Want longer lashes? A good mascara is the best and most affordable way to add some length at home. While some contain special ingredients to elongate short lashes elegantly, and some offering waterproof formulas, others have wands that work their magic to curl, volumise and lengthen - it's tricky to know which one to choose with so many varieties available on the market.
To save you time, we've put together a list of the best mascaras for length to buy online in the UK at Amazon, eBay, John Lewis, and Boots. From luxury labels like Estée Lauder and Tom Ford to more affordable brands like NYX and Benefit, as well as drugstore options such as Maybelline. Our recommendations cover a variety of needs so you can choose one that'll be right for you. Let's get on the lash!
Quick List - Top Mascaras for Length
Charlotte Tilbury
Get Instant Volume, Length, Stretch & 24hour Vertical Lift Effect
As a professional make-up artist of ten years, Marie's job has taken her all over the UK working at top events, on TV shows and making up beautiful brides. For all her clients she loves emphasising their natural beauty by creating a flawless base that still looks like skin.
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As a professional makeup artist of ten years, Marie's job has taken her all over the UK, working at top events, on TV shows and making up beautiful brides. For all of her clients, she loves emphasising their natural beauty by creating a flawless base that still looks like skin.
Find out more about Marie and what are her favourite makeup products are through her Instagram! She even shares some industry tips on makeup application too. And if you're interested in getting your makeup done by Marie, you can contact her via her email found at the top of her page.
Tubing mascaras, which are formulated using polymers (a type of microfibre), are great for creating longer lashes. They coat each hair in a fine, silky tube which then sticks to itself, adding length to the end.
Another benefit to tubing products, aside from the length they provide, is the fact that they're practically smudge-proof thanks to their plastic-like finish after drying. The only way to remove tubing mascara is with warm water, so you won't have to worry about panda eyes on rainy days! Not all lengthening mascaras will contain polymers though, but we'll specify this in the specification table to help you out!
For extra curling action, these eyelash curlers will surely do the trick.
Tubing mascaras are perfect for oily skin types, contact lenses wearers and those that find they get 'panda eyes' throughout the day. This mascara is removed by gently massaging the lashes with warm water and fingertips, so make-up remover isn't necessary, saving you both time and money. Tubing mascaras are perfect for travelling due to the easy removal and resistance against humidity and sweat!
A plastic brush can really improve the appearance in the length of your lashes. The "bristles" on this type of brush are tiny spikes attached to the plastic body of the wand. These spikes comb smoothly through lashes and create good definition and separation, therefore minimising clumping. However, they do not apply product quite as thoroughly between the lashes as other types of wand.
The brush is one of the main considerations when purchasing any mascara. It's down to preference, but both types have their strengths. Plastic wands are easier to poke yourself in the eye if you're not extra careful as the bristles are more rigid.
Lengthening mascaras tend to have a smaller body as the design is to reach right in-between each lash to achieve the length but, depending on the shape, may not get extra benefits such as volume.
Some mascara wands have plastic bristles that are slightly fuzzy in texture. These help you to add both length and thickness to each lash, as the fibres are able to grab onto more product and thus transfer larger amounts of it onto your lashes with each sweep of the wand.
Mascaras with this type of wand are generally cheaper than those with more defined bristles, but they don't achieve as much clean definition since their bristles are softer and higher in number. They're good for a combination of length and volume, but perhaps not for achieving elegant, separated lashes.
This type of mascara will apply more products giving a quick and effective application. Perfect if you don't have the time to build up coverage and length as a wand with fuzzy bristles will get the job done with fewer coats.
Depending on the formula, these types of mascaras tend to be slightly wetter, resulting in a messy finish. If you accidentally get mascara on your skin, allow it to dry, then gently lift it off using a makeup brush or cotton bud; this will keep your perfectly applied base intact.
For the ultimate lash-lengthening results, opt for a mascara wand with extremely fine, clearly defined bristles. These are not as chunky as the points on plastic wands and not as great in number as the bristles on fuzzy brushes. As a result, they rake effortlessly through even wild, messy lashes and delicately apply colour from the root to the tip.
These may not be dirt cheap, since they use more advanced technology than other brushes, but they really do the trick in terms of drawing hairs out to their full height and neatly adding length to the ends of your natural lashes.
If volume is what you want to achieve, browse our best volumising mascaras!
For natural and uniform lashes, wands with multiple bristles will be equally distributed and defined. This is an excellent option for a buildable and lengthening effect that looks too over the top. Generally shorter in length, defined bristles can help with coating the top of the lashes and the underside.
For fair-haired people with naturally light coloured lashes, it can be obvious when a spot has been missed - this type of mascara will be the best option. If you want to avoid clumpy lashes, this is a great option!
Straight mascara brushes don't try to dictate any final effect, they just let you apply mascara to your lashes using your preferred technique. They also excel at providing even coverage right from the root.
For more specific results, coned brushes with a finer point at one end are perfect for catching the lashes at the corners of your eyes, which can easily be forgotten. Finally, hourglass-shaped wands give the illusion of false eyelashes by adding lots of volume.
To fully maximise the length of your lashes, try using a mascara wand twith an additional set of spikes on the brush tip. The idea is to wiggle the main body of the brush through your lashes from root to tip to coat them with colour, and then to use the spikes to carefully add a final layer of product. This latest innovation is designed to boost length even further, so is definitely worth looking out for.
If you often use mascaras, check out our top picks for eyelash serums to keep your lashes strong and healthy.
Potentially daunting to the make-up novice, a spiked tip mascara wand can be effective when you know how to use it. When applied traditionally, small eyes may struggle to reach the inner corners, so hold the wand vertically and gently wiggle upwards with the tip.
For a wide and defined cat eye, flip the brush so the spiked tip is at the outer corner and coat the end lashes a few more times. Like the first technique, bottom lashes are easily lengthened by slowly wiggling from side to side. You can also use the wand to help position your lashes to sit, giving full customisability.
The ingredients that make a mascara waterproof do nothing to affect the length of your lashes, but it does help to hold and define the curl. They're also great to prevent smudging and the dreaded "panda eyes" in humid conditions. If you are someone who sweats a lot, cries a lot, or work in humid environments, then a waterproof mascara will be a godsend.
Waterproof mascaras can be handy in certain situations but often are unnecessary. When I work with bridal clients, I use my go-to regular mascara then apply a single, final waterproof coat. This will prevent smudging from watery eyes whilst remaining easy to remove.
Waterproof mascaras are great at holding curl as they create a barrier against humidity, so if you have straight lashes and lash curlers aren't cutting it, then try this tip. Be careful when applying waterproof mascara as they're notorious for giving the 'spiders legs' effect due to the drier nature of the formula.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Benefit They're Real! | ![]() | The Best Mascara for Unrivalled Definition and Luscious Length | |
2 | Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara | ![]() | Create Bold, Instagram-Worthy Lashes in Seconds | |
3 | Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes Mascara | ![]() | Get Instant Volume, Length, Stretch & 24hour Vertical Lift Effect | |
4 | Blinc Amplified Mascara | ![]() | A Vegan, Cruelty-Free Way to Extend Your Lashes | |
5 | Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Length Mascara | ![]() | A Cult Classic Formula for Fluttery Lashes All Day Long | |
6 | L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Mascara | ![]() | Exceptional Definition for a Low Drugstore Price | |
7 | Estée Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara | ![]() | Go From Day to Night With 15 Hours of Smudge-Free Wear | |
8 | Barry M Feature Length Mascara | ![]() | Superstar Lashes in a Glam Gold Tube | |
9 | BareMinerals Strength & Length Serum-Infused Mascara | ![]() | Lifts, Lengthens and Encourages Growth With a Serum Infusion | |
10 | Lancôme Hypnôse | ![]() | Extreme Length Enriched With Pro Vitamin B5 From a Luxury Brand |
This one really is a corker! Although it isn't a trendy tubing mascara, Benefit's "They're Real" lengthens and thickens lashes in one fell swoop. The clever brush has sharp yet delicate spikes, which expertly divide lashes and coat them in colour.
For a top-up, use the extra spikes on the wand's end to coat each hair in a second helping of mascara. For glossy black lashes guaranteed in moments, make sure you don't blink and miss this makeup must-have!
Formulated with rejuvenating pro-vitamin B5, this bold mascara re-creates the effect of falsies without the faff. We love the highly pigmented formula, the stunning packaging, and the low price of course!
This tubing mascara is hugely popular with online reviewers and customers alike, predominately because it does a superb job creating not just volume but unbelievable length that stays in place for 24 hours.
With its innovative micro pro precision brush that lifts like air and vertically paints each individual eyelash—even the tiniest ones—the formula isn't all that delivers this product's magic. For bigger, brighter eyes, this mascara can be your new go-to!
This cruelty-free, vegan mascara is another tubing favourite that adds not only length but also volume to each lash. It forms a flake-proof tube around each individual hair but is easily removed with water and a little pressure.
With two co-polymers on the ingredients list, Blinc promises that this mascara won't clump or smudge, even when the weather's grim or you're having a bad day. The high price means it's a considerable investment, but we'd say it's fully worth it.
Too Faced's "Better than Sex" lash-lengthener is one of the most talked-about mascaras on the market, and we can completely understand why. It's thick, silky, and gloopy - in a good way! It works extraordinarily well at coating each and every lash with a sturdy, shiny tube of colour.
We can't deny that this product is a little pricey, but it's worth it for the superb formula and gorgeous packaging. Not to mention, the formula also contains unique peptides that conditions the lashes, keeping them luscious during and even after use.
For your longest lashes yet, try L'Oreal's exceptional Telescopic mascara. Its thick, pigmented formula glides on with unfathomable ease while the minimal plastic wand separates out lashes, helping them appear longer and more defined.
If you want nothing less than a mascara that prompts countless compliments from friends (and strangers), this is the product for you. It's also reasonably priced and relatively long-lasting, especially considering the rather slender bottle.
As well as promising to add increase the length of your eyelashes by coating them with flexible, self-adhesive polymers, this mascara by Estée Lauder offers a double whammy by promising 15 hours of solid, smudge-free wear.
Thanks to the "Smudge Shield" technology, this formula can tough out even the clammiest of conditions, from an energy-packed exercise class to an anxiety-fueled work presentation. The only downside is the high price for such a small product!
With super-fine plastic bristles, this mascara by Barry M promises lashes so long that they're the star of the show! The flexible wand separates and defines each hair, building some impressive length as you twirl it from eyelid to tip.
The glamorous gold packaging makes this mascara look much more expensive than a fiver, which is never a bad thing. Some reviewers have found it a little tricky to remove at the end of the day though!
Once upon a time, a mascara promising to encourage growth may have seemed a little far-fetched, but beauty experts have now begun to vouch for the effectiveness of products like this one by BareMinerals simply because it delivers what it promises.
The vegan lash serum utilises Red Clover Flower and potent peptides to deliver visibly longer, stronger lashes. Even so, we generally think that products claiming to enhance growth are to be purchased with caution, especially ones with high price tags!
This luxurious mascara by Lancôme provides beautiful, lengthy lashes that last an impressively long time. It contains a concentrate of beautiful, intense pigments to colour the hairs instead of coating them, creating the impression of super sleek eyelashes with up to six times more volume.
Compared to the other equally as effective products on this list, this mascara is slightly on the pricier side, but it certainly does the job. If you're feeling fancy, why not treat yourself? Plus, it's also from a reliable and well-loved brand so you certainly can't go wrong.
As a make-up artist, I prefer to use multiple mascaras to customise the desired effect, so don't be afraid to mix and match. There have been times I find a fantastic formula but can't get on with the wand - to tackle this, try washing and sanitising the wand, then dip them into the other mascara to apply.
Most mascaras will come in black but start with a deep brown if you find this too intimidating. If you fancy being more adventurous, a coloured mascara on the bottom lashes will make the eyes pop and create interest!
Written and researched by Annie Hopkins
No. 1: Benefit|They're Real!
No. 2: Max Factor |False Lash Effect Mascara
No. 3: Charlotte Tilbury|Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes Mascara
No. 4: Blinc|Amplified Mascara
No. 5: Too Faced|Better Than Sex Waterproof Length Mascara
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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