The five buzziest mascaras, ranked from good to great.

If there’s one beauty product I never leave the house without applying, it’s mascara.

Okay, it’s actually SPF because obviously we all should protect our skin, but mascara is an extremely close second. I will happily go without a base or brushing my brows, but mascara is always a must.

While it is an essential, though, I am also veryyyy picky when it comes to the formula.

Watch: Lauren Curtis compares mascaras. Post continues below.

The skin around my eyes is sensitive and eczema-prone. I like length and definition without it being spidery. I don’t like to use a lash curler (tbh they freak me out) and smudging makes me mad. All of this means that I'm not only constantly trying new formulas, but also expecting a lot from them.

In that spirit, I have appointed myself the mascara-testing expert to wade through the newest releases and show you how they look, as well as whether they pass my high standards.

1. Revlon Xtensionnaire, $24.95.

Image: Supplied.

This newest addition to the Revlon mascara line-up focuses on giving length to the lashes, as well as the addition of Pro-Vitamin B5 to help strengthen and condition. The best part? At the time of writing, you can pick it up from the chemist for $12.

Sounds great! So, let’s try it out.

The first thing I noticed is the brush shape, which has an almost screw-shape taper to it. It's apparently designed to evenly distribute the fibres that help give that lengthening effect. I did find it took a couple of goes to properly coat my lashes and start to get the length I wanted.

For me, the shape of the brush actually seems to contribute to some clumping of the fibres. So, while I did get decent length, it felt like there was a lot of product on my lashes to get there.

Here’s the comparison of the mascara on one eye, with no mascara on the other: 

Left: Revlon Xtensionnaire. Right: Nothing. Image: Supplied.

And what it looks like on both lashes: 

Revlon Xtensionnaire on both. Image: Supplied. 

I accidentally got the waterproof version, so it wore fine throughout the day without smudging and was removed easily with my cleanser of choice (the Bioderma Sensible Micellar Cleansing Oil, in case anyone was wondering). 

2. Huda Beauty 1 Coat Wow!, $39.

Image: Supplied

As the name suggests, this formula and brush from Huda Beauty is designed to “do it all” – curl, length, volume – in a single coat. 

Let’s just say that this really delivers. It glides on really smoothly, coating the lashes well, and one coat really is enough to see an effect, but without feeling like it's too much. I don’t know if there’s a better way to describe this than bringing the perfect combo of 'pretty' and 'drama' to my lashes. I can equally see myself using this on the daily or with a smoky eye for a bold look.  

Here’s the comparison of the mascara on one eye, no mascara on the other:

Left: Huda Beauty 1 Coat Wow! Right: Nothing. Image: Supplied.

And what it looks like on both sets of lashes:

Huda Beauty 1 Coat Wow! on both. Image: Supplied.

This wore really really well! No flaking or smudging to report and I found that it broke down easily to wash away. No removal issues here!

3. Benefit Fan Fest, $48.

Image: Supplied.

I love a fanned-out lash look, and I normally concentrate my mascara on my outer lashes to get it, so a brush and formula specifically to get this effect sounds perfect to me. I also know how well-loved Benefit mascaras are, and yet I’ve never tried one? Criminal.

The formula contains flexible fibres to help define and separate the lashes, but it’s the brush that’s super interesting, with a large curve to help hug the lashes and encourage them into that fanned shape. It was this brush in particular that I loved for getting that pushed-up-and-out effect.

It definitely gives definition and holds the lashes in that fanned out shape, but I did also find that a LOT of product came out, so I felt like I had to wipe quite a bit off before applying.  

Here’s the comparison of mascara on one eye, no mascara on the other:

Left: Benefit Fan Fest. Right: Nothing. Image: Supplied.

And what it looks like on both: 

Benefit Fan Fest on both. Image: Supplied.

I love how this looked and how it gave me that “wide-eye” effect. I found that it wore really well throughout the day, and I had no hassles with clumping or smudging, but I did have a small issue removing it at the end of the day. While it did cleanse off okay, it did irritate my eyes a little more than I’m comfortable with, so if you do have sensitive eyes, this one may not be for you.

4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Sculpt, $47.

Image: Supplied.

It’s been a while since ABH have come out with a mascara, but this new one is focused on giving both length and volume for that sexy, extension-like finish. It also promises to be smudge-free and packs in extra conditioning ingredients like biotin, collagen and peptides.

The brush has a pretty normal tapered shape, to help concentrate the formula along the lashes that need it most. I liked this for how the brush felt against my lashes, making it easy to coat the formula and hit the lashes you want to concentrate on. There was definitely a dramatic increase in the length and a good amount of volume without clumping. 

Here’s the comparison shot...

Left: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Sculpt. Right: nothing. Image: Supplied.

And what it looks like on both eyes: 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Sculpt on both. Image: Supplied.

This felt really weightless throughout the day, wore really well and I had no issues with smudging (other than when I applied and poked my eye with the wand, which was 100 per cent user error). The formula came off my lashes easily at the end of the day with no eye irritation or harsh rubbing needed. 

5. Zoeva Ooh La Lash, $41.

Image: Supplied.

While this mascara is described as giving dramatic length (yay) and instant lift (double yay), it’s the fact that it's tubing that really gets me excited. I am a big fan of a tubing formula – they’re such a great option, especially if you deal with sensitivity. 

I found that it applied really well, and the brush was well-shaped to coat each lash properly to form the little tubes. The formula felt really light, and didn't weigh down my lashes or smudge throughout the day. It also delivered on some good length and lift, but not quite as much as I had hoped.

Here’s the comparison of the mascara vs. no mascara:

Left: Zoeva Ooh La Lash. Right: Nothing. Image: Supplied.

And what it looks like on both eyes: 

Zoeva Ooh La Lash on both. Image: Supplied.

Being a tubing formula, it was super easy to remove using warm water to pull the tubes off and following up with a cleansing oil to remove any residue.

The verdict.

In all honesty, all of these formulas really brought it, which surprised me. However, there were two in particular that I can see myself reaching for regularly.

The Lash Sculpt from ABH gave great definition and length without feeling like it weighed the lashes down — a bit of drama that would pair perfectly with a fun eye look. 

Then, at risk of sounding cheesy, the Huda Beauty 1 Coat Wow! really did bring the wow factor to my lashes. One coat is really all you need, but it does build well if you want to add more drama. This gives more of an all-round effect, delivering equally on length, volume and definition. I loved how easy it was to apply and how well it lasted throughout the day. It's absolutely worth a more permanent place in my makeup bag!

Which mascara are you obsessing over right now? Have you tried any of the above? Share with us in the comment section below. 

Feature image: Supplied.