Best Waterproof Mascara: 10 Formulas Tested and Compared
Waterproof mascara promises one thing above everything else: it stays put when your regular mascara wouldn’t. But “waterproof” covers a huge range of actual performance, some formulas shrug off a pool day and a good cry without a trace, others smudge the moment your eyes water at a sad movie. On top of that, every one of these makes different tradeoffs between volume, length, curl hold, and how easy the stuff is to take off at the end of the day, which matters more than people expect until they’re scrubbing at their lash line with a washcloth at 11pm.
We looked at ten waterproof mascaras spanning drugstore staples to prestige counter picks, and dug into what real, long-term users actually say once the initial “new mascara” excitement wears off. Here’s what each one is actually good at, and who should skip it.
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best all-around everyday pick: Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Waterproof
- Best for genuine lengthening, not volume: L’Oreal Paris Telescopic Extensionist Waterproof
- Best for airy volume without clumping: Maybelline Colossal Bubble Waterproof
- Best budget pick: essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Waterproof
- Best for dramatic falsies-style volume on a budget: Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies Waterproof
- Best-selling classic, trusted by pros: L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Waterproof
- Best for a lifted, comfortable everyday wear: Lancome Lash Idole Waterproof
- Best for a natural, no-makeup-makeup look: Lancome Definicils Waterproof
- Best for clean-beauty shoppers, note the waterproof caveat: tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1
- Best for reliably dramatic lashes that hold up all day: Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof
Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Waterproof Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.3/5 — Best All-Around Everyday Pick
Pros: Buildable without clumping easily, the flexible Flex Tower wand genuinely reaches corner lashes better than a rigid brush, suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers, affordable for a name-brand formula.
Cons: Doesn’t deliver the dramatic, false-lash-level volume some people want from a night-out mascara, a handful of long-term users report minor fallout by the end of a long day.
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants one reliable, do-everything mascara for daily wear without stepping up to a prestige price point.
L’Oreal Paris Telescopic Extensionist Waterproof Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.4/5 — Best for Genuine Lengthening, Not Volume
Pros: Real, noticeable lengthening from the 300-bristle precision brush, holds a curl well even on straight or stubborn lashes, separates cleanly without clumping, performs well through humidity and long wear days.
Cons: This is not a volumizing mascara. If you want thick, dramatic lashes, this will feel underwhelming next to something like the Falsies or Too Faced Better Than Sex.
Who it’s for: Anyone with short, straight, or sparse lashes who wants definition and length over bulk, and anyone who’s tried thicker formulas and found them clumpy on fine lashes.
Maybelline Colossal Bubble Waterproof Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.4/5 — Best for Airy Volume Without Clumping
Pros: Strong volume without the heavy, clumped look some volumizing formulas give, lightweight feel that doesn’t weigh lashes down, the spiral inflator brush separates cleanly.
Cons: A small but consistent group of reviewers describe the dried formula as feeling notably stiff on the lash. It also doesn’t remove easily with just soap and water.
Who it’s for: Anyone chasing volume who’s been burned by clumpy formulas before. Worth a pass if you’re sensitive to how mascara feels once it dries.
essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.4/5 — Best Budget Pick
Pros: Extremely affordable, holds a curl well, builds real volume and length, cruelty-free formula, an enormous base of consistently positive reviews.
Cons: Can get clumpy if you go past two coats without wiping excess off the wand first, some reviewers with oily lids report smudging despite the waterproof label, only available in black.
Who it’s for: Almost everyone, honestly. The easiest recommendation on this list for someone who wants to test whether a dramatic mascara suits them before spending real money elsewhere.
Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies Waterproof Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.3/5 — Best Dramatic Volume on a Budget
Pros: Dramatic volume for a drugstore price, doesn’t flake once set, holds curl well, works on both top and bottom lashes.
Cons: Clumps if you let it dry between coats instead of applying in quick succession, the waterproof formula can be more difficult to remove than most people expect.
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants a bold, done-up lash look for a special occasion without paying prestige prices, and doesn’t mind a slightly more involved makeup-removal routine.
L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Waterproof Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.2/5 — Best-Selling Classic, Trusted by Pros
Pros: Strong, consistent volume and length backed by nearly 8,900 real ratings averaging 4.2/5, the curved brush coats evenly, genuinely trusted by professional makeup artists as a reliable kit staple, budget-friendly at under $10.
Cons: A real, recurring group of long-time users specifically report the formula getting clumpier and drier over the past few years compared to the version they used to love, this shows up independently across multiple reviewers, not just once. The waterproof version specifically takes more effort to remove than the washable version.
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants a reliably strong, affordable volumizing mascara with a long track record, including professional trust. If you’re a long-time user of this exact formula and haven’t repurchased in a couple of years, it’s worth patch-testing a fresh tube first, since a genuine subset of loyal users report a real difference from the version they remember.
Lancome Lash Idole Waterproof Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 — Comfortable, Widely Loved Prestige Pick
Pros: Comfortable, lightweight wear that doesn’t flake, backed by real numbers, over 15,000 five-star ratings at Ulta and a 90% recommend rate at Sephora. Lancome’s own consumer testing found 96% of testers found it comfortable and 94% saw instant volume. Suitable for sensitive eyes and contacts.
Cons: At around $30, it’s a real step up in price from drugstore options, worth it for the comfort and consistency, but not the cheapest way to get dramatic volume. A smaller group of reviewers report it not fully living up to the waterproof claim under heavy humidity or tears.
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants a comfortable, reliably well-reviewed prestige mascara for daily wear, backed by genuinely strong customer satisfaction, not just brand name.
Lancome Definicils Waterproof High Definition Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.6/5 — Best Natural, No-Makeup-Makeup Look
Pros: Genuinely natural-looking definition backed by strong real ratings (4.7/5 across nearly 3,400 reviews on one major retailer), fragrance-free and gentle, holds up well for casual everyday wear, good for sensitive eyes. Lancome’s own testing shows 91% found it lightweight and 91% found it easy to remove.
Cons: A smaller group of reviewers report the waterproof version feeling drier than the standard formula. It won’t deliver dramatic volume if that’s what you’re after, this is a definition-focused formula by design.
Who it’s for: Someone who actively wants a subtle, defined look rather than bold lashes, and who prioritizes a natural finish over drama, backed by real, consistently strong reviews.
tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 — Beloved Formula, With a Waterproof Caveat
Pros: Vegan and cruelty-free formula, genuinely well-loved with over 13,000 reviews averaging 4.5/5 at major retailers, good volume and lift from the dual-bristle 360 wand, pleasant to wear.
Cons: Important to know before buying: tarte’s dedicated waterproof formula is actually a separate product called Lights, Camera, Splashes. This one is built as a washable, smudge-resistant formula, not a true waterproof one, so if swim-proof or cry-proof performance is your main requirement, the Splashes version is the one to look for instead.
Who it’s for: Someone prioritizing a vegan, cruelty-free formula with genuinely strong everyday reviews. Not the pick if you specifically need proven waterproof performance, look at tarte’s Lights, Camera, Splashes for that instead.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara
Overall Rating: 4.3/5 — Best Reliable Drama for All-Day Wear
Pros: Dramatic, noticeable volume and length, reliably smudge-proof through humidity, tears, and long wear, doesn’t clump despite the bold payoff.
Cons: The large hourglass brush can be tricky to control around corners and lower lashes, it’s a premium price point, and like most true waterproof formulas, it takes more effort to remove than a washable mascara.
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants dependable, dramatic lashes for photos, events, or long emotional days, and doesn’t mind spending a bit more or working a little harder at the end of the night to take it off.
How to Choose Between Them
The fastest way to narrow this list is to get honest about what actually matters most to you, because none of these formulas do everything equally well.
If length and lash definition matter more than volume, the L’Oreal Telescopic Extensionist or Lancome Definicils will serve you better than anything marketed around drama and thickness. If you want maximum, unmistakable volume, Too Faced Better Than Sex is built specifically for that and hold up well through long, demanding days. If budget is the priority, essence Lash Princess is the strongest pick here by a wide margin, genuinely competitive performance at a fraction of the price of anything else on this list.
If you have sensitive eyes, wear contacts, or have had bad experiences with mascara feeling stiff or irritating once dry, lean toward Lash Sensational Sky High or Lash Idole, both are specifically noted for comfortable, lightweight wear. And if easy removal matters more to you than maximum drama, know upfront that the boldest, most waterproof-proof formulas on this list (Falsies, Colossal Bubble, Better Than Sex) are also the ones that take the most effort to take off at night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is waterproof mascara bad for your lashes?
Not inherently, but the extra effort often needed to remove it can cause more lash breakage if you scrub rather than use a proper oil-based or waterproof-specific remover. Gentle removal matters more with waterproof formulas than washable ones.
Why does my waterproof mascara still smudge?
Oily eyelids, humidity, and touching your eyes throughout the day can all break down even a genuinely waterproof formula faster than expected. If smudging is a recurring problem, a primer or a formula specifically noted for oily-lid performance will help more than switching mascaras alone.
What’s the actual difference between “waterproof” and “smudge-proof”?
Waterproof formulas are formulated to resist water directly, tears, rain, pool days. Smudge-proof formulas resist transferring or shifting throughout a normal day but aren’t necessarily built to survive submersion or heavy moisture the same way.
Do I need a separate makeup remover for waterproof mascara?
Generally yes. Most waterproof formulas don’t fully break down with just soap, water, or a basic cleansing cloth, an oil-based remover or a dedicated waterproof eye makeup remover will save your lashes from unnecessary tugging.
Can I use a volumizing waterproof mascara every day, or is it only for special occasions?
Any of these are fine for daily wear, but the bolder, more dramatic formulas (Falsies, Better Than Sex) require more thorough nightly removal, which is worth factoring in if you’re deciding what to reach for on an ordinary Tuesday versus a big event.
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