October 30, 2024

Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links,  New York may earn an affiliate commission.

Photo Credit: Arielle Avila. Arielle Avila in her everyday mascara, Tower 28 MakeWaves.

I lean toward a minimal, natural mascara for my every day — just enough to fake a lash lift. This pretty much does the trick because it keeps a curl, applies without clumps, and defines my lashes without adding too much volume. Normally, I just need a swipe to last me the entire day, but if I do want a more dramatic look, I’ll just add an extra layer. —Arielle Avila  

I have extremely straight lashes that never want to hold a curl. It was so frustrating that I used to get them professionally lifted and tinted so I could forego mascara altogether. But in recent years, it was too much of a hassle to lie on a table for an hour of torture, so now I reach for a classic: Benefit Cosmetics’s Roller Lash. I find that it actually sets the curl all day without my lashes falling after just a few hours. —Dominique Pariso

When I discovered this mascara, I knew it was over for the rest. It curls. It lifts. It has a brush with the perfect shape to get to both your inner and outer corners but never leave a splodge at either end. When I really take my time to coat my lashes in it, I get asked what lash serum I’ve been using. I quite simply love it and only stray when I want a colorful mascara (with Maybelline Sky High) or really dramatic, clumpy lashes (when I’ll reach for Half Magic). —Rachael Griffiths

As the steward of our best mascaras roundup, I'm always rotating among two-to-four mascaras at a time. For the past few months, I've been testing out "lash-enhancing" mascaras that are infused with ingredients like peptides and castor oil to help simultaneously strengthen and lengthen your lashes. I use Colorescience's Total Lash Mascara for a more natural everyday look, but on days when I want all the drama and volume, I go for Grande Cosmetics's Intense Thickening Mascara. I can't say which one deserves more credit, but with the two of them combined, my lashes are noticeably longer, fuller, and fluffier. I received two separate compliments on my lashes unprompted: one from a makeup artist, who called my lashes "very beautiful," and another from my esthetician, who asked if I'd gotten lash extensions. —Kitty Guo

The best mascara ever was Marc Jacobs’s Velvet Noir (allegedly, Jacobs was inspired by his mother putting on flecks of velvet ribbon on her own lashes). I will still say that I like the fullness I get from Gucci’s now. It’s a little less spidery-looking. The lengthening that’s going on is good too. It’s not enough to be accused of having lash extensions, but it’s enough to be eye-framing. I want everyone to think I was born with these lashes. —Ambar Pardilla

I spent much of the summer in lash extensions but over the past couple of months transitioned back to my natural lashes. I was convinced to do so by Laura Geller Kajal Longwear Mascara. It does all the things a great mascara should — lengthens, curls, and separates. It's a deeply pigmented black that still looks natural for daytime. I really got sold when it somehow survived a quick in-Uber cry session I had on the way to an event (no running). —Crystal Martin

ADVERTISER CONTENT

ADVERTISER CONTENT