I’m A Beauty Reporter That’s Tested Hundreds Of Products, But This Drugstore Mascara Is The Only One I’ll Use | HuffPost Life

One of my favorite things about being a beauty reporter is getting to test out products, especially expensive luxury items. I often find that (unfortunately) the pricier version of a product is the better option, but there are also plenty of times when the affordable drugstore version is the obvious choice. Case in point: the classic Maybelline Volum’ Express Colossal mascara, for which I’ve never paid more than $8 a pop.

Mascara is a highly individual piece of makeup; depending on your lashes and personal aesthetic, you may value volume over length, or you could prize a super-natural look as opposed to a vampy, chunky lash. Well, I’m here to tell you that no matter your preference, this Maybelline mascara will get the job done.

It features a no-clumping formula that goes on smoothly and instantly adds volume and length without looking too dramatic. A single swipe gives me a very natural, “my lashes but better” look that is perfect for everyday use. When I really want to make my eyes pop, I let it dry for a few seconds, then add a second coat to amp it up. It works like magic every time.

There are a few different variations, and while I never deviate from the washable formula in Glam Black, you can also pick up this mascara in a waterproof formulation and in Classic Black, Classic Brown and Glam Brown.

I have incredibly short, sparse lashes and look like a corpse without mascara. It’s my desert island makeup item and I don’t step out of the house without a swipe. Over the years, I’ve tried just about every mascara there is — from expensive luxury brands to Sephora staples and internet-famous DTC beauty brands that are trending.

Despite that, I keep coming back to this affordable stalwart and it’s now the only mascara I’ll ever use. I always have at least one tube in my makeup bag, and often find myself picking up an extra one when I pop into Target or my nearby drugstore. My worst fear would be that it was discontinued! There is simply nothing else that even comes close to this perfection. But luckily, scores of people agree with me and are equally as devoted to the Maybelline Colossal mascara.

Take a look at what these mascara enthusiasts have to say and then give it a go for yourself, at under $10 a tube, you don’t have too much to lose!

Promising reviews:

“This products reminds me of how gorgeous my lashes used to be in my younger years. Over the years my lashes get thinner and thinner, so I rely on mascara such as this to give me that volume again. Overall, this stuff works pretty great. The brush is nice and fluffy and holds a lot of product but doesn’t leave clumps on your lashes. It’s definitely worth the cost!” — Lisa Viveros

“Can’t ever go wrong with this stuff! Its my favorite. I’ve tried many other expensive brands at sephora, but I always go back to this!” — Jonathan

“I love this mascara, I have been using it for years. It goes on smoothly, looks amazing and doesn’t rub off or smear as easily as other mascaras I have worn. Removes easily with makeup remover and doesn’t irritate my eyes. It gives me the look of having thick dramatic lashes when the opposite is true lol. I have tried high end expensive mascaras but always come back to this.” — Bette Noir

“After trying numerous ‘non-clumping’ mascaras that left ridiculous clumps, I was delighted to find that this product did exactly what it said it would. No clumps! It’s now my go-to choice!” — Maggiem

“As an ‘older’ female, my lashes have thinned a bit. Been using this mascara for a couple years now, and it is absolutely wonderful. The price is unbeatable. The product makes my lashes look longer and fuller without ever clumping. Easy to remove with face cleaner wipes.” — Sherry H.

“1 of my 2 all-time favorite mascaras! Waterproof black makes eyes pop especially since I have very short and small and sparse lashes. This mascara makes my lashes long and dark and beautiful. Most mascaras don’t work at all for me because I have such small lashes. This stuff is a godsend and at a reasonable price. Highly recommend.” — Elysia

“I like mascaras which give length and volume without clumping and I always find that the drugstore ones just don’t deliver,” Makeup artist Aleksandra Ambrozy previously explained to HuffPost, noting that in her experience as a makeup artist, high-end mascaras have performed "far more superior to drugstore ones."

“My all-time favorite [mascara] right now is Maneater by Tarte," Ambrozy said. "[It provides] amazing buildable volume and length."

Ambrozy also recommended Dior's Diorshow Lash-Extension Effect mascara in previous HuffPost coverage. That version of Dior's runway-famous Diorshow mascara has since been discontinued, but based on our research, we think Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara is a great substitute.

This style is the brand's current bestselling and highest-rated mascara on Sephora, designed to deliver major curling and emphatic volume. Its strategically bent brush helps draw out the curve and length of lashes while the formula nourishes with jojoba esters.

Ambrozy also recommended Lancôme's since-discontinued Grandiose Extreme mascara. Based on our research, we think Lancôme's Lash Idôle lengthening and volumizing mascara is a close match. The two Lancôme releases share overtly bent brushes designed to push up and fan lashes alongside ultra-tiny bristles to define and lengthen.

One hack from a pedestrian mascara lover (myself)? If you're unsure about trying a more expensive formula, try out the travel size first.

As cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson noted in previous HuffPost coverage, the inclusion of certain ingredients — like polymers — in high-end mascaras could justify an increased price tag.

Tubing mascara may be a good example of this. Distinct from standard mascara, tubing formulas contain polymers that wrap around lashes to lengthen and define; traditional mascara, on the other hand, utilizes pigmented waxes and oils that have a greater propensity to smudge and flake. Folks with sensitive eyes may also find tubing formulas preferable since they require much less tugging and rubbing on the eye area to remove.

Caliray's Come Hell or High Water tubing mascara is an Allure 2022 Best of Beauty award winner, designed to curl, add volume and wash off with warm water.

Tarte's Tartlette XL mascara is an incredibly popular tubing option, currently the bestselling tubing mascara at Sephora and an Allure 2024 Best of Beauty award winner. The formula is equipped with peptides and biotin to lift lashes while thickening and conditioning them for a defined, lush look.

"As a longtime member of the straight lashes community, I’ve tried at least 20 mascaras in an attempt to get mine to have some sort of volume or curl," wrote former HuffPost writer Kristen Adaway in previous coverage.

"[Benefit's Badgal Bang] mascara makes it look like I actually have long lashes ... and after multiple hours of wear, didn't smudge or give me the dreaded raccoon-eye effect," Adaway said. "I also have sensitive eyes and I had zero irritation while I was wearing it."

Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara is an iconic high-end mascara, not just for its brow-raising name but for its dramatically fluttery look. Paired with a curl-priming polymer formula, the mascara's hourglass brush and grabby bristles claim to coat every lash while pushing lashes out for length.

I've long loved Milk Makeup's Kush volumizing mascara for the fringey, thickly defined volume it gives me, which I attribute to its finely bristled brush and buildable yet nourishing formula.

In my opinion, Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara is a slept-on heavy hitter. It purportedly increases lashes' curl by 35%, delivering an effortless smoldering eye. Its inky color adds extra definition to eyes, and the wand's defined brush sports short and long bristles to capture every single lash.

Thrive Causemetics' bestselling Liquid Lash Extensions is another popular tubing mascara, both for its sensitive eye-friendly ingredients and its results (which, per reviews and reviewer photos, live up to its name). I've been pining for this mascara myself.