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Brides / Zackary Angeline
When it comes to wedding makeup, the eyes have it. Enhancing your lashes, whether through mascara or false eyelashes, is one of the easiest ways to make your eyes pop in wedding photos and during the ceremony, according to bridal makeup artist Michelle Schultz . Yet the key here is to use waterproof mascara, since anything else will likely smudge or run from all the tears, dancing, and smiling.
If you typically stay away from waterproof mascara, we don’t blame you. Some formulas are drying and cumbersome to remove. But thankfully, there’s a ton of waterproof mascaras with improved formulas and performance today. To make your life easier, we tested 29 different waterproof mascaras to find the best ones for all your wedding-related festivities. We tested each mascara for ease of application, effect, and how easy they were to remove. We also rubbed our eyes, shed some tears, and stood in some rain to see how well they truly responded to water.
Here are the best waterproof mascaras that stayed put and came off exactly when we wanted them to.
Best Overall
COVERGIRL Clump Crusher Waterproof Mascara
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Ulta
If you don’t want to choose between length or volume when it comes to mascara, this one gives you both. Thanks to its signature chubby curved brush, it lengthened and thickened our lashes while leaving them clump free. We found the wand easy to hold, and the brush grabbed the right amount of product for even coverage. And there was no smudging, despite all we put it through.
Effect: Volume, Length | Shades: Very Black | Key Ingredients: Free of parabens
Best Volume
Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara
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Sephora
Recommended by Schultz, this mascara gives you the thickest, darkest lashes with only a few swipes. The secret is in the chubby brush, which grabbed every hair in our lash line for intense volume. In fact, strangers have asked us if we are wearing false lashes when wearing this mascara. Though it can clump if you apply too many coats, it didn’t feel heavy. It didn’t budge in our fake tears and rain tests, yet it was easy to take off with some makeup wipes and micellar water, giving us the best of both worlds.
Effect: Volume | Shades: Black | Key Ingredients: Free of parabens, suflates, and phthalates
Best for Bottom Lashes
Maybelline New York Lash Discovery Waterproof Mascara
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Amazon
While you may be wearing false eyelashes for your wedding, you’ll want a good waterproof mascara to highlight your bottom lashes. Thanks to the thin brush, the wand was able to evenly coat all our bottom lashes without making a mess. It made our lashes look long and defined, with zero clumps or flaking. And it withstood all the waterproof tests without smudging. Still it was easy to remove without leaving a black ring around our eyes. For only $10, it offers a great value as well.
Effect: Length | Shades: Very Black | Key Ingredients: N/A
Best Splurge
Lancôme Hypnôse Waterproof Mascara
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Sephora
Not many mascaras boast an S-shaped brush, but we loved this feature in this Lancome version. The unique shape allowed us to easily coat every lash, and the tip helped pinpoint individual areas. Our lashes looked fuller and more voluminous. Despite the eccentric brush shape, we didn’t end up with any product on our lids, and the mascara didn’t flake or smudge while we applied eye drops and sprayed our face with water. Yet at the end of our test, it came off without much effort with an oil-based remover, making our life easier.
Effect: Volume, Curl | Shades: Excessive Black | Key Ingredients: Waxes
Best Budget
Maybelline New York Waterproof Mascara
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Amazon
Another one of Schutlz’s picks, this mascara lasts as long, if not longer, than more expensive formulas. The wand offered a nice grip and was easy to hold, ensuring we coated each lash evenly without any clumps. Our lashes looked longer yet still natural. Eye drops and face mist? They were no match for this formula. If anything, the mascara was a bit harder to remove than others, making it a great option for heavy criers.
Effect: Volume, Length | Shades: Brownish Black, Very Black | Key Ingredients: Bamboo Extract
Best Drama
L’Oréal Bambi Eye Waterproof Mascara
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Ulta
We loved how this mascara gave us a false lashes look—no glue required! The thick, curved brush helps create the volume, though it can be a bit tricky to maneuver. Yet what really sold us was the formula's staying power. The mascara did not budge at all, even while we fake cried, squinted, sneezed, rubbed our eyes, or replicated rain. And when we did want to remove it, it came off in two swipes. If you know you're a crier at weddings, this one is for you.
Effect: Volume | Shades: Blackest Black | Key Ingredients: N/A
Best Nourishing
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Waterproof Mascara
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Target
While nourishing and waterproof may not seem to go hand and hand, this formula is packed with hydrating ingredients. Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and keratin work together to strengthen and moisturize, so your lashes are left soft and silky. Thanks to the tapered brush, we were able to grab both our inner and outer lashes, and all we needed was one coat to get plumped, spidery lashes—in a good way. The look survived eye drops and sprays of water without smudging or running down our face. And it came off much easier than we expected with a little help from some micellar water.
Effect: Volume, Length | Shades: Black, Black/Brown | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Vitamin E, and Keratin
Best Curling
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
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Sephora
Consider this the enhanced version of the cult-favorite mascara from Too Faced. Boasting an hourglass-shaped brush, this mascara gave our lashes dimension and lift without feeling heavy. It has unique peptides to create the darkest, intense shade of black, meaning it will truly pop in photos. While it ultimately passed out water tests, it did flake a bit, so consider if that’s a dealbreaker for you.
Effect: Curl | Shades: Black | Key Ingredients: Porcelain Flower extract, Omega Oil
Best for a Natural Look
Innisfree Skinny Waterproof Microcara Mascara
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Amazon
For those that prefer a more natural wedding look, we recommend this waterproof mascara. The thin brush deposited just the right amount of mascara on our lashes, creating a natural, clump-free look. The slim brush is also great for those with short lashes, as thicker brushes can be more messy. Small but mighty, the formula stayed put through rounds of squinting and water spritzing. Removing it was a breeze since there wasn’t too much product to make a mess.
Effect: Length | Shades: Black, Brown | Key Ingredients: N/A
What to Look for in Waterproof Mascara
- Wand: The mascara wand, or brush, can have a big impact on the overall effect. If you want to add volume to your lashes, look for mascaras with thick brushes, like Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara. If you prefer elongated, clump-free fringe, go for skinny brushes like in Maybelline Lash Discovery. Curved brushes like Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara can help lift and curl your lashes.
- Shade: While most brides opt for black mascara, those with really fair skin (or light hair like blonde or red) may prefer a brown mascara. If you prefer a softer look for your wedding, look for waterproof mascaras formulas that come in brown shades like Maybelline New York Sky High Volumizing Waterproof Mascara.
- Ingredients: All waterproof mascaras have ingredients to make them withstand water, but some formulas offer special ingredients with extra benefits. If you are looking for a mascara to condition your lashes at the same time, look for hydrating ingredients like vitamin E and hyaluronic acid as in Neutrogena Hydro Boost Waterproof Plumping Mascara.
Why Trust Brides
Emily Cieslak is an associate commerce editor, covering all things beauty and fashion. Mascara is her favorite makeup product and she swears Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara gives her the thickest, longest lashes. For this article, we tested 29 different types of waterproof mascaras to see which ones held up best against water, gave us the best effect, and were easy to apply and remove.
- Michelle Schultz is a professional makeup artist and founder of Willow House Beauty. They specialize in wedding hair and makeup services for all people.
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