MASCARA 101

BEST LENGTHENING MASCARA

• Lengthening mascara is a fine art. Whereas volumizing builds heavier with every coat, lengthening is designed to stretch out and layer onto lashes evenly without building too much bulk. The result is gorgeously long, elegant lashes. We've got a few high-rated picks for you—including Allure's Best Lengthening Mascara of 2020—that will give you the stretch you need for any occasion you want. Let's go get those long, long lashes!

• BEST OVERALL LENGTHENING MASCARA: THE FALSIES LASH LIFT WASHABLE MASCARA

  Hey, don't just take it from us—this extra-effect formula was crowned Best Lengthening Mascara of 2020 by Allure Best of Beauty! People go crazy for this triple-threat formula's ability to deliver lots of length, lots of volume and an eye-opening "lift" to lashes without getting too heavy handed or weighing down lashes. It builds up beautifully with every layer you apply.

• BEST NATURAL-LOOKING LENGTHENING MASCARA: SNAPSCARA WASHABLE MASCARA

  For a more natural, clean-tipped look, try this pigmented, wax-free mascara that stays soft and flexible on lashes all day long, yet delivers plenty of that lashy length. The brush is curved to fit perfectly along your natural contours of the eye, so you can apply the clean, buildable formula to look as natural or as pronounced as you want.

• BEST NIGHT-ON-THE-TOWN LENGTHENING MASCARA: LASH STILETTO ULTIMATE LENGTH WASHABLE MASCARA

  It's shiny. It's stretchy. It's pitch-black. It's kind of amazing. The brush is extended so every time you swipe it on it grabs every little lash and coats from every angle. And the shade is so unique—a deeply-pigmented, super-intense black. The kicker? Plenty of pro-vitamin B5 in the formula deeply conditions lashes while creating super-glamorous wet-effect shine that lasts on lashes all day. Or night.

• WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VOLUMIZING AND LENGTHENING MASCARA?

  Long, willowy lashes are what you get from lengthening mascara. They’re a bit more natural looking than their volumizing counterparts, which give a more “mascara-y” effect and are more prone to clumping if not used right.

  
  

  Whereas volumizing formulas focus on fattening each lash, lengthening formulas focus on separating and coating each one. Look at the brushes when you choose your lengthening mascara—just like blow-drying hair, the fuller the brush, the more volume you get. If you’re wanting a more natural lash look, opt for a thinner or comb-like wand.