The Best Mascaras for Thick, Dramatic Lashes

MAC Plushlash ($11.00) is my all-time favorite mascara. It’s exactly what it says: plush. I always get ultra black, thick lashes with this mascara. No matter how many mascaras I try, I always end up coming back to Plushlash. I think, ultimately, I might make the switch to Chanel Exceptionnel if it weren’t so pricey (and not 2.5x better than Plushlash). MAC’s Zoomlash is another good one, though I feel it’s a little more prone to clump, though it has the super black color I love.

Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes ($28.00) is one of those new-fangled mascaras, because it has a crazy mascara “wand” which looks more like a spiky ball. This works best without a primer, as when I used it with MAC’s Prep + Prime, I found it smudged.

Dior DiorShow Iconic ($27.00) beats out the original DiorShow for me, because Iconic doesn’t smudge or flake like DiorShow (the original) did for me. DiorShow is a classic mascara, known for its dramatic lengthening, thickening, and ultra rich pigmentation of black.

Lancome Oscillation ($34.00) is a moving mascara. Oscillation doesn’t come cheap, but it really does work well to give you long lashes without clumping them up. It does take several applications to get the hang of it, and you’ll have to figure out what technique works best for you. You can read my full review if you please.

Chanel Exceptionnel ($28.00) is a deliciously luxe formula that gives you incredibly dark, lush lashes with insane length. You can read my review and see how it looks!

CoverGirl Lash Exact ($8.00) is a mascara that really proved drugstore mascaras often are better than high end products. Good level of color richness in the black, plus lengthening and thickening to make your lashes that much more enviable. If you need more volume, check out Volume Exact. (Oh, and I’ve heard good things about LashBlast, though I haven’t personally tried it.)

To learn more about or purchase these mascaras, check out Drugstore.com, Nordstrom.com, Prescriptives, and Sephora.com.

What are your favorite mascaras for thick, dramatic lashes?