Best Mascara: The 2024 List Beauty Awards

Whether you're going for a natural, everyday appearance or a glamorous, night-on-the-town effect, no makeup look is complete without the perfect swipe of mascara. As The List's guide for picking the best mascara for you explains, though, not every makeup product achieves the same look nor are they all of the same quality. Starting from 10 top selections, I've compiled the top five best mascaras of 2024 to help you choose your next holy grail lash product.

"All mascaras aren't created equally, but knowing the basics about formulas, brushes, and wands is the best place to start when shopping," Allan Avendaño, celebrity makeup artist, told The Zoe Report. "The formula is crucial for dictating how you want your lashes to appear while the brush is important for creating the desired effect."

For this list, I've compared each product on everything from its ability to volumize lashes and prevent clumps to its capacity to last throughout the day. If you're looking for ways to make your beauty routine a little greener, this list also contains cruelty-free, vegan, and eco-friendly choices. Without further ado, check out The List's favorite mascaras of the year.

Landing the overall best spot for 2024 is the Kush High Volume Mascara from Milk Makeup. Equipped with a sturdy, thick brush, this mascara created a volumized, striking look that could be played down for an everyday appearance or amped up for something more dramatic. I found that it also lasted throughout the day without smudging or flaking, which is a must-have when it comes to mascara. In addition to the great look, the formula contains hemp seep oil, which is intended to nourish and condition lashes.  

Milk Makeup also gets points for its sustainability. Though Better Goods reports that its environmental impact could be improved, with the company typically using single-use plastic containers, its products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free. According to its website, the brand is also striving to make its shipping packaging more eco-friendly, opting, for example, to use inner-bag materials made of 100% consumer waste. Of course, the price point here makes this mascara a bit higher end than the other choices, but I absolutely love this product.

Purchase the Milk Makeup Kush High Volume Mascara for $28 at Milk Makeup.Buy at Milk Makeup

If the best overall pick is too pricey for your budget, I suggest checking out CoverGirl Clump Crusher by Last Blast Mascara. This classic product lands on our list as the best budget buy, clocking in under $10. On top of this, you can likely find it at your local drugstore, making it one of the most convenient of the favorites chosen. 

While this mascara doesn't give as immediately great results as the best overall, it only takes a few clump-free layers to create a stellar, volumized appearance. The classic, curved wand also helps give lashes a lifted look, while its water-resistant formula helps maintain the defined appearance all day long.

Though its parent company Coty Inc isn't, CoverGirl itself is a cruelty-free brand with several vegan options. Its Clump Crusher mascara falls into both of these categories, being a great budget pick for animal lovers. While this brand has a long way to go in terms of minimizing environmental impact, it's made many strides towards sustainability in recent years. At such a great price point, it's definitely worth checking out. 

Purchase the CoverGirl Clump Crusher by Last Blast Mascara for $9 at Amazon.Buy on Amazon

Next on this list is the ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara, which ranks as the best lash product for a natural look. Different wands have different effects on your lashes, which is why this mascara brush is such a standout feature. Its slight hourglass shape and combination of short and long bristles give lashes a defined and lengthened appearance. I also didn't experience any smudging or flaking while testing this product, making it great for a long day's wear.

As mentioned on their website, this cruelty-free, clean product also promises to be suitable for sensitive eyes while boasting a conditioning formula that contains shea butter, keratin, and bee and carnauba waxes. In terms of environmental sustainability, the tube is made up of mono-material that reduces carbon emissions by 46% in comparison to its former packaging. The biggest drawback to ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara is that it falls on the pricier side. Otherwise, I definitely recommend it. 

Purchase the ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara for $28 on Amazon.Buy on Amazon

If you're looking to create a night-on-the-town, glam makeup look, I recommend checking out Tower 28 Make Waves Mascara. While a single layer of this product lends itself to a natural look, its formula allows for clump-free layering that provides a dramatic, volumized appearance. This product also features a curved brush that provides a nice lift and flare for a super glamorous effect, making it an overall great pick for those interested in more striking eye looks.

Tower 28 also advertises this mascara as being contact lens-safe and acceptable for sensitive eyes, which are both major pluses. If sustainability is also a concern, then you can rest assured that this mascara is both cruelty-free and vegan. In terms of environmental impact, Better Goods gives this brand its second-highest rating of "Good," accounting for their commitment to using sustainable and recycled materials in their packaging.

Purchase the Tower 28 Make Waves Mascara Set for $44 at Tower 28.Buy at Tower 28

Rounding out this list of the best mascaras of 2024 is the Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Mascara, which I recommend if you're looking for a water-resistant lash product. There are a few things that you should know before using waterproof mascara, such as its use of harsh and potentially drying ingredients. Water-resistant products are considered the better option, despite not being quite as tough against water as their counterparts. 

Not only does Rare Beauty boast a water-resistant formula, which makes it great for long-lasting wear, but it's also promoted as being safe for sensitive eyes and suitable for contact wearers. I also appreciate this mascara's thick brush, which makes coating lashes an easy feat. Rare Beauty is a cruelty-free and vegan brand, garnering a "Good" rating on Better Goods for its environmental efforts. This is one celebrity beauty product that is worth the price if you find that it works for you, as Rare Beauty is owned by the one and only Selena Gomez. 

Purchase the Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Mascara for $20 at Sephora.Buy at Sephora