This Top-Rated Mascara Is The Cure For My Exhausted Eyes

For those of us who’ve been wearing makeup for decades, we probably already have your makeup mainstays; you know, those ride-or-die products we love and could never do without. (They’ll have to pry Mac’s Ruby Woo lipstick from my cold, dead hands.) But now that any Sephora trip sets me back $100 minimum (anti-wrinkle stuff is expensive!) I appreciate a good bargain. A few of my girlfriends were gushing about a few cheap mascaras, and I was intrigued. So I gave L’Oreal’s Lash Paradise Mascara a try because more than 38,000 five-star Amazon reviews couldn’t be ignored. Plus, it comes in a frosty pink tube that would look cute on my bathroom counter, which obviously must be considered.

With most mascaras, there’s usually a trade-off: Pick length or volume. But this one’s the real deal and delivers both. It takes two good coats, but I can bulk my lashes up and achieve the length I’m looking for. Plus, it helps me look wide awake, even if I’ve only gotten a few hours of sleep.

One coat’s great if you want to look awake and alert with minimal makeup. Or go for more drama with two coats for more length and volume. (It looks a bit globby on the wand, but don’t worry! It smooths out during application.)

The result is longer and fuller lashes, no clumps or spider webs in sight!

Mascara that flakes and clumps is bad news for contact lens wearers like myself. All those little bits can get in and wreak havoc on the eyes. Happily, this one doesn’t flake, clump, or come off at all.

Truly, this stuff doesn’t budge. In the afternoons when I’m too lazy to take off my makeup before working out, this mascara stays put even though my face is a sweaty mess. And I’m not even wearing the waterproof version.

Finding a good, low-cost mascara is especially awesome because it’s one of those products that need frequent replacing. At less than $10 a tube, it’s NBD to swap it out for a new one every few months to prevent bacteria growth. Save yourself a few bucks and buy the 2-pack so you’ve got one at home and one for on the go.