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5 Nov

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed –

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed –

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Makeup trends come and go, but full, feathery lashes are endlessly. Unlike other eye makeup products like eyeshadow or eyeliner, mascara isn’t a one-size-fits-all makeup product. It performs otherwise depending in your lash type and length, and is available in a wide range of formulations for host of lash goals. Ulta’s mascara offerings are best at school, running the gamut across every price point with options from emerging and established brands. WWD Shop editors put the very best mascaras at Ulta to the test to discover top picks for exaggerated length, volume, and lift.

Ulta is a premier beauty destination for its broad array of options. Whether you’re shopping heritage drugstore mascara brands like L’Oréal, investing in mascara options from Lancôme, or dipping your toe into cutting-edge indie brands like Colourpop, Ulta’s got all of it. Plus, Ulta.com offers way more regular sales events, flash deals, and customer perks than other beauty retailers. Any shopper can get free shipping on orders over $35 and free returns, and members of the Ultamate Rewards program (it’s free to enroll) enjoy other advantages, like points for all purchases that might be redeemed for discounts on the retailer’s big variety of beauty products.

To curate the very best Ulta mascaras that represent every formula type — including lengthening, curling, volumizing, and waterproof options — WWD Shop beauty editors conducted extensive tests and trials of 20 bestsellers. We compared Ulta customer reviews, analyzed cult-favorite formulas, and paid special attention to lash serum-inspired mascara ingredients and formulations that provide different lash effects across the range of price points.

Top Mascaras at Ulta of 2023

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Testing Verdict: Top 3 Mascaras at Ulta of 2023

Since Ulta is a crossover between a drugstore and prestige beauty retailer, there’s an abundance of mascaras to select from that you simply won’t find anywhere else. Choosing the appropriate mascara for you may rely upon your intended lash effect and lash type. As an example, short lashes will best profit from a tubing formula, while those with sparse lashes may reach for a volumizing mascara. As a substitute of selecting only one favorite at Ulta, our editors narrowed down our top three picks for various transformative effects. Our front runners, below:

  • Profit Badgal Bang! Volumizing Mascara: Profit often hits the mark in terms of mascara and Badgal Bang! is not any exception. Apart from the indisputable fact that it’s Ulta’s top-seller, this mascara stands out to our editors for its clump-busting rubber wand and ultra volumizing formula. Plus, its long wear time even outperforms some waterproof mascaras in the marketplace.
  • It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara: Should you’re available in the market for a hero product, take your eyes off the sky and look to this one from It Cosmetics. We love this mascara as an all-around A-plus product to define, separate, lengthen, and thicken the lashes. Its dryer consistency makes it buildable, while biotin, peptides, and collagen condition the lashes for long-term lusciousness.
  • Too Faced Higher Than Sex Mascara: It’s Ulta’s highest rated formula and a longtime suggestion amongst our editors. This mascara delivers on drama with pitch-black pigment and effortlessly buildable volume. It’s no wonder that it’s a cult-favorite, given its conditioning ingredients, curl-boosting wand, and budge-proof formulation.

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed

Best Mascara at Ulta for Short Lashes

Profit Badgal Bang! Volumizing Mascara

Formula type: Volumizing
Shade range: Black
Key ingredients: Provitamin B5
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

This Profit mascara packs a strong punch because the top-selling mascara at Ulta. It has a “slimpact!” wand that boasts a singular, 360 degree design that adheres to every lash because it combs product from root to tip. The narrow, cone-like shape allows for a lash lift on the outer corner, while no inner corner hairs get left behind. Formula-wise, this best mascara at Ulta is infused with provitamin B5, which works to construct thickness with each swipe and support lash strength right down to the follicle. Profit Badgal Bang! is an ideal all-around option for transformative definition without clumps, together with its longwearing and water-resistant formulation that won’t ditch you throughout the day.

Editor testing and review notes: “As someone who doesn’t accept anything lower than long, separated lashes that sweep as much as my brow bone, this Profit mascara is a dream. I actually have naturally straight, fantastic, and average-length lashes, but, with a pump of an eyelash curler and a couple of coats of Badgal Bang!, I actually have superstar lashes. Remember that you might experience minor smudging if you’ve especially oily eyelids like me, but so long as I apply eyeshadow primer it’s a non-issue. Upon application, I didn’t have any issues with clumping. I especially adore the rubber mascara brush for its true ability to separate the lash line for visible and defined volume. — Commerce Author & Producer Olivia Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this text: $28

Related: Alix Earle’s Makeup Routine

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed

Best Mascara at Ulta for Volume

Lancôme Monsieur Big Volumizing Mascara

Formula type: Volumizing
Shade range: Black
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

In search of va-va-voom volume? Meet Monsieur Big by Lancôme. It wins the silver medal amongst Ulta’s bestseller list, and our editors aptly agree. Because the name suggests, this mascara has a giant, chunky brush that’s densely filled with wavy bristles. It layers on the amount and evenly distributes wealthy pigment across the lash line, all while extending lash lengths for a real false lash effect.

Editor testing and review notes: “Lancôme’s Monsieur Big is a mascara I prefer to keep in rotation for special occasions or events — it brings the drama. Sticking to a lash serum with nightly use has made my lashes nice and long, but the guidelines can disappear into thin air without the appropriate mascara. This defines those fantastic hairs so they give the impression of being thicker, subsequently making my lashes look longer. One coat of this delivers volume you’d only achieve from two to 3 coats of other mascaras.” — Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor Claire Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this text: $30

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed

Best Curling Mascara at Ulta

Fenty Beauty Full Frontal Volume, Lift, and Curl Mascara

Formula type: Curling, volumizing 
Shade range: Black
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

Rihanna knows a thing or two about ultra-fierce eye makeup, and Fenty Beauty’s Full Frontal Volume, Lift, and Curl Mascara is evidence. Fenty designed it as an all-in-one mascara that effectively fans out the lash line for precise definition and volume. It encompasses a double sided, paddle-like brush that lifts and curls hairs upward to increase their length, while expanding their splay horizontally. The flexible formula also allows loads of time to construct on the amount with additional clump-free coats.

Editor testing and review notes: “Upon initial application, this mascara and I became fast BFFs. I at all times prefer a dryer formula, slightly than one which’s thinner or wet, but they’re too often susceptible to flaking. This one didn’t crunch, clump, budge, or transfer during application and left my eye looking greater and brighter. It doesn’t irritate or run into my contacts after I exercise, which is a serious plus for me. I like to wear this mascara for long days at WWD’s office.” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this text: $24

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed

Best Tubing Mascara at Ulta

Clinique High Impact High-Fi Full Volume Mascara

Formula type: Volumizing, lengthening
Shade range: Black, black/brown
Key ingredients: Coconut, argan, and moringa oils
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

Clinique’s Hi-Fi is a stellar Ulta tubing mascara — its formula is mixed with teeny tiny extension fibers that seamlessly elongate on the lash tip. This particular formula comes as a light-weight gel with an excellent hydrating feel from coconut, argan, and moringa oils. Not only does the mascara support lash growth and condition the lashes with wear, however it also won’t dry to a crunchy, flaky coating. It’s ophthalmologist-tested, allergy-tested, freed from fragrance, and protected for sensitive eyes, that are just a couple of the reason why our testers scored this best mascara at Ulta with high marks across the board.

Editor testing and review notes: “Clinique’s latest mascara launch is a dream for daytime wear. Where many volumizing mascaras can leave you with super dense looking lashes, this one separates those hairs nicely for a fuller look without clumps. The medium-length bristles offer you good control on short lashes, they usually have a wavy design that grabs baby hairs with ease.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this text: $27

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed

Best Inexpensive Mascara at Ulta

E.l.f. Big Mood Mega Volume & Lifting Mascara

Formula type: Volumizing, lifting
Shade range: Pitch black, black, deep brown
Key ingredients: Jojoba wax
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

E.l.f. continues to wow our editors with each recent product we test. Whether it’s a hydrating makeup primer, makeup brush set, or probably the greatest drugstore foundations in the marketplace, the brand offers so many must-haves at an inexpensive price. Although eight dollars is on the dearer side of E.l.f.’s lineup, the Big Mood mascara is probably the most inexpensive option on our list. It brings drama with an oversized hourglass wand that lifts the lash line as you swipe. Jojoba wax within the formula makes for a more creamy consistency, which effectively locks a curl, applies evenly, and reduces risk of flaking.

Editor testing and review notes: “If you’ve sparse lashes which might be in need of a lift, this mascara is an excellent bet. The dark formula glides on so effortlessly and the massive wand combs the lashes up and out for a much fuller look. Remember that the wand could also be too big for smaller eyes. Otherwise, considering its price, this mascara is a must-try.” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this text: $8

too faced better than sex mascara

Courtesy of Too Faced

Best Rated Mascara At Ulta

Too Faced Higher Than Sex Mascara 

Formula type: Lengthening, volumizing
Shade range: Black and waterproof formulations
Key ingredients: Acacia Senegal tree extract and peptides 
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

Whether or not this mascara is best than — ahem — remains to be up for debate, but our editors surely imagine it lives as much as its hype. The famed Too Faced Higher Than Sex Mascara is amongst the preferred and highest rated formulas at Ulta, with over 15,000 five-star reviews. Beauty shoppers rave about its signature hourglass wand that applies product evenly because it defines and separates. Our testers give extra points for its day-to-night constructing capabilities, together with its exceptional volumizing and lengthening effects. We couldn’t agree more, and, in the event you’re on the lookout for a reliable waterproof Ulta mascara, certainly one of our editors can’t stop singing the praises of the choice formulation.

Editor testing and review notes: “Should you love thick, black, voluminous lashes and also you haven’t tried this mascara — you’re missing out. Higher Than Sex has been one of the crucial reliable mascaras in my makeup bag over time because I comprehend it’ll at all times give me a dramatic effect. While its formula and hourglass wand is comparable to the lower cost L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara at Ulta, I still at all times return to Too Faced for its dryer consistency.”— Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this text: $29

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed

Best Lifting Mascara at Ulta

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Sculpt Mascara

Formula type: Lifting, lengthening
Shade range: Black
Key ingredients: Biotin, collagen, peptides
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

Anastasia Beverly Hills is best known for its top-notch eyebrow pencils and brow growth serums, so it’s not a complete shock that the brand excels at lashes, too. The Lash Sculpt mascara improves upon the everyday conic wand, as this fluted iteration is tightly constructed to grab and stretch lash hairs to maximum length. The wand crescendos in width, which lifts the outer lashes up as you wiggle from root to tip. Its formula is infused with the biotin, collagen, and peptides to condition the lashes underneath the product, leaving them soft to the touch.

Editor testing and review notes: “Serious makeup lovers know that Anastasia Beverly Hills won’t steer you within the flawed direction: The brand’s products supply high color payoff without looking painted on. The Lash Sculpt Mascara is a beautiful addition to any caliber of glam; the formula’s wet consistency makes it highly buildable, so I can go light for daytime wear or pack on the pigments for a bolder look.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this text: $26

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed

Best Drugstore Mascara At Ulta

L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

Formula type: Lengthening, volumizing 
Shade range: Blackest Black, Black, Mystic Black, Black Brown, Millennial Pink, and waterproof formulations
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

This mascara is a first-rate example of the fantastic thing about shopping at Ulta — you possibly can compare products across a large price range to see if it’s higher to save lots of or splurge. The L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara is a comparable inexpensive alternative to the Too Faced Higher Than Sex Mascara that’s listed above, nonetheless, we did notice slight variations that make them each well worth the mention. This formula is has a wetter consistency, which works best for those with naturally short or coarse lashes, since it elongates the lash line because it builds volume. This best mascara at Ulta can be a favourite amongst celebrity makeup artists equivalent to Mary Phillips and Ariel Tejeda whose A-list clients are continually sporting thick, feathery lashes.

Editor testing and review notes: “The Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara’s medium-large, slight hourglass wand suits snugly under the lash line and successfully works to grip, comb, define, and satisfyingly stretch each lash. The formula of the mascara is wet but not too watery, which aids in its ability to construct thickness and avoid clumping. I discovered that it wears well over an extended day, with no running or smudging, holds a curl, and is effortless to wipe away with a makeup removing cloth.” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this text: $12.99

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed

Courtesy of Sephora

Best Mascara at Ulta for Length and Volume

It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara

Formula type: Volumizing, lengthening
Shade range: Black and waterproof formulations
Key ingredients: Biotin, collagen, and peptides
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

Holding out for a hero? You may count on It Cosmetics’ Superhero Mascara to save lots of the day. Its long and narrow wand allows maximum control as you address the complete lash line in a single pass. The dryer formula is simplest for constructing thickness, separating the lashes for volume, holding a curl, and laying down major length. It’s also infused with biotin, collagen, and peptides, which support healthy lashes and nourish the encompassing skin.

Editor testing and review notes: “The name says all of it — this mascara should wear a cape. The formula isn’t slick-wet, but just damp enough to separate and lift my lashes while constructing impressive thickness and length. It’s the very best mascara for a false lash look; I haven’t touched my stock of falsies in ages because only one or two coats of the pitch-black formula does the trick for an evening in town. I prefer to focus the product on my outer lashes for a fanned-out look, that are easy to access with the narrow brush applicator. ” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this text: $28

10 Best Mascaras at Ulta, Tested & Reviewed

Courtesy of Ulta Beauty

Best Brown Mascara at Ulta

Colourpop BFF Mascara

Formula type: Lengthening, volumizing, etc. 
Shade range: Black, brown, pink, yellow, red, blue, peach
Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars

Ulta is the one widely-accessible beauty retailer that carries Colourpop in-store and online, so the one other technique to get your hands on it’s directly from the brand’s site (but you’d miss out on Ulta deals and perks!). Colourpop is favored for its high-pigment color cosmetics, like statement lipsticks or poppy cream blushes. The BFF Mascara is not any exception — you possibly can select color options from blue, pink, yellow, or red, but we’re especially impressed by the Brownie Points colorway. The formula adds each pronounced volume and precise length upon fast application, while avoiding bulky product deposits that may otherwise overwhelm the lash line. The comb-like, twisted wand is product of nylon fiber, which boosts the lash line in a lift and reinforces a curl with each coat.

Editor testing and review notes: “As a long-time lover of Colourpop makeup, I used to be curious to try the brand’s tackle mascara. Each hue from the road passed with flying colours, however the Brownie Points shade stood out from other brown mascaras we tested. I’m an excellent dark natural brunette, and its wealthy, warm brown color appeared natural but not too soft, because it effectively defined my eyes with depth. Apart from the colour, BFF’s formula hits the sweet spot between not too wet and never too dry, meaning it delivers on length without clumping, and allows for increase to 3 coats.” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this text: $9

Suggestions for Purchasing for the Best Mascaras at Ulta

Ulta is probably the greatest places to buy every kind of cosmetics, whether in-store or online, since it’s at all times offering deals for savvy shoppers. There are so many deals that it will possibly be tough to maintain up with what sale event is within the pipeline. We’re breaking down key sales, plus other smart ways to buy mascaras at Ulta.

  • Ulta 21 Days of Beauty: This sale event lasts for 3 weeks, starting every March and August, as Ulta’s most anticipated marathon of markdowns. Probably the most recent fall 2023 installment offered limited-time deals, called Every day Beauty Steals, where customers could rating as much as 50 percent off recent releases and bestselling products. There are recent deals day by day, across each prestige and drugstore makeup, skincare sets, hair care, hair styling tools, and makeup brushes. Those with an Ultamate Rewards membership also earn bonus points with every purchase throughout the sale.
  • Ulta Black Friday Sale: Ulta at all times offers a few of the very best Black Friday beauty deals. Last yr, Ulta kicked off the season of giving by surprising shoppers with a full week of price slashes, which was just like a shortened version of 21 Days of Beauty. Annually, the discounts are inclined to peak at 50 percent off and canopy the range of top-rated beauty products, including sales on beauty bundles, makeup brushes, and other offerings from a whole lot of brands. In 2023, we’re hoping they repeat history and offer extra perks, like luxe gifts with purchase.
  • Buy More, Save More Offers: Irrespective of the time of yr, Ulta at all times provides opportunity to save lots of as you spend. You may browse all of Ulta’s digital coupons, BOGO deals, and special gifts with purchase by navigating to the Featured Deals page on Ulta.com. Here, you’ll find limited-time promotions on all the pieces from cult-favorite bestsellers to high-quality hidden gems.
  • Ultamate Rewards: Ulta’s membership program allows customers to rack up points with every purchase, which might be used so as to add extra beauty goodies to your card. It also grants you access to exclusive discounts, early sale entry, and a free gift in your birthday. You may enroll totally free, or spend a minimum of $500 to $1,200 to qualify for the Platinum and Diamond membership tiers, which can get you probably the most perks.

How We Tested and Reviewed the Best Mascaras at Ulta

Since 1910, WWD — also known as “the style bible” — has been the leading industry voice of authority for senior executives in the worldwide women’s and men’s fashion, retail and sweetness communities, while also informing the buyer media that cover the market. Today, WWD’s breaking news and trend coverage continues to be a trustworthy resource for each fashion insiders and consumers alike. Our shopping editors proceed to uphold WWD’s editorial standards and values with quality, expert-backed product selections.

To curate the very best mascaras at Ulta, we conducted comprehensive testing, in addition to extensive research across the sweetness market to find out quality formulation, application, and ingredient blends. We tested bestselling mascaras at Ulta, TikTok-viral formulations, and picked up our personal favorites to pinpoint the very best options for various lash types and preferences. Moreover, we sifted through a whole lot of customer review quotes to check different experiences and recommend probably the most satisfactory products in the marketplace. Learn more about us here.

Meet the Testers and Creator

Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for WWD and Footwear News. She’s spent over five years researching, reporting on, and writing concerning the beauty industry for publications like Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested a whole lot of products during her time as a beauty editor, so she’s well-versed in choosing makeup products, like the very best mascaras at Ulta, that make a meaningful difference in your beauty routine. Sullivan contributed to product testing for this text.

Olivia Cigliano is a Commerce Author & Producer at Footwear News and WWD where she writes shopping content across fashion, beauty, footwear, TikTok style trends, and more. Cigliano received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, and her byline might be present in publications including Elite Every day and CR Fashion Book. She is currently based in Recent York City. Mascara is Cigliano’s all-time-favorite, desert-island beauty product, so she has a keen eye for comparing mascara formulas for various lash types and preferences. Cigliano contributed to mascara testing and wrote this text on the very best mascaras at Ulta.

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