9 best waterproof mascaras for smudge-free lashes all day long

Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

If you simply can’t do without long, fluttery lashes, this small but mighty mascara is well worth the splurge, giving lashings of volume with just a couple of coats.

The brush picks up an even coat of product without overloading it, and even when worn in the shower, it doesn’t budge. We found it was brilliantly buildable, too, allowing us to add coat after coat without leaving lashes looking clumpy.

Despite being the brand’s smallest mascara, with a compact tube that’s 5.5ml, it’s lasted our reviewer well over six months.

Best: For lengthening

Rating: 7/10

Another cult favourite mascara launching a waterproof version is Benefit, with arguably some of the best lash products on the market. Its buildable formula is weightless and super lengthening, delivering non-clumpy and defined lashes.

Our only bugbear was that it’s slightly harder to remove than others we tried in this round-up – taking a good few cotton rounds of make-up remover to make sure it was all gone. That said, this goes to show its impressive staying power.

Best: For adding volume

Rating: 8/10

This kush mascara comes in a chunky, weighty tube with an oval-shaped brush, which we found worked best for adding volume and thickness to lashes, while the weight of the wand made it feel sturdy to apply.

The vegan-friendly formula is rich in a plant-derived oil to nourish lashes, and we saw no flaking or clumping. Not only that, it’s easy to remove too. So, if you want the staying power of a waterproof mascara but don’t want to spend ages taking it off, this is a worthwhile option.

Best: For holding a curl

Rating: 9/10

Lancôme has such an extensive mascara range it can be hard to know which to choose, but a very good starting place will be with its Idôle. It comes with a curved brush that gives lashes a bit of a lift and oodles of volume. What’s more, it was easy to manoeuvre around any hairs that were refusing to cooperate.

The formula proved to be impressively long-wearing yet was also easier to remove than expected. We returned to this mascara repeatedly over the month-long testing period.

Best: For sensitive eyes

Rating: 9/10

For defined, lengthened lashes, this mascara is hard to beat, and is one of the brand’s most popular make-up products, thanks to its serious staying power – it didn’t smudge, smear, flake or crumble on a sweaty tube carriage, while wearing a face covering, or during drinks in the park in 25C heat.

The brush is full of evenly spaced bristles, but not so jam-packed that it’ll leave you with flecks of product on your eyelids. The wand is easy to navigate into the corner of your inner lash to coat each hair without them looking clumpy.

OK, it wasn’t the easiest to remove, so we recommend using a cleansing balm or eye make-up remover to ensure it’s all off before you hit the hay.

Best: For short lashes

Rating: 8/10

Affordable and effective, this is an ideal mascara for short lashes looking for added length, volume and easy application. The tapered brush was able to coat even the smallest of hairs on our bottom lashes without feeling heavy or clumping together.

We opted for three coats to achieve our desired look, and the formula didn’t irritate our watery eyes, nor smudge throughout the day. What’s more, the mascara was relatively easy to remove, and comes with a purse-friendly price tag, too.

Best: Budget option

Rating: 8/10

While the non-waterproof version of this mascara achieved viral fame on TikTok, we implore you to try this one, too. It’s one of the best budget-friendly eye products we’ve tried and it delivered on its claims of lengthened, long-wearing, fluttery lashes.

It has a slight conical-shaped brush, which is flexible too, making it easy to coat smaller corner and bottom lashes evenly. We experienced no flaking or creasing whatsoever after well over 12 hours of wear, and it melted away easily with an oil-based cleansing balm. Add to your basket before it sells out.

Best: For weddings

Rating: 8/10

If you’re looking to splurge, Chanel’s waterproof mascara is one of the best we’ve tried. It didn’t move a jot throughout the day, even during a facial, or while wearing a face covering when jumping on and off the underground and going and in and out of shops. It also comes in a neat and compact tube, making it easy to pop into your bag.

The formula added length, volume and thickness to even the sparsest of lashes, and had brilliant staying power. There was no clumping on our reviewer's lashes and it remained free from flakes. Worth every penny.

Best: For every day

Rating: 9/10

While not a mascara, this lash top coat can transform any mascara into a waterproof one, being clear, very lightweight and easy to layer. It came in particularly handy when we wore mascaras that applied well and lengthened lashes but didn’t have the staying power.

The formula prevented any smudging, crumbling or smeared panda eyes. It also looked invisible once applied, lasted a long time and was a genius product to have in our make-up bag.

This one is out of stock at the moment, but you can sign up to be notified once it’s back on sale.