This story first appeared on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter in which our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
I lean toward a minimal, natural mascara for my every day — just enough to fake a lash lift. This pretty much does the trick because it keeps a curl, applies without clumps, and defines my lashes without adding too much volume. Normally, I just need a swipe to last me the entire day, but if I do want a more dramatic look, I’ll just add an extra layer. —Arielle Avila
I have extremely straight lashes that never want to hold a curl. It was so frustrating that I used to get them professionally lifted and tinted so I could forego mascara altogether. But in recent years, it was too much of a hassle to lie on a table for an hour of torture, so now I reach for a classic: Benefit Cosmetics’s Roller Lash. I find that it actually sets the curl all day without my lashes falling after just a few hours. —Dominique Pariso
When I discovered this mascara, I knew it was over for the rest. It curls. It lifts. It has a brush with the perfect shape to get to both your inner and outer corners but never leave a splodge at either end. When I really take my time to coat my lashes in it, I get asked what lash serum I’ve been using. I quite simply love it and only stray when I want a colorful mascara (with Maybelline Sky High) or really dramatic, clumpy lashes (when I’ll reach for Half Magic). —Rachael Griffiths
As the steward of our best mascaras roundup, I’m always rotating among two-to-four mascaras at a time. For the past few months, I’ve been testing out “lash-enhancing” mascaras that are infused with ingredients like peptides and castor oil to help simultaneously strengthen and lengthen your lashes. I use Colorescience’s Total Lash Mascara for a more natural everyday look, but on days when I want all the drama and volume, I go for Grande Cosmetics’s Intense Thickening Mascara. I can’t say which one deserves more credit, but with the two of them combined, my lashes are noticeably longer, fuller, and fluffier. I received two separate compliments on my lashes unprompted: one from a makeup artist, who called my lashes “very beautiful,” and another from my esthetician, who asked if I’d gotten lash extensions. —Kitty Guo
I spent much of the summer in lash extensions but over the past couple of months transitioned back to my natural lashes. I was convinced to do so by Laura Geller Kajal Longwear Mascara. It does all the things a great mascara should — lengthens, curls, and separates. It’s a deeply pigmented black that still looks natural for daytime. I really got sold when it somehow survived a quick in-Uber cry session I had on the way to an event (no running). —Crystal Martin
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