12 Best Drugstore Mascaras for Seriously Long, Thick Lashes, According to Team Cosmo

If you’re prone to mascara smudging and flaking no matter what you do, this tubing mascara from Milani essentially wraps each lash with tube-like polymers to lift and lengthen your lashes. These little tubes keep your lashes in place all day and then wash off easily with warm water.

One Cosmo editor says: "If you haven't tried a tubing mascara yet, let my review of Milani's Highly Rated be the one to convert you. It's incredibly long-lasting on my lashes and oily lids but also incredibly easy to remove. Just a little warm water and the mascara disappears from lashes with zero tugging or pulling."—LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR

We love a reliable mascara that costs less than a latte. Essence's $5 mascara lengthens, lifts, is waterproof, has no smudges, and no flakes—what more can you ask for? We also love the tubing formula and flexible wand that can reach even the tiniest of corner lashes for added drama.

One Cosmo editor says: "Low key, I kinda thought I hated tubing mascara. Sure, it makes my lashes look long, but it doesn't give me the volume or separation I want a lot of the time. But this reinvented what I thought a tubing mascara could do. Three people have told me I look like I'm wearing lash extensions when I've had this on, because not only do my lashes look long, but also defined. It also holds a curl for quite a few hours—huge win for my straight lashes."—BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR

This mascara delivers an insane amount of volume and length to our lashes—afterall, it’s literally in the name. With nine super unique colors to choose from, the super flexible brush reaches every lash and deposits just the right amount of color from root to tip.

One Cosmo editor says: "There's a reason this mascara has won like a million beauty awards. The spoolie is the perfect size and shape for lenghtening and defining lashes without creating clumps, and it get legit never smears or gives my raccoon eyes." —LB

The precision brush on this mascara reaches and grips every single one of our lashes, and the super-pigmented formula flatters our natural lashes. This one is enriched with vitamin E to protect and soften our natural lashes while depositing otherworldly color. Since this one is everything-proof: waterproof, smudgeproof, sweatproof, and humidity-resistant, this one is great to swipe on your lashes if you’re heading to the gym or enjoying the warmer months outdoors.

One Cosmo editor says: “I tend to love to use a waterproof mascara daily because it stays and doesn’t cause raccoon eyes. It doesn’t matter the season, my mascara is bound to end up in my under-eye area. I really like this one from Wet n Wild because it gives my eyes a pop. I like to use my eyelash curler prior to application for extra volume.”—TARYN BROOKE, CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY WRITER

There is so much jam-packed into this drugstore mascara. Its unique tubing technology is super lightweight for all-day wear, it lengthens, it’s smudge-resistant, and it contains jojoba seed oil that conditions your lashes while providing enviable length. This being said, our favorite thing about this mascara is that it mimics the look of lash extensions and it’s buildable, so you have control over how thick you want your lashes to be.

One Cosmo editor says: "Just because a mascara is sold in a drugstore, doesn't immediately make it a bargain. But this $8 wand from e.l.f. is actually budget-friendly. It darkens and volumizes my lashes with just a few swipes, perf for when I don't want to spend time meticulously applying mascara for 5 minutes in the morning."—JH

Maybelline’s Colossal Bubble mascara may just seem like yet another mascara on this list but it certainly is not: this one separates and lifts your lashes from the root. The unique design of the mascara brush—a spiral shape with deep-cut bristles—is where the magic lies in helping to volumize and separate lashes. It’s buildable as well so you can switch up your mascara look each time you apply.

One Cosmo editor says: "A fanned-out, doll-like lash look is my favorite, and this achieves it better than a lot of high-end mascaras I've used. The curved wand gives me the ability to comb through my lashes after I've applied product, separating and dispersing the mascara more effectively."—BG

If you’re looking for a sustainable mascara, this one from Pacifica can help you get cutesy, fluffy lashes while feeling like you’re doing something good for the environment; the mascara reduces plastic waste because the product is housed in a glass container. Vegan collagen and plant fibers help to condition the lashes, making them look healthier and thicken over time, all while immediately boosting volume.

One Cosmo editor says: “I need to get better at using more sustainable beauty products and this one from Pacifica makes me feel like I am doing a little something good for the environment. Low key, I do very minimal makeup during the week, but I always wear mascara and for the times that I want something a little less intense, I wear this one. It makes my lashes fluffy and cute and I truly love that it doesn’t crunch throughout the day and deposit little particles on my face.” —TB

Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s Maybelline Falsies Mascara (sorry, I couldn’t resist). Ideal for people who love the look of false lashes but can’t seem to figure out how to glue them properly (it’s me, I’m people), Maybelline’s Falsies Mascara is like the Wonderbra of mascaras: it lifts and separates. The mascara wand itself is flexible to help deposit the brand’s Kera-Fiber formula to seriously build up your lashes.

One Cosmo editor says: “I have been applying eyelash serum for some time to grow my lashes so they look fake, but I’m not as consistent as I should be—oops! When I want that false lash look (which is most weekends), I use this mascara, and no joke, my lashes look insanely long and fluffed. I use Blackest Black and it’s perfect” —TB

Although this is one of the pricier ones on this list, it’s actually a two-in-one mascara and lash primer, so we’ll eat the cost on this one. Lash primer is the unsung hero for making lashes long and bold. This clean mascara and primer comes double sided, and it boosts the length of our lashes while the flexible mascara wand goes to work evenly coating, separating, and volumizing our lashes like it’s no one’s business.

One Cosmo editor says: “I feel like this is the perfect mascara product: it comes with a built in primer, it’s clean, and it actually makes your lashes stand out while at the same time giving them a natural look. I’m definitely keeping this one in my rotation.” —TB