On the rare occasions I wear mascara, I know I'm asking a lot of one product. My lashes are stick-straight, fine and grow downward—not an easy trifecta to transform. (Safe to say I'm not mad at the no-mascara look that's been trending over the last year.) I've tried many mascaras in the 25-plus years since I started wearing makeup; always on the hunt for formulas that create the appearance of faux lashes, lift them to my eyebrows and don't leave me with raccoon eyes by EOD. What I've (pleasantly) discovered is, if there's one makeup category where drugstore formulas are just as good, if not better, than their expensive counterparts, it's mascara.
The affordable mascara options lining the shelves—virtual and IRL—are plentiful enough to make your head spin, so we rounded up our favorite mascaras of 2025 for length, definition, volume and more that fall under $25. Scroll on to see the ones that made our top 10.
Top Mascaras Under $25
- Best Volumizing: Maybelline The Colossal Bubble Mascara ($13)
- Best Lengthening: Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara ($22)
- Best Defining: COVERGIRL Lash Blast Bond Volume Mascara ($13)
- Best Waterproof: Milani Highly Rated Anti-Gravity Mascara Waterproof ($13)
- Best Lifting: Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara ($13)
- Best 2-in-1: Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer ($20)
- Best Curling: e.l.f. Lash 'N Roll Mascara ($6)
- Best for Sensitive Eyes: Tower 28 MakeWaves® Mascara ($20)
- Best Buildable: L’Oréal Paris Makeup Voluminous Original Mascara ($11)
- Best Clump-Free: Glossier Lash Slick Mascara ($20)
