As well as ticking the basic boxes for a good formula, the best mascaras for straight lashes must also boast lengthening and volumising powers, to lift and curl your lashes and most importantly, hold them there...
This is one such formula I too have been searching for among the best mascaras, as my natural lashes are absolutely poker-straight. So much so that if you look at me straight-on, it’s difficult to tell if I have upper lashes. When it comes to mascara, then, what I’m looking for is something that’s going to make them more visible. I want length, yes, but mainly I’m after lift, curl, volume - anything to give my lashes the oomph they naturally lack.
"For straight lashes, it’s really the combination of formula and wand that makes the best mascara," explains pro makeup artist Lan Nguyen-Grealis. “You want something wet yet not so heavy that it will weigh the lashes down, but a product you can layer and build so there is more control." So, with those criteria in mind, I - and my beauty team colleagues - have tested a range of mascaras to find the ones that really enhance straight lashes...
The 9 best mascara for straight lashes, reviewed by our beauty team
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RRP: £13.99
The first end of this mascara has a straight brush and a priming formula designed to lengthen your lashes, which it does very nicely and without clumps. If you want more of a no-makeup makeup look, then you could stop there. But if you have very straight lashes, like mine, this is where the real magic happens. The second end has a curved brush, which allows you to get close to the roots to draw the lashes upwards, and is packed with tiny fibres that add volume and length. The lift is the most impressive and long-lasting of any mascara I’ve tried without the help of eyelash curlers.
RRP: £22
Is mascara bad for your eyelashes? Generally, no, but if formulas are drying and difficult to remove, then they can take their toll. This mascara avoids both of these pitfalls and cares for your natural lashes with a patented lash growth agent, which helps to strengthen and lengthen. The wand is plastic, curved and a little bit bendy (as well as narrow), which makes it easy to get right into those shorter lashes in the inner corner (catching and coating those will make your eyes look wider). This mascara doesn’t add a huge amount of length to the lashes, but it does lift them for a soft and natural-looking mascara finish. I really liked that it stays flexible all day, meaning I didn’t get that crispy, heavy feeling on my lashes.
RRP: £28
The Huda Beauty mascara is very similar to the L’Oreal Paris Pro XXL Lift Mascara in that it has two ends – one that’s a volumising mascara and one that curls and lengthens. What’s slightly different is that both of these are mascaras in their own right, so you can layer them, or you can pick and choose depending on the look you’re going for. This mascara impressed me straight away. The volumising end gave my lashes extra volume and length, with a fanned-out effect that made it look like I had loads more lashes than I actually do. It’s a big claim, but by the time I finished applying, it genuinely looked like I could have been wearing false lashes at the edges. Using two wands is a bit fiddly, but worth the extra time in my opinion.
RRP: £26
Lancôme mascaras are pretty iconic and they really are some of the best on the market. The brush on the Lash Idôle is curved and angled, which means you naturally hold it with the narrow part facing downwards, and the wider part fans the outer lashes as you go. Every edge of the brush is peppered with teeny tiny bristles, which managed to capture even my smallest and stubbiest lashes and persuade them skywards. The formula is quite waxy and builds nicely. It’s not super wet, which I personally liked (as I feel very wet formulas weigh my lashes down) but not everyone will be a fan - those after a lighter, slicker formula should try the Iconic London Enrich & Elevate Mascara instead.
RRP: £27
There are so many brilliant Benefit mascaras – most beauty editors have their go-to favourite – but this is the one you need if you have stubbornly straight lashes. Inspired by traditional rollers, the unique wand separates and catches onto every lash to give it a proper lift. Though I have used it with an eyelash curler, I notice a real difference without this step, too. Another plus point is that the brush head is plastic, which means you can easily comb the formula through your lashes for clump-free results – which, by the way, promise to last for up to 12 hours. And, as well as its curling prowess, it creates a great amount of length and decent volume for all-out fluttery lashes.
RRP: £17
I will forever associate Eyeko with Alexa Chung and her seemingly effortless (and very cool) cat-eye makeup flicks. Unlike some of the other best mascaras for straight lashes on this list, Eyeko has focused on both the ingredients and the performance. Within the formula, you’ll find caffeine as well as biotin, castor oil, and arginine to condition and nourish. Any beauty product that can multi-task gets my vote, but the performance stacks up too. I was a tad underwhelmed to begin with, as the first coat definitely lengthened my lashes, but didn’t lift them much. But I found that if I waited for it to become tacky, and then applied a second coat, I could get more of a curl – and that did hold for a days wear without clumpiness.
RRP: £29.99
The Full Frontal mascara caught my interest mainly as the wand is oval-shaped, with a pointed end and flat sides. Fenty recommends that you use the “fat” side (which holds the majority of the product) to lift lashes, and then the “flat” side to define and curl. The pointed tip was designed this way to catch every lash on the bottom lash line. The flat one is brilliant at elongating the lashes – I used two coats and combed both through without clumps. I’m an eye-rubber and suffer from hayfever, so really enjoyed the fact that this is water resistant, so I didn’t have to worry about allergy-induced smudging during the day.
RRP: £28
This mascara has amassed a few makeup artist fans already, including Hannah Martin (Princess Eugenine’s MUA). Its aim is to deliver the look of the best false eyelashes or a lash lift without the fiddly application or potential damage to your natural lashes. It’s formulated with hemp extract to condition, jojoba oil to promote lash growth and blackcurrant for thickness. The formula is very dark and quite thick, but the interesting shaped wand (it’s concave in the middle, a bit like a sideways egg timer) allows you to comb through any bobbly bits for a sleek, lifted result. It did feel a little heavy on my lashes, but I think that’s a fair trade for the added curl and conditioning benefits.
RRP: £24
Just one swipe of this mascara (with a little wiggle as you pull the wand up) is enough to deliver intense black colour, volume, lift and length to your lashes. If you want to go even further, it’s buildable too, but try and do so when it’s still wet to avoid creating unnatural-looking clumps. This is a mascara for people who like it to look like they’re wearing mascara, so if you prefer a more natural look, it’s not going to be for you - try the Iconic London Enrich & Elevate instead. This Stila one doesn’t flake, but I did find it smudged ever so slightly during the day, so keep an eye on that if you have long bottom lashes.
How we tested the best mascaras for straight lashes
A selection of the mascaras we tested for this guide
To bring you a reliable list of the best mascara for straight lashes, we tested each mascara for at least a full day, assessing their performance based on the following factors.
- Packaging - does it look and feel worth the cost, and is it easy and comfortable to use?
- Price - is it affordable for most people or is it worth the price tag?
- Mascara brush type, shape and style - does it function and perform well?
- How easy they were to apply - was the mascara straightforward to work with?
- How the formula looked and felt on the lashes - did it deliver the desired results?
- Whether they added long-lasting lift to the lashes - could the product be trusted to look good all day?
- Whether they were smudge-proof - did it stay in place all day without getting messy or smudged?
- How easy they were to remove - is it easy to remove without causing irritation?
How to choose the best mascara for straight lashes
If you're struggling to settle on one, there are a few different factors you can consider when choosing the best mascara for straight lashes.
- Wand: Curved, medium-sized wands will help to lift your lashes from the root, giving your eyelashes immediate lift and curl.
- Formula: Ideally, you want a formula that's light and buildable – i.e. something that won't weigh down straight lashes. It's worth also bearing in mind any other concerns, such as if you have sensitive eyes or are prone to smudging. In the case of the latter, tubing mascaras are worth exploring. As Nguyen-Grealis notes: "Tubing mascara holds longer and doesn’t flake, so is great for building an even layer."
- Price: As with any beauty purchase, your budget plays a huge role in which mascara you choose. Have an idea of what you can and want to spend before you begin browsing.
- Your usual makeup routine: Some of the best mascaras for straight lashes work well by layering several coats. If you're a little less meticulous or like to get ready in a flash, consider buying one that delivers with a single swipe, like Stila's HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara. If you're willing to dedicate more time to the process, some two-wand products, such as the L’Oreal Paris Pro XXL Lift Mascara, can provide stellar results.
How to apply mascara to straight lashes for best results
The application technique you use matters hugely, as straight lashes don’t play ball quite as easily as ones with a natural curl. “Straight lashes can be quite stubborn depending on the type of hair, so an eyelash curler will give a head start in getting some lift,” says Nguyen-Grealis.
“If there’s no time for that, simply apply middle to tip, wiggling the wand left to right to get an instant curl, then [comb] from the root all the way through to the tips. A few coats are needed for maximum results.”
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