Global Mascara Tier List 2026

Snapshot 2026-09-04. Wirecutter updated its mascara guide on 15 July 2026. The team has been testing since 2015. In 2024 they sent 12 tubes to a blind panel; in 2025 and 2026 they ran 17 more against the existing picks and handed the top nine to nine extra testers. Prices in that guide run from about $6 to $60.

Everyday wear is Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing, $24 for the full tube at Ulta and $14 for the mini. Tubing is Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions, about $26. Drugstore length is Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Washable, $10 to $14. Volume is Too Faced Better Than Sex, about $29 for the full size. Lightweight curl is Rom&nd Han All Fix in Long Black, $16 to $20. Allure’s 2026 Readers’ Choice mascara is the same Sky High. The clean-mascara vote went to Ilia Limitless Lash, about $29. Byrdie editors screened more than 80 tubes and later wrote that they had tested 100+ across rounds; their overall pick is Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes, about $29.

2026 global mascara tiers

Tier	Products	Best for	About this price
S	Maybelline Sky High, Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes, Thrive Liquid Lash, Too Faced Better Than Sex	Daily length, medium volume, tubing, and a dramatic coat.	Sky High $10–14; Rare Beauty $24; Thrive about $26; Better Than Sex about $29
A	Rom&nd Han All Fix, Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes, Ilia Limitless, Benefit Fan Fest, L’Oréal Telescopic, IT Cosmetics Tightline	Light curl, editor overall, clean formulas, a drugstore comb wand, and a skinny wand for short lashes.	Rom&nd $16–20; Exagger-Eyes about $29; Ilia $29; Telescopic about $15
B	Essence Princess, Essence False Lash Effect, YSL Lash Clash / Lash Latex, Kosas Soulgazer, Lancôme Lash Idôle, MAC Stack waterproof, Lash Paradise, Clump Crusher, Milani tubing, Almay tint, Buxom waterproof	Five-dollar volume, sensitive eyes, counter drama, and drugstore waterproof or tint.	Essence about $5; YSL about $34; Lancôme about $26–30; MAC Stack about $29
C	CoverGirl Lash Blast, Etude CurlFix, Pillow Talk, IT Superhero, Glossier Lash Slick, Clinique High Impact, BADgal Bang, Dior Diorshow, Gucci L’Obscur, Great Lash, Kiss Me Heroine Make, Tarte Big Ego, Saie 101, Merit Clean Lash	Smudge, clumps, flakes, awkward wands, or hard removal in the Wirecutter notes.	Drugstore to luxury. Listed from reviews; no extra invented prices.
D	Dried-out mascara, clumpy mascara	The neck is already a crust; the wand comes out in lumps.	No verifiable list price.

Wirecutter five (15 Jul 2026)

Product	About this price	Notes
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes	$24 full, $14 mini	Length plus volume without a heavy coat. Some testers saw an early clump that evened out. Most wrote that it lasted eight hours or more; at least one had a midday smudge. The fluffy brush is large for small eyes.
Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash	about $26	Tubing length that resists smudge. It rolls off with water instead of scrubbing the lid.
Maybelline Sky High Washable	$10–14	Drugstore length. Soft brush that catches fine lashes. Allure readers and Byrdie’s drugstore slot pick the same tube.
Too Faced Better Than Sex	$16 travel, about $29 full	Volume and a stage look. Wirecutter filed it under volumizing, not a sheer everyday coat.
Rom&nd Han All Fix Long Black	$16–20	Light curl. Etude CurlFix looked similar at first and then fell flat after a few hours.

Two specialty leftover picks: Buxom Lash Waterproof held through sweat and a short swim, but it needs makeup remover. IT Cosmetics Tightline has a skinny wand that finds short lashes and hooded lids. Most waterproof formulas were hard to take off and no more smudge-proof than the regular picks, so the category does not sit in S.

Allure readers and Byrdie editors

Product	About this price	Notes
Maybelline Sky High	about $11–14	Allure 2026 readers’ mascara. Byrdie’s drugstore pick as well.
Ilia Limitless Lash	about $29	Allure’s clean-mascara winner. Byrdie files it for older eyes. Wirecutter testers reported afternoon smudge and one watering eye.
Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes	about $29	Byrdie overall. Curved brush, buildable. The same brand’s Pillow Talk flattened by day’s end in Wirecutter testing, so it does not share the S row.
Benefit Fan Fest	about $14–29 depending on retailer	Byrdie runner-up. Fanning brush.
Essence Lash Princess Curl & Volume	about $5	Byrdie budget slot. The False Lash Effect sister had light smudge and flake notes at Wirecutter.
YSL Lash Clash / Lash Latex	about $34	Byrdie: Clash for volume, Latex for length.
Kosas Soulgazer	about $28	Byrdie sensitive-eye slot. Short bristles, less poking.
Lancôme Lash Idôle	about $26–30	Byrdie lift slot. Wirecutter liked it best among current Lancôme tubes and still ranked it below the five picks.
MAC Stack waterproof	about $29	Byrdie waterproof slot.
L’Oréal Telescopic	about $12–15	Allure drugstore overall is the waterproof at $15. Byrdie likes the washable for separation. Wirecutter testers split on the comb-and-sawtooth wand.

How we ranked this

Dimension	Sources	Snapshot	Weight
Lab panel	Wirecutter · The 5 Best Mascaras of 2026, Meirav Devash and Jennifer G. Sullivan, updated 15 Jul 2026. Testing since 2015; 12 mascaras to a panel in 2024; 17 more in 2025–2026, with the top nine sent to nine extra testers.	2026-07-15	40% of the main table. Clumping, smudge, wand, removal. Prices copied from the articles; no invented hour scores.
Readers’ vote	Allure Readers’ Choice Awards 2026. Mascara: Maybelline Sky High. Clean mascara: Ilia Limitless Lash.	Allure 2026 Readers’ Choice (published spring 2026)	20%. What readers buy, listed separately from the lab picks.
Editor 13	Byrdie · The 13 Best Mascaras of 2026. Editors screened 80+ then tested; the methodology note says 100+ across rounds. Overall: Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes. Drugstore: Sky High.	Byrdie 2026 page, snapshot 2026-09-04	25%. Overall, drugstore, tubing, sensitive-eye slots.
Drugstore seven	Allure · 7 Best Drugstore Mascaras. Overall: L’Oréal Telescopic Original Waterproof at $15. Lift: Sky High at $14.	Allure drugstore page, snapshot 2026-09-04	15% as a drugstore cross-check, not above Wirecutter’s five.

Brows: brow pencils and gels. Razors and tweezers: brow tools. Undereye: concealer. Lips: lipstick and gloss.