Cruelty Free Masacara Showdown

Cruelty Free Mascara Showdown- my top picks and my not so favorites

There are so many mascaras out on the market now that sometimes it can be a little daunting when choosing ones you want to try. I love mascara and I am always on the hunt for something that gives me great volume without clumping. So I decided to try as many affordable mascaras as I could so I could tell you which ones are worth trying and which ones you shouldn't bother with. All of these are drugstore  brands that are super affordable and easy to find.

My criteria for a great mascara is one that provides nice volume as well as seperates the lashes, lengthens the lashes all the while without clumping or smearing. Noone likes racoon eyes, right ladies.

So here are my top picks. my go to mascaras. As well as a few that I wasn't impressed with and won't be repurchasing.


Top Picks:

Essence I Love Extreme crazy volume mascara

Essence has really outdone themselves when it comes to mascaras. They are such great quality and they only cost around $4! This particular mascara is one of my all time favorites. It provides a crazy amount of volume and if you like super dramatic lashes, well this is for you. My go to mascara. Go out and try this now!!


Essence Get Big Lashes triple black mascara

Another great mascara from Essence. This one is a little less dramatic than the previous one but can definitely be built up by adding a second coat if you want more drama. Doesn't clump, provides great volume and is just an overall amazing mascara.



Wet n Wild Max Volume Plus mascara

Wet n Wild is another great, super affordable brand and this mascara hits out of the ballpark. This by far, is my go to mascara that I cannot live without especially when I want a super dramatic look. The wand is on the small side which really helps separate and elongate the lashes, which ends up giving you killer volume. My go to for a night out on the town! Highly highly recommend.



Not So Impressive Picks:

NYX Voluptuous Lashes mascara

NYX is especially hard to find here in Canada so when I got my hands on this mascara I was excited to give it a try. Unfortunately it didn't pass the mark for me. It didn't really give me much volume and you need a few coats to really make any sort of dramatic impact. I also find the formula quite dry, which doesn't help. A major disappointment.

Hard Candy Lashaholic super volume mascara

I am a huge Hard Candy fan but unfortunately this mascara was a fail for me. I will say that if you like minimal lashes this is a decent mascara but I was expecting to get major volume and it just falls short. The formula is better than the NYX one but I still wouldn't repurchase this.

Milani Total Lash Cover mascara with 3 zone brush

I had really high hopes for this particular mascara. The wand is very unique and has plastic bristles, which I thought could work really well. Well I hate to say it, but I was very disappointed. Not as bad as the NYX mascara but did not live up to my expectations at all. No worth the money, sadly.