The best Benefit mascaras - reviewed, rated and ranked

When you think it’s time to give a new mascara a go, you could do a lot worse than putting your trust in one of the best Benefit mascaras. Perhaps second only to the brand's famous brow products, mascaras feature heavily on Benefit’s bestsellers list and it's one of the go-to names for enhancing natural lashes all over the world.  

While everyone has their own specific criteria for the best mascara, the Californian-born brand has options for those who want to achieve the longest lashes possible, those who like standout dramatic volume, and those who are seeking one of the best waterproof mascaras.

So, you’ve cottoned on to Benefit mascaras’ brilliance, but you still aren’t sure which is the best one for you. Luckily enough, our contributing editor has tested every single one of the best Benefit mascaras to help you weigh up the pros and cons of each. Spoiler alert: there's a Benefit mascara for everyone...

How we tested the best Benefit mascaras

Between them, the woman&home team has used most if not all of the best Benefit mascaras over the years. But, to ensure our guide was based on recent testing, our contributing beauty editor re-tested them all to compare and contrast. During the testing process, she judged each mascara based on all of the following factors.

• Packaging
• Number of shades available 
• Size and shape of the brush 
• If it's available in a mini version
• Ease of application 
• Effect on lashes
• How it wore throughout the day
• How easily it removed
• Price

The best Benefit mascaras, reviewed by a beauty editor 

An international best-seller, one of Benefit’s oldest and most popular mascaras is They’re Real!, which promises to tick all of the boxes that a good mascara should – lengthened, lifted, separated and volumized lashes that last. The brush is pretty unique in that it’s narrow enough that it gets into the roots of your lashes easily, but the tip also features tiny bristles, which we found are ideal for catching onto shorter lashes at the inner and outer corners of the eyes.  

As for how it actually looks and wears, we love it - which is why it's also on our list of the best lengthening mascaras. The end result is pretty, defined lashes with a nice amount of volume, lift, and length, making it a great all-rounder for those who like to enhance a bit of all three. If you like very dramatic volume you may want to look for something punchier, but it’s a crowd-pleaser for a reason.

Read our Benefit They're Real! Mascara review for an in-depth guide to this popular buy

Looking for one of the best volumizing mascaras? Look no further: this mascara is all about volume and packs results that are as punchy as its name. It promises to last for up to 36 hours and, while we can’t claim to have worn it for quite that long, it certainly lasted a day without smudging all over the shop. 

The comb brush builds a lot of volume and length for a standout, almost spidery finish, while the tapered shape is great for getting into the inner corners of the eye while maximizing the outer lashes. We also found the formula was quite buildable, not clumpy, though lashes do become thick with volume quite quickly. No doubt about it, this one is for those who like a dramatic lash look, so if you like natural and understated lashes, look elsewhere in this guide. If not, enjoy the drama – and if you’re feeling extra bold, try the cobalt shade, which is our pick of the best blue mascara on the market.

Our detailed Benefit Badgal BANG! Mascara review takes you through this volumizing best-seller 

You may have noticed that this mascara looks rather similar to another Benefit bestseller, but the twist here is magnetic technology, which works to lift lashes to make them look even longer – up to 40% longer, to be precise. We can say that it feels nice and flexible on the lashes, separates them out, and takes their length to visibly impressive heights. 

Our tester did note that the volume is far more natural-looking than the original They’re Real, which is something to bear in mind if you usually lean towards volumizing formulas, as the focus here is definitely length. One quibble is that the brush isn’t the same as the original They’re Real! mascara – it’s larger and doesn’t have the rounded, bristled tip that’s great for tiny lashes – and so it doesn’t feel that precise. Thankfully, though, this doesn’t cause any clumping, and the results leave you looking like you’re wearing a pair of the best false eyelashes. 

Roller Lash is a bit like the antidote for stubborn shorter lashes that require some strong encouragement to lift and hold a curl. The curved wand fits nicely into the root of the lashes to really lift them and open up the eyes, and it builds lashes for a fluttery and defined end result. Not only that, but our tester found it was probably the most buildable of Benefit’s mascaras for length. 

We always advocate for curling lashes before applying mascara, but even without doing so, Roller Lash does a good job of getting lashes to curl and stay there – no dropping within the first hour here, as it’s able to hold for 12 hours. Without question one of the best mascaras for straight lashes, or those whose go-to look is pretty and fluttery. 

Read our Benefit Roller Lash Mascara review for more on how this curling mascara performs

The only of Benefit’s mascaras that also comes in a waterproof edition is Badgal BANG!, meaning you can still achieve those punchy lashes on your sea-filled summer holiday or on occasions you think you might be prone to a few tears. Housed in the same tube, it looks identical to the original, save for a different color scheme to set it apart at a glance (you would not want to reach for the original on a day that required waterproof mascara!).

Still very buildable in terms of length and volume, we found that the results are ever so slightly less punchy than its non-waterproof counterpart, but the overall effect is very similar. So if you’ve often found waterproof mascaras to be functional but a bit underwhelming, give this a go, because it gives a great lifted, volumized look that stays put even when you’ve got your lashes wet.