Best Mascara for 2016

Mascara! A million confusing tubes to choose from. Below are my picks out of the many tubes I have tried, as most of those fancy tubes are full of funky junk that make your lashes look like they are covered in crumbled asphalt.

About my needs in a mascara:

I need a mascara that won’t bleed, run or smudge, particularly onto the top lids of my eyes that my lashes tend to smash into throughout the day, as I have deep set eyes. Waterproof or resistant types will be the only types of mascara that will put on my face. While I don’t sweat on my face, I tend to be oily in the eye and forehead area. I prefer separation of my lashes over thickening, volumizing or even lengthening. But lengthening is a secondary benefit I like. What I hate is chunks, lumps or crumbles of crap on the tips of my lashes.

I much prefer to steer clear of harsh chemicals, parabens and the like, for my particularly dry eyes. Though I compromise now and then allowing my body to taste and practice what it needs to flush out or build immunity to, or so I tell myself.

  • Waterproof or resistance – MUST
  • Clumpless
  • Separating – PRIORITY
  • Lengthening
  • Good for dry sensitive eyes

Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes! Waterproof Mascara – best mascara

Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes! Waterproof Mascara

Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes! Waterproof Mascara

Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes 4‑in‑1 Waterproof Mascara is my running favorite. Nice thick clumpless waterproof coverage. It is super water resistant, to the point of it not coming off very easily. Soap and water won’t cut it, only an oil based cleanser or remover will clean this stuff up. But that is great for me as I stated.

My only issues are the fact that it is expensive and the formula in the tube does start to get goopy, leading to clumpiness, rather quickly as you expose the contents of the tube to air with regular usage.

Pros:

  • FREE OF parabens • mineral oil • phthalates • triclosan • sodium lauryl sulfate 
  • Stays put!
  • No streaking, running, clumping or budging
  • Separates
  • Lengthens
  • Thickens 

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • Difficult to cleanup (not really a ‘con’ for me though)
  • Tube contents start to get clumpy quickly the more you use

Ingredients:

Isododecane, Cera Alba, Water/Aqua/Eau, Pentaerythrityl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cyclopentasiloxane, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Polybutene, Alcohol, Hydrated Silica, Polyquaternium-10, Chlorphenesin, Iron Oxides (CI 77499).

Find Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes Waterproof Mascara HERE!

Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof Mascara – best mascara for all around daily use in drugstore class

Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof Mascara

Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof Mascara

Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof Mascara was an accidental happy surprise find when I somehow forgot to pack my mascara on a trip. I just needed something for two days. I grabbed Lash Discovery and it has impressed me for a particularly cheap drugstore level. It has since become a quick guiltless staple daily alternative to the more pricey stuff.

It finds all the lashes, per its namesake, I love the narrow brush! Lash Discovery does very well on the waterproof requirements. Goes on clean for most of the tube. Lengthens well enough. It does however eventually start to flake a bit if you fuss with your lashes. And I have noticed it experience a bit of irritation when sweating with this mascara despite it being ‘hypoallergenic’, though it does not affect its appearance.

Pros:

  • Stays put
  • Exclusive lash-catching mini-brush
  • Separates
  • Lengthens
  • Defines
  • Super cheap

Cons:

  • Not paraben free
  • Eventually flakes
  • Irritating

Ingredients:

Petroleum Distillates, C8 9 Isoparaffin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Synethetic Beeswax, Water, Paraffin, Allyl Stearate/VA Copolymer, Propylene Carbonate, Oryza Sativa Starch (Rice), Polyvinyl Laurate, Sodium Polymethacrylate, Polyquaternium 10, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, May Contain (+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Mica, Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Carmine (CI 75470), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288), Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI 77289), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510)

Find Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof Mascara HERE

it Cosmetics Tightline Waterproof Full Lash Mascara – best mascara for separation

it Cosmetics Tightline Waterproof Mascara

it Cosmetics Tightline Waterproof Mascara

it Cosmetics Tightline Waterproof Full Lash Mascara was an experimental find after my Lash Discovery experience with the small narrow application brush proven much to my liking. Tightline is an interesting ‘mascara’ since it is billed as “Primer” and “Eyeliner” as well as being a mascara. While it is certainly nice as a base, primer under other mascara, I really like Tightline alone. Really nice staying power. The only major negatives being it seems like there isn’t much in the tube for the expense, (the long end of the tube is all brush/handle).

Pros:

  • Stays put
  • Gets to the “root” of the eyelashes
  • Lengthens
  • Separates
  • No clumping
  • Protects and conditions eyelashes
  • Alone or as a base for your favorite mascara
  • Paraben, Fragrance and Sulfate-free

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • Doesn’t last long
  • Not very thickening alone

Ingredients:

Camellia Sinesis Leaf Water, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Water, Beeswax, Stearic Acid, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Hectorite, Phenoxyrthanol, Dimethicone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candellia) Wax, Ethylhexylglycerin, Iron Hydroxide, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Arginine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Biotin, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Cholesterol, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Lauroyl Lysine, Lecithin, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Angelica Dahurica Root Extract, Asarum Sieboldi Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower/Leaf Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Seed Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinesis (Jojoba) Seed Extract, Thuja Occidentalis Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Vitex Trifola Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Xanthan Gum. May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77499).

Find it Cosmetics Tightline Waterproof Full Lash Mascara HERE.

blinc Mascara – best ‘tubing’ mascara

Blinc Mascara

Blinc Mascara

blinc Mascara became my favorite ‘tubing’ mascara after my first, a now lost to obscurity Japanese brand, became impossible to find. The benefits of ‘tube technology’ mascara is that it is super great for sensitive eyes and has exceptional staying power while being very easy to remove. If you are unfamiliar with this type of mascara think of it as a latex skin overlaying your lashes, which slides off with warm water. Extended wear (early morning into late night) can lead to flaking as the formula eventually cures past flexibility. I really like blinc mascara, but it is another one that is expensive and the formula in the tube gets goopy quickly with the air contact of daily use.

Pros:

  • Stays put
  • Lengthens
  • Separates
  • No clumping
  • Six color options

Cons:

  • Not paraben free
  • Expensive

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, Propolene Glycol, Acrylates Copolymer, Triethanolamine, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben. [May Contain (+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)]

Find blinc Mascara HERE Find blinc Lash Primer HERE

L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara – best drugstore ‘tubing’ mascara

 

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara

L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara

L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara is great little ‘tubing’ mascara at the drugstore level. The primer is built-in to the package and is not necessary to use. This has a lot of the benefits of the more pricy ‘tube technology’ mascaras but at the cost of turning flaking way sooner than it’s more costly cousins.

Pros:

  • Stays put
  • Lengthens
  • Separates
  • Thickens
  • No clumping

Cons:

  • Not paraben free
  • Flakes

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients:

Step 1: Water, Paraffin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acrylates, Copolymer, Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire Dabeille, Cera Carnauba/Carnauba Was;Cire De Carnauba, Steareth-2, Cetyl Alcohol, Pheoxyethanol, Hydroxethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal/Acacia Senegal Gum, Rayon, Panthenol, Ethylenediamine/Steryl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Methylparaben, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylparapen, Simethicone, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Isopropylparaben, Butylparaben. Step 2: Water, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate, Acrylamide/Sodium, Acryloydimethyltaurate Copolyner, Isohexadecane, Phenolyethanol, Rayon, Polysorbate 80, Methylparaben, Imidazolidnyl Urea, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben

Find L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara HERE.