The 5 Mascaras You Need To Buy in 2021

By Patricia Shannon
Updated January 04, 2021
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Credit: Lancome

We ask a lot of our makeup, but perhaps the most hardworking of all is our mascara. It can’t clump; must stay put for 12+ hours; has to divide, multiply, and add volume; and absolutely must not smudge or smear. If it sounds like a tall order that’s because it is. The average Southern woman will have tried, tested, and retested plenty of mascaras in her time—and things can start to run together with all that swiping. Keeping that in mind, we’ve created a who’s who of mascara. Here you’ll find five of our favorite mascaras of the year. Looking to blast those lashes to new heights? Or are you on the hunt for a buildable formula that allows you to customize your look based on where the day takes you? These are the mascaras that you need now.

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1 of 5

Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara

Credit: Amazon

SHOP IT: $4.99; amazon.com

This is not only the top selling mascara on Amazon, but it’s also the number one selling product in their makeup and personal care category and most reviewed beauty product (with over 93K ratings at the time this story was published). If that doesn’t convince you to finally add it to your cart in 2021, let the promises of all-day volume and zero clumping clinch the deal.

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2 of 5

L’Oreal Paris Lightweight Mega Volume Washable Mascara

Credit: Amazon

SHOP IT: $10.97; amazon.com

The air-whipped formula coats lashes without a heavy, weighed-down feel, promising even more impactful volume than the cult-favorite Lash Paradise. A fluffy brush with a combination of short and long bristles ensures not a single lash sneaks by without a good coat.

3 of 5

Covergirl Lash Blast Clean

Credit: Covergirl

SHOP IT: $7.99; amazon.com

Covergirl’s first clean mascara skips many of the nefarious-sounding ingredients we would rather do without while still managing to pack a dose of smudge-free volume that takes bare lashes up about 10 notches—and at a fraction of the price of some of the other clean formulas.

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4 of 5

Bite Beauty Upswing Full Volume Mascara

Credit: Sephora

SHOP IT: $28; sephora.com

An hourglass-shaped brush combs through lashes leaving behind a vegan formula that allows for buildable volume. Tree berry wax is the hero, it grips onto lashes, providing a lightweight lift and fanned-out separation that resists transferring to those smudge-prone undereye areas.

5 of 5

Lancôme Lash Idôle Lash-Lifting & Volumizing Mascara

Credit: Lancome

SHOP IT: $26; sephora.com

A formula that calls on white tea extract to condition while it fans, lifts, and lengthens every single lash makes this splurge-worthy mascara a must try. You'll notice softer lashes rather than the bristle-y effect we’ve come to expect from this level of flutter.

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By Patricia Shannon