Finding a good mascara is a lifelong rollercoaster of ups and downs. Whether you're taken in by a sneakily photoshopped adverts or find one you love only for it to be cruelly discontinued after years of faithful service, it’s a treacherous journey of high hopes and broken hearts. It’s against this backdrop of high risk and often little reward that drugstore mascaras (or, as we call them on this side of the Atlantic, high street mascaras) come in handy, because if it really fails the test at least you’ve only spent what you would have done on a nice lunch (that's what we tell ourselves every time, at least...). And contrary to popular belief, there are actually a bunch of amazing drugstore mascaras out there: products like L'Oreal's Telescopic and Maybelline's Lash Sensational are cult favourites for a reason.
Whether you want a volumising mascara, one that will lengthen your lashes, one that helps your lashes grow or one that doesn't smudge and won't irritate sensitive eyes, we have the best, and most appropriately priced, mascara for you...
Best Drugstore Mascaras 2018 - Grazia
1 of 9L'Oreal Paris Paradise
With a feather-like wand, this mascara promises to both volumise and lengthen your lashes. It's Jeffree Star approved, which says a lot, and is enriched with castor oil to both care for your lashes and create that false lash look.
2 of 9Maybelline Lash Sensational
Claiming to catch 'even the tiniest lashes' this Maybelline mascara has a cult following thanks to it's ability to both darken and define your lashes. At £8.99, it's worth testing out the official mascara of London Fashion Week.
3 of 9Essence False Lash Effect Mascara Princess
The cheapest mascara of the bunch at only £3.30, this is possibly the best surprise you can get from a makeup product. The small brush lets you get into every lash, it's a favourite of YouTube vlogger Lauren Curtis, and if we have lash envy off of anyone it's her!
4 of 9L'Oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara
This is one of those mascaras that you can never stray from once you start using it. Not only does it give you super long lashes, it's thin brush means you can get all of your lower lashes without fear of the dreaded undereye smudge.
5 of 9SEVENTEEN Falsifeye HD Mascara
One of Fleur DeForce's favourite mascaras, she claims it gives you 'really, really great length' and defines your lashes for the ultimate flash lash effect.
6 of 9KIKO Extra Sculpt Volume Mascara
Another amazingly priced product at £3.90, this 'thick yet creamy' product is designed to give you intense volume. The hourglass shaped brush was made to ensure each lash is catered for, evenly distributing the product for the perfect panoramic effect.
7 of 9MAX FACTOR False Lash Effect
An all time favourite of many, this chunkier product claims to double the volume of your lashes without having to apply false lashes.
8 of 9MUA Eye Define Nourish & Care
Because your eyelashes are just as millennial as you, this nourishing mascara contains avocado oil to both define and care for your lashes. At £4, you can't really go wrong!
9 of 9Collection Volumizing Mascara
This is a favourite of deputy editor, Vicky Spratt, who was once gifted it by a kind stranger after complaining her eyelashes looked flat. She has never looked back since, with this £3.99dream proving price is irrelevant providing smudge-proof volume all night.
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READ MORE: The Best Mascaras Specifically Formulated For Sensitive Eyes