I bet I’m not alone in being a little more mindful with every dollar I spend with the world the way it is right now. Thankfully, when it comes to beauty, being budget conscious doesn’t mean you have to scrimp on quality.

Mascara has always been one of my favourite budget beauty buys. Although there are plenty of $50 plus tubes I love, I’ve always managed to find more affordable options that perform just as well, for a fraction of the price. It’s also far more practical to go cheaper on mascara and invest in other products due to the short shelf life of mascara.

It’s recommended that you replace your mascara every 3 months for a fresh tube as it’s notorious for breading bacteria. When you’re putting that wand near your eye every day and then back into the tube, it only makes sense to do everything you can to reduce the risk of infection.

So here are our favourites-

Basics By B DRAMA Mascara  

Our favourite is Aussie brand Basics By B Drama mascara and it is a game changer! It’s a tubular formula, which means it will not smudge, crumble or irritate the eyes. It also means it’s waterproof but easily removed with cleanser and warm water and will never leave you with stained panda eyes. It has a clever brush that while adding length and volume, also combs out every lash individually. The result is beautifully defined, long thick lashes with zero clumps or chunky bits. It’s also fine for sensitive eyes. DRAMA mascara gives a you a beautiful lash extension effect. At $28 it’s a fantastic price for a top quality mascara. Click HERE to get yours.

 

L’Oréal Paris Paradise Mascara

The soft bristles of this dense brush allow you to quickly separate and coat every lash for a voluminous and fluffy look. It’s really good at separating lashes as it lifts so you don’t get clumps and the creamy formula dries slowly allowing you to apply a few extra coats to pump up the volume. It’s available in a few different shades and what’s nice about this formula is that it stays soft on your lashes and doesn’t feel crunchy or crumbly.

Covergirl LashBlast Volume Mascara

Fun fact, this is one of the first mascaras I ever owned. My Dad quietly disapproved of the bold and dark lashes it gave me which I think is a sign that this drugstore mascara really does its job. It has a dense silicone brush that helps to coat every lash and pull them up to create a great shape. It’s a long-lasting formula that gives you volume without looking clumpy or crumbly.

Maybelline Lash Sensational

This is one of the best mascara brushes I’ve ever used. It’s a silicone brush that has a slight curve and varying density of bristles on either side to help you create a lifted, lengthened and fanned lash effect. The denser side gives you volume and definition while the other side helps to grab smaller sections of your lash to pull them upwards and create separation. It’s also a really nice and creamy dark formula that’s easy to work with and holds your lashes in place.

Revlon Ultimate All In One Blackened Brown Mascara

As your eyes age, using dark black products can work to emphasize fine lines and dark circles so it can be beneficial to use a slightly brown formula like this one. It gives you a softer look while still adding definition and creating a bit of length. It’s not as volumizing as others but still evenly coats all of your lashes so you don’t get that spidery effect.

La Roche-Posay Respectissime Sensitive Volume Mascara

This gentle formula is perfect for people who find makeup around their eyes irritating. It was created to be gentle and nourishing while also being easily removable to avoid having to rub and pull at the sensitive eye area. It’s fragrance free and gives you a light lift and defining volume without looking flaky. The brush is nice and dense too so separates lashes with just a single swipe.

Mecca Max Wink Ink Super Mascara

What I love about this mascara is not only the fact it’s 100% vegan, but also the slightly waxy, wet-look it leaves on your lashes. It’s a great flake-free formula that evenly coats every lash and can create great length. While I wouldn’t use this as a voluminising mascara, you can easily reapply throughout the day to redefine your lashes and create a little extra lift because of the softness of the formula.

 

Featured Image Credit:

Photo Thom Kerr

Make up: Bonnie G Oz Beauty Expert

Hair: Iggy Rosales

Model: Erin Shea