The best curling mascaras add volume, length, and hold. Shop the formulas our editors swear by for adding lift to even the shortest of eyelashes.
Ask any beauty editor, and they’ll tell you the best curling mascaras are like falsies in a tube. Unlike formulas that are more focused on dramatic volume or length, curling mascaras lift, fan, and define each lash like a lash curler would, so your eyes look wide awake even before your first coffee.
These formulas strike the ideal balance of locking in lift without weighing lashes down or leaving behind a stiff, crunchy, or clumpy finish. Many are infused with hydrating and nourishing ingredients like vitamin E and castor oil to help strengthen lashes over time. Our Top Curling Mascaras Best Overall: Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Mascara, $20 Best for Brittle Lashes: Well People Expressionist Curling Mascara, $20 Best for Short Lashes: Lancome Lash Idôle Curl Goddess Mascara, $30 Best Volumizing: Kulfi Beauty Badi Lash Mascara, $26 Best Lightweight: e.l.f. Cosmetics Lash N Roll Mascara, $7 When it comes to curling mascaras, the brush matters just as much as the formula—think curved wands with a mix of short and long bristles designed to grip and create that eye-opening, lengthened effect. Whether you’re after a soft, fluttery look or full-on drama, there’s a curling mascara out there for you. We put countless tubes to the test to find the standouts that truly lift, hold, and leave lashes looking sky high and longer than ever. Best Overall: Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Mascara Why it’s worth it: The secret to Tower 28 Beauty’s lash-lifting MakeWaves formula? A curved, triple-wave wand designed with shorter bristles that hug the lash line to really grab onto your roots, and longer bristles to lengthen and define. You may have heard of Aquaflex Technology in hair care . It’s also featured in this mascara to help hold curl and lift in place, while a conditioning castor-oil blend keeps lashes conditioned and minimizes breakage. “The formula stays flexible so the curl never falls flat, affirms Renée Loiz, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles. We love how easy it is to build, too. Go in for a few extra coats and lashes still look airy and clump-free. And true to Tower 28’s sensitive-friendly core mission, the ophthalmologist-tested formula is gentle on sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers, so you can swipe on without a worry. Best for Brittle Lashes: Well People Expressionist Curling Mascara Why it’s worth it: Made with plant-based oils and vegan waxes , the Well People Expressionist Curling Mascara helps nourish lashes while delivering lightweight hold, making it a great pick for those with brittle, short eyelashes. The curved brush does most of the heavy lifting here, gently separating each lash one by one to keep clumps at bay. The bristles are super flexible, so they move with your lashes instead of tugging against them for a smooth experience, from start to finish. One side of the brush features short, dense bristles that deposit rich black color and build volume, while the longer bristles on the other side help guide lashes upward. We like to gently wiggle the wand at the base of the lashes before sweeping upward to get even more separation and lift. Best Volumizing: Kulfi Beauty Badi Lash Mascara Why it’s worth it: Inspired by South Asian lashes—often naturally full and straight—this mascara turns the dial all the way up, delivering a lifted, eye-opening effect in just a few swipes. The instantly volumizing tubing formula wraps each lash for va-va-voom length without smudging, melting, or clumping. And, its flared-tip brush is shaped to mimic your natural lash line, so it can catch those tricky inner-corner hairs while fanning everything out for that wide-eyed, fluttery finish. With this formula, it's not just about the look: a conditioning blend of castor seed oil, rambutan extract, and a tripeptide complex works behind the scenes to soften and strengthen lashes over time. The tubing formula means it removes like a dream—just warm water and a gentle slide, with no rubbing required. Best Buildable: YSL Beauty Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara Why it’s worth it: A 2025 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner and one of our favorite mascaras ever, the YSL Beauty Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara delivers the kind of bold volume that’s hard to ignore—and the staying power is just as impressive. Some of our testers say the effect borders on falsies, thanks to an oversized brush that’s surprisingly easy to maneuver and grabs onto every lash. “It’s great for building fluttery volume with extra coats and really helps catch all the lashes,” says New York City–based makeup artist Sara Talias. It’s also seriously pigmented , so if you’re racing out the door, one coat still makes a big impact. That said, we’re partial to layering it up because it builds fluffy volume without tipping into clumpy territory. Best for Short Lashes: Lancôme Lash Idôle Curl Goddess Mascara Why it’s worth it: Skip the hours-only appointments and the high price tag of lash extensions. Lancôme’s Lash Idôle Curl Goddess Mascara gives you longer, more curled lashes in just a few swipes. The twisted brush is designed to grab even the shortest lashes for a separated, fluttery effect that still looks natural. It features low-density setting polymers, which make lashes appear thicker and add volume, but they also set them in place so they hold their curl all day without falling flat. The brand claims this formula can wear without smudging for up to 30 hours, and although we've never tried it for that long, our tester experienced only slight smudging during her all-day wear test, which, for a non-waterproof mascara, gets a big green check. Best Color Options: Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang Volumizing Mascara Why it’s worth it: Packed with ultra-light aero-particles, the Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang Volumizing Mascara delivers ample volume without making lashes feel heavy or stiff, while provitamin B5 helps strengthen them over time. The ultra-slim wand reaches from corner to corner to coat every lash. It’s also impressively long-lasting—once it’s on, the brand claims it stays put for up to 36 hours without smudging or flaking. Another bonus: Along with classic black and brown, there’s plum and a bright electric blue that’s especially fun for concerts or nights out. More Curling Mascaras We Like Best Tubing: Grande Cosmetics GrandeWrap Tubing Mascara Why it’s worth it: We love how easily tubing mascaras rinse off, but they don’t always have the best staying power. Thankfully, that’s not an issue with the Grande Cosmetics GrandeWrap Tubing Mascara. The formula uses smudge-proof tubing polymers that wrap around each lash and hold up through long days without flaking or smudging. Conditioning ingredients like provitamin B5 and mango butter help lashes feel soft and flexible. In terms of design, the brush features domed bristles at the tip that reach into the inner corners so you can define the entire lash line without missing those tiny hairs. Los Angeles-based makeup artist Nicholas Wlodarski says it’s the best mascara for a “mini lash-lift effect” that makes eyes look wider and more awake. And, when it’s time to take it off, the tubes slide right off with warm water—no rubbing required. Best Lightweight: e.l.f. Cosmetics Lash ‘N Roll Mascara Why it’s worth it: E.l.f. Cosmetics Lash ‘N Roll Mascara is the mascara Loiz personally reaches for because it delivers a “lifted, wide-eyed look without feeling heavy or crunchy.” Even better, it’s budget-friendly at a mere $7. The curved brush hugs the lash line and lifts as you swipe, while the lightweight, castor seed oil-infused formula helps hold that curl in place without weighing lashes down. Once it’s on, it stays put—lasting all day without flaking, even if you go back in for a second or third coat. Read more about our favorite eye makeup products: 7 Best Drugstore Mascaras for Longer, Lifted, and Defined Lashes 12 Best Eyeliners for Smudging, Flicking, and Tightlining Galore 10 Best Tubing Mascaras for All The Length, None of The Smudge Now, watch a video on every type of mascara, explained: Shop all of our latest obsessions in one place! And don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and TikTok—or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.
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