Who else watched True Life on MTV when they were younger? Let me start with a little story. When I first started getting into makeup, I was probably the biggest makeup snob there was. I turned my nose up at the drugstore halls where I had long been buying my essentials (liquid eyeliner, mascara, and red lipstick - that's it. I was having a "I wish I was in the 1940s" phase in my teenage years) in favor of the tempting aisles of Sephora. I probably replaced every makeup product I owned with something from a higher end brand. The one thing I couldn't give up, though, was my mascara. Sure, I dabbled in the world of Benefit They're Real, but when I just wasn't feeling it anymore, I turned back to my drugstore favorites. And there I've stayed. I've now got four drugstore mascara favorites to suit any mood.
For minimal makeup: L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Waterproof Mascara & Maybelline Full 'N Soft Waterproof Mascara
These two are my ultimate go-tos when I want a more natural look. They give a soft definition to the lashes without looking ultra-dramatic. The L'Oreal Telescopic has been a favorite for about a year now, and it's one I still reach for when I want to oomph up the length of my lashes without going overboard in the volume department. It adds a nice doll-eyed look that pairs well with softly blushed cheeks and a my-lips-but-better lip color. It's also the best mascara for holding a curl in my experience - the curl you get out of your lash curlers in the morning will still be hanging around by the time you wash this off at night. The Maybelline Full 'N Soft is a newer discovery that knocked my only high(ish) end mascara, the Clinique Lash Power Feathering Mascara, out of my rotation. It does pretty much the same thing, beefing up your lashes ever-so-slightly to give you a naturally fuller look. Think of it as the best mascara for a my-lashes-but-flutterier (I guess that's a word now) look. This has been my number one pick for my everyday makeup routine recently (check out my latest Makeup Lately post to see what else has made it into my everyday routine).
For drama: L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Waterproof Mascara & Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara
When I'm wearing a bit more makeup, whether it's a special occasion or I'm just feeling fancy, I reach for one of my two favorites for more drama (or sometimes, I layer them both like I did in my Mascara Match post). Similarly to the more natural options above, I've got one pick for when I'm craving volume and one that's more lengthening. When I really want to amp up the volume of my lashes I'll always reach for the L'Oreal Miss Manga. The wiggly wand makes application a little tedious to get the right amount of volume, but if you persevere you've got one of the best mascara formulations on the market in my opinion. This does give me some length, but it's main strength is the volumization. When I'm wanting more length I reach for the Maybelline Lash Sensational, which is actually a great all-rounder - it adds an insane amount of volume and curl to the lashes as well. The result is a perfectly fanned-out look that if layered properly can really mimic the look of false lashes. It may be worth noting that this one probably lives up to its waterproof claims the least, but I have the most smudge-prone eyes ever and I only get some faint smudges after about 6 hours of wear.
So now that I've found a drugstore option for just about any lash-mood I may be in, I don't think I'll be making any more high end mascara purchases. Are there any (drugstore or high end) that you think I'm missing out on?