I'm A Beauty Reporters And This Drugstore Mascara Is Secretly My Favorite

I think everyone has that one beauty product that they return to again and again, despite having tried the latest and greatest formulas that claim to be the next best thing. For me, it’s the L’Oréal Voluminous mascara, a drugstore icon that I gleefully returned to after a makeup artist recommended it to me for a story on colored mascaras. I was officially reinforced in my belief that this $9 tube truly fulfills every single need I have when it comes to mascara, and there’s no point in messing with the expensive stuff any longer.

Of pricy formulas I’ve tried, I’ve tested the gamut, including several of Lancôme’s beloved tubes (Lash Idôle, Hypnôse) to Too Faced’s Better Than Sex mascara — all of which start at $29 a pop. I even prefer L’Oréal’s Voluminous mascara to other drugstore formulas like L’Oréal’s equally adored Lash Paradise, which I feel dried out too quickly.

There’s something about the consistency of this mascara and the fluffy barrel brush that makes my lashes appear longer and noticeably volumized, without looking weighed down or spidery. It’s almost a wispy effect that’s the perfect combination of natural meets perceptibly accentuated and very eye-opening.

In terms of application, I know it’s going to go on smoothly every time, even when I want to amplify the results and coat my lashes with a few extra layers — something I always have trouble with with most mascara formulas I’ve tried. This kind of buttery viscosity, in my opinion, makes it much easier to control where I want to concentrate the product (usually on the outer corners for me) and where I want it to apply more sparse.

But no mascara would be anything without its wear, and here is where I find Voluminous to be sincerely elite. I wear this mascara, sometimes up to 12 hours at a time, and not once have I experienced a single flake, smudge, or any kind of transfer to my lower lash line, even after hours at a ballet class or running errands in the Southern California heat. I’ve even shamefully fallen asleep with the stuff on, and I’m shocked when I wake up to see my lashes miraculously intact. (Mind you, this is all with the non-waterproof formula).

″[It] makes lashes the longest and thickest they can ever be, separates, doesn’t dry them out, stays put all day without smudging,” one Amazon customer enthused in a review.

I also don’t ever experience that uncomfortable dryness or strange tight feeling you can get on your lashes like some mascaras. In fact, when I wash this off at the end of the day, my lashes look and feel healthy and not compromised in any way.

This likely has something to do with the hydrating formula, which contains panthenol and ceramide-R to help protect and condition lashes. It’s also made without fragrance and is both ophthalmologist-tested and allergy-tested. And as someone who wears contact lenses and has incredibly dry and sensitive eyes, I experience no irritation when wearing this mascara.

Other users of the L’Oréal Voluminous mascara also appreciate this itch-free and no-burn performance.

“Using the Yuka app, which rates how good products are as far as harmful chemical additives. This mascara was rated well with few or no chemical additives,” one Amazon reviewer wrote.

I also think this is a really good, affordable mascara to try if you want to experiment with shades other than just black – the Voluminous formula comes in nine shades, including classic options like brown, brown-black and carbon black (my personal favorite), as well as more fun colors like cobalt blue and burgundy, which I absolutely love for making my hazel-green eyes pop.

And if you’re traumatized by mascaras past that would require harsh scrubbing to remove, don’t fret, because this one melts off with ease, especially when I use a cleansing balm.

You can take my word for it and replace your existing mascara with a tube of L’Oréal Voluminous — something you should be doing every four to six months, by the way — or read to see why others have chosen to coat their lashes with this stuff for years.

Promising Amazon reviews:

“Holds the best curl. I’ve used this mascara for 15 years and love it. I heard a friend say she loves waterproof mascara because it holds her curl well. I’ve found that to be true with this brand. I use a curler or crimper for my lashes and this mascara holds that curl all day. It’s also buildable. I layer 2-3 times for extra flash and it doesn’t look clumpy or spider-webby. Just thick lovely lashes, with great curl.” — KS

“Love this mascara. It goes on smoothly, doesn’t smudge, and washes off like a dream. The color is vibrant up close but not too obvious overall.” — Michelle

“L’Oreal is the only mascara I’ll ever use. Love how long it makes my eyelashes. Doesn’t flake and stays looking good for hours and hours.” — C. A. Brekke (nee Isbell)

“I usually can not wear Mascara as something in most brands cause my eyes to itch and water. Using the Yuka app which rates how good products are as far as harmful chemical additives. This mascara was rated well with few or no chemical additives. Since I have been using this I can wear mascara again daily!!!! No burning eyes or tears. It also looks very well!” — K. Stollenmaier

“This is better than the mascara I’ve been using for years! Love the bristles on the brush. Goes on evenly and does not clump.” — Sue Mc

“I’ve been using this mascara since the 80s so that speaks volumes!
Inexpensive, makes lashes the longest and thickest they can ever be, separates, doesn’t dry them out, stays put all day without smudging and washes off one two three with any cleanser or soap. It really doesn’t get any better than L’Oréal Voluminous!” — Barbara

If you’re interested in shopping for other big-impact mascaras that reviewers love, take a look at the options ahead that Buzzfeed shopping writer Isabella Sarlija gathered in previous coverage.