The Top 5 Waterproof Mascaras for a Smudge-Free Look

For many women across the world, mascara is a makeup staple that is worn every day. It has the ability to make you look more awake, it highlights your eyes, and it comes in a variety of colors and types. Some mascaras highlight volume while others brag about how long your lashes will be. Mascara's Achilles heel is that it tends to smudge and run at the first sight of water. Over the years mascara has been smudged by watery eyes, aggressive eye rubs, and stray sprinkler streams. Finally, waterproof mascara was invented in the 1940s to solve all of these issues. We looked at the top 30 waterproof mascaras on the market and picked the best 5 for you to live your best life, free of raccoon eyes.

L’Oreal Paris Makeup Voluminous Original Volume Building Mascara

The Queen of All Waterproof Mascaras

The L'Oreal Paris Makeup Voluminous Original Volume Building Mascara is the crowd favorite. It wins hearts with volume, durability, and comes in a variety of colors.

Best Overall

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Taking the award for the best overall waterproof mascara, the L’oreal Paris Mascara builds some serious volume, promising to thicken your lashes by 5x. We loved how evenly and smoothly it went on, and how our lashes were still soft after applying. This mascara is available in shades of black, blue, green, burgundy, and black-brown so you can switch up your look. It’s no surprise this mascara has great reviews online and will cost you less than a trip to McDonald’s.

Pros:

Great coverage
10 color options
Lasts all-day
Suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers
Fragrance free
Available in waterproof and regular (in case you’re feeling wild)

Cons:

At times the brush can get clumpy
It only comes off with eye makeup remover

Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara

Features a curved fan brush to help evenly apply the waterproof formula

Maybelline's Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara is a great option for those who want more volume in their lashes. This mascara pairs great with their other eye makeup for a dramatic look.

Best Mascara for Volume

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This runner up is great for taming unruly lashes because it has a fanning brush to help lift and separate your lashes. The curved elastomer brush has 10 layers of bristles that grab every lash from root to tip, helping enhance your look and giving you volume where you need it most. Once you get the hang of the 2-part fanning brush technique, you’re sure to love this mascara from Maybelline. The short side is used to coat the lashes with mascara, and then the longer side to fan and separate them. This is a great option for anyone who wants both volume and length.

Pros:

Includes a curved fanning brush
5 color options
Suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers
Gluten-free formula

Cons:

The brush can be tricky for some to learn to use
Some reviewers felt the formula was too thick and clumped easily

4D Silk Fiber Lash Mascara by Tetyana Naturals

Get volume + length with this non-toxic formula

4D Silk Fiber Lash Mascara is made by Tetyana Naturals, and is awesome for women who want great lashes with all-day coverage. This is a good buy for anyone sick of clumpy mascara!

Most Dramatic Lashes

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This is a great choice for ladies looking for a dramatic look, as it adds both length and volume while being waterproof. We loved that it doesn’t flake, smudge, or clump and stays on throughout the day. People who wear contact lenses will appreciate that it’s non-toxic and natural, so there is no worry about it hurting your eyes. We recommend using this mascara with an eyelash curler for the best, most dramatic effect.

Pros:

Provides volume + length, coating each lash individually
Stays all-day
Has a dark, rich look
Non-toxic and natural formula
Makes lashes look very thick
Comes off with warm water and baby wipes – no special remover needed

Cons:

The wand tends to grab a lot more product than the average person wants at a time
If it’s not cleaned off properly, it chunks and falls off

Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara

Inexpensive, straightforward formula for no-nonsense ladies

Maybelline's Great Lash Waterproof Mascara is a cult favorite, and its green and pink tube can be spotted in purses around the world.

Best Budget Mascara

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If you’re looking for an inexpensive but effective waterproof mascara, this is the one. It claims to be “America’s Favorite Mascara” and lives up to its title. We felt like the formula went on smoothly for a full-lash look that’s great for everyday life. This is an old standby mascara that’s been around since the 1970s for a reason – it just works. If you’re the kind of woman who just wants an easy, reliable mascara that won’t cost you a small fortune this is a great option.

Pros:

4 color options
Formula conditions as it thickens
Available with a straight or curved brush
Fragrance-free
Inexpensive

Cons:

Must remove with eye remover or micellar water
Provides minimal eyelash volume

Essence Lash Princess False Lash Waterproof Mascara

Providing that fake-eyelash look without the hassle

The Essence Lash Princess False Lash Waterproof Mascara is vegan and cruelty-free, and a few coats of this thickening formula go a long way.

Best Vegan Mascara

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If you want to ensure every lash has coverage, check out the Essence mascara. The conic fiber crush separates individual lashes without clumps or globs. We found that putting on 2-3 coats make your eyelashes look fake, eliminating the need for pesky falsies. This brand was actually certified by PETA as being cruelty-free, as they do not test their products on animals.

Pros: