information: Application: I assessed how easy each mascara wand and formula was to use, including whether or not it was runny, crumbly, or the brush was just too big to wrangle. Removal: No one wants to peel…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4447"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4447"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4447\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}