If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me, “What mascara are you wearing?” in the last decade, I’d have the funds for a lifetime supply. Plenty of credit to my dad for passing down his longer-than-average lashes, but to answer the question, it’s always a waterproof formula.
A combination of lengthy eyelashes and oily eyelids means that waterproof mascaras are really my only option (I know, I know, cue the world’s smallest violin). But seriously — because waterproof formulas tend to be lighter and drier in texture, they keep my lashes lifted and separated better than standard washable or tubing options can. Not to mention, they have the best staying power, one-upping smudges and streaks so my mascara stays on from dawn ‘til... sometimes dawn again.
As summer kicks off, there has never been a better time to give sweat- and splash-proof mascaras a try. In pursuit of the very best ones that won’t flake, streak or smudge through any plans this season, I pitted ten top-rated, expert-recommended and personal favorite options head-to-head as part of our Shop TODAY Ranked series. Through pool days, sweaty gym sessions and steamy showers, the following mascaras earned their place among the winners based on their efficacy and ease of both application and removal.
Best long-lasting formula$12.95$15.99
What to look for in a waterproof mascara
Makeup artist Jeannia Robinette previously told Shop TODAY that the best waterproof mascaras don’t require any touch-ups and are long-lasting. “You can go to work, to the beach, work out and you’ll be set all day,” she explains. “You don’t have to worry about your mascara running, getting in your eye or smudging; you can just go about your day and it won’t move.”
Personally, I also look for waterproof mascaras that resist clumping, keep my lashes lifted and don’t flake throughout the day.
When it comes time to take your makeup off, you want to be sure the waterproof mascara formula you’re using doesn’t require rubbing your eyes to remove it, per Dr. Alexandra Bowles, a board-certified dermatologist. “[Rubbing your eyes] can irritate the delicate skin in that area,” Bowles previously warned. “Being gentle here is especially important to prevent unnecessary irritation or lash breakage.”
Best overall waterproof mascara
Efficacy: 5/5 | Ease of application: 5/5 | Ease of removal: 4/5 | Overall average score: 4.67/5
Behold, the best overall winner: Maybelline’s Lash Sensational Sky High Waterproof Mascara.
I won’t lie, the overall winner of this experiment didn’t shock me one bit — I’ve been through many, many tubes of this viral mascara in recent years. It’s become my ride-or-die beauty product for everyday makeup, lifting, separating and elongating my lashes with just a few swipes.
Though I was already very familiar with the impressive capabilities of this formula, a rainy, humid summer night out made for the perfect conditions to formally test it out. I found that it didn’t streak or run, even when I got caught in the downpour. From prior experience, I can also vouch that it won’t betray you if you need to have a good cry (just try not to rub your eyes too much if you want your lashes to stay perky and separated).
As easy as it is to apply flawlessly and as great as it holds up against moisture, time and humidity, I docked a point for ease of removal. Like any waterproof mascara I’ve ever tried, it requires a bit of effort to take off. That said, a minute lathering up my go-to foaming cleanser proved enough to remove it with the rest of my makeup, so no additional makeup-removing products were needed.
More waterproof mascaras to try, tested by the author
Best for volume:
Efficacy: 5/5 | Ease of application: 5/5 | Ease of removal: 3.5/5 | Overall average score: 4.5/5
A drugstore option with an affordable price tag, the Xtensionnaire Waterproof Mascara from Revlon’s ColorStay line was a surprise and a delight. I hadn’t heard much about this option prior to trying it out, but I am obsessed with how easily this applied and how great it looked right off the bat. It imparted impressive volume and length (and zero clumping!) with every swipe, and after more than 12 hours and a sweaty gym session, it honestly looked just as good as it had when I first put it on.
It just narrowly lost the top spot because I found it slightly more difficult to remove than Maybelline’s Sky High option. Being so truly waterproof, I found that my usual foaming cleanser wasn’t enough to get every last stitch of mascara off, and I had to employ my trusty Lancôme Mascara Melter to finish the job. But as long as you don’t mind a two-step routine to get your mascara off, this is a stellar option for all of your summer adventures.
Best for lengthening:
Efficacy: 4.75/5 | Ease of application: 5/5 | Ease of removal: 3.5/5 | Overall average score: 4.42/5
Speaking of showers, an option that fared well under similarly steamy conditions was the Lancôme Lash Idôle Waterproof Mascara. I tested this option last but I really loved it. The rectangular packaging feels luxe and means it won’t roll away from you when you set it down. At first, I was worried when I unscrewed the tube to discover that the brush has a bend to it, but I’m glad to report there was no learning curve for application. I actually really loved the shape for reaching every lash from root to tip. In fact, I spent longer posing for selfies between coats to document the process than I did actually coating, combing through and touching up my lashes.
That night, I ended a very long Monday psychotically: by showering with a full beat facing directly into the hot stream blasting from my shower head. A few songs on my shower playlist later, I got out and saw my lashes looked a bit flatter and more clustered, but there wasn’t any mascara residue on my skin (which, quite frankly, I’m still flabbergasted by). A few swipes of eye makeup remover and a round of cleanser took the mascara off, but expect to spend some time on it, because it is really, really waterproof.
Best buildable formula:
Efficacy: 4/5 | Ease of application: 4/5 | Ease of removal: 4.5/5 | Overall average score: 4.17/5
The L’Oréal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara first came onto my radar thanks to Robinette, who recommended it in our previous coverage. After sorting through dozens of different waterproof mascaras for an underwater photoshoot in Antigua, she found that the L’Oréal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara really worked.
“I like it because you can build your lashes up and make them look full without getting that sticky feel that waterproof mascaras can sometimes give,” Robinette told us.
After testing it out myself, I agree that this is the best option for buildable volume and length. Two coats of this mascara yielded more subtle results than any of the other winners, meaning that you’d need additional coats to further amp up the volume, which is why I took a point off for application. That said, I think it’s a nice option for everyday wear because of its lighter feel and softer effect. It held up with minimal flaking during a long day and survived my splash tests. Removing it took less than a minute of lathering with my foaming cleanser at the end of the day, making this mascara one of the easiest to take off.
Best long-lasting formula:
Efficacy: 4.75/5 | Ease of application: 4/5 | Ease of removal: 3.5/5 | Overall average score: 4.08/5
Another L’Oréal mascara I vouch is worth every penny after putting it to the test? The Paradise Big Deal Mascara. If you want maximum amplification of your lashes, this is the one I’d recommend. On a hot, sunny day, I wore this mascara through an afternoon of sunbathing and soaking in an outdoor pool. To be expected, my lashes fell just a bit flatter and clustered slightly after getting completely drenched in the pool, but there was no running whatsoever. I even kept swiping under my eyes with my fingers, expecting to see black residue or flakes come off on my fingertips, but my fears were unfounded — the mascara hardly even transferred when I wiped my dripping-wet face off on a white towel.
While the mascara stayed intact through my pool day, a minute of lathering with a cleanser wasn’t quite enough to remove the mascara entirely during my post-pool shower. When I wiped the fogged-up mirror afterward, my reflection gawked back at me with cheeks fully blackened by what was left of the mascara. I suspect it would have lasted through the shower far better had I not began the cleansing process, but I learned that this mascara definitely requires a more intensive makeup remover before my usual foaming cleanser.
Best new launch:
Efficacy: 4/5 | Ease of application: 4.5/5 | Ease of removal: 3.5/5 | Overall average score: 4/5
Clinique’s newly-launched High Impact Waterproof Mascara earned a place on my favorites list by lasting through an 18-hour day (50% longer than the brand’s stated 12-hour wear time). The day I tested this, I journeyed from Brooklyn to Manhattan, New Jersey and back, logging over 20,000 steps. From the first swipe, I found this mascara to be one of the most dramatic and amplifying of all of the options I tested, living up to its “high impact” name.
After my marathon of a day, I noticed the faintest hint of shadowing under my eyes and a tiny bit of clumping, but overall I was thoroughly impressed with how well this mascara held up. It didn’t budge in my splash tests and kept my lashes perky the entire time. It did require some eye makeup remover in addition to my cleanser to get every last bit off.
How I tested waterproof mascaras
I tested ten top-rated, expert-recommended waterproof mascaras for this story over the course of two weeks. For these tests, I curled my eyelashes and applied two coats of mascara first thing in the morning, documenting my results with photos before and after each coat.
For up to 18 hours, I rocked each mascara through a hot, early June day, ending my day by drenching my face with water to see how it held up.
To up the stakes, I also wore these mascaras to swim in a pool, take steamy showers, have a good cry, push my limits on the treadmill and — perhaps the biggest test of all — simmer on New York City’s subway platforms while the “feels like” temperature on my weather app pushed 90 degrees.
I rated each mascara on a scale of 1-5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best) in the following categories:
- Efficacy: How well did each mascara perform in my water splash tests? How well did it hold up throughout the day? Generally, how good did it look?
- Ease of application: How easy was the brush to maneuver through my lashes? How did the formula layer with each coat? Did it clump up or smudge on my eyelids at on?
- Ease of removal: Could it be taken off alongside the rest of my makeup via a minute of lathering with a foaming cleanser? Or does it specifically need an eye makeup remover to come off? How much time and effort did it take to completely remove it?
For each mascara, I averaged the above scores to determine the final overall score, awarding a Ranked badge of approval only to those with scores greater than four out of five.
Why trust Shop TODAY?
Audrey Ekman is a production associate at Shop TODAY. She has over 4 years of experience writing digital editorial content in the lifestyle and beauty space and has produced Shop TODAY’s annual Beauty Awards since the franchise first launched in 2023. She has worn dozens of waterproof mascaras over the course of more than a decade and she considers herself very picky when it comes to formulas and brushes, testing ten top-rated and expert-recommended options for this story over the course of two weeks.
Meet the experts
- Jeannia Robinette is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist that has been in the beauty industry for more than two decades.
- Dr. Alexandra Bowles, D.O., is a board-certified dermatologist at MONA Dermatology.
