The great lower-lash mascara debate has remained a toss-up in my friend group for years now. While I don't think I've ever applied mascara to my top lashes without adding a generous coat to my bottom lashes, too, some of my girlfriends are convinced there's no faster way to ruin your eye makeup look. Part of their reasoning undoubtedly comes down to preference, but I stand firm that the larger problem is that they've yet to find the best mascaras for bottom lashes.
It's hard enough to find a mascara for your top lashes that checks all of the boxes, but finding one for your bottom lashes might be even more difficult. First, a lower lash mascara wand needs to be teeny-tiny so that you can easily reach your lashes from root to tip without poking yourself in the eye or leaving a trail of mascara on the skin underneath your eyes. But the brush still needs to have enough bristles to ensure each lash is properly coated for length and definition.
And then there's the formula itself. Even more important than when searching for a top-lash mascara, you need something for your lower lashes that's truly water-resistant to avoid the dreaded raccoon eyes by midday. The smudge-proof formula also needs to be lightweight enough that it doesn't leave your lashes clumped together — and conditioning-ingredients are a plus, too.
To make the search a lot simpler, here are four of the best tried-and-true mascaras for lower lashes.
1Best Water-Resistant Mascara For Bottom Lashes
From the formula to the brush, Pixi's Lower Lash Mascara was specifically designed to give your bottom lashes a boost. The water-resistant mascara prevents under-eye smudging, while the vitamin E and panthenol in the formula help condition and strengthen lashes. But the real secret weapon here is the super-slim brush and short bristle combo, which separates lashes as it coats them in mascara. The wiry wand can even be used on those hard-to-reach lashes at the inner corner of your upper lashline if you hold the brush vertically as you apply.
"I love this mascara," writes a fan, adding, "I have never been successful at wearing mascara on my bottom lashes, even after trying various ways to get it on my lashes and not my face — Pixi works!"
2Best Waterproof Mascara For Bottom Lashes
If you find that even smudge-proof and water-resistant mascaras end up dotted along your eyes as the day progresses, try a truly waterproof formula like Maybelline's Lash Discovery mascara. The hypoallergenic formula stays in place without the risk of irritation, even if you wear contacts. To ensure that your lower lashes are covered, Maybelline designed the lash-catching mini brush to let you define and lengthen every last little lash with ease (and zero clumps).
Though this wand was designed to be used on both upper and lower lashes, many Amazon reviewers say that it won't leave your bottom lashes looking over-the-top. "The tiny brush did an excellent job on my lower lashes — not too spidery, and looks natural," writes one reviewer. Another adds, "The brush works well and doesn't make my lower lashes clumpy; they look so natural. Also, the formula is light, so it doesn't weigh down my lashes."
3Best Non-Waterproof Mascara For Bottom Lashes
If you're not a fan of waterproof and water-resistant mascaras — they can admittedly be a pain to take off — It Cosmetics's Tightline 3-in-1 Mascara is your all-in-one answer for both upper and lower lashes. The thin brush helps coat lashes from the root, creating the appearance of fuller lashes thanks to its tightline eyeliner effect that doesn't actually require you to struggle with a pencil or pen. The brush works just as well on the bottom lashes as it does the top, and the rich black mascara was formulated with conditioning ingredients like biotin proteins, hydrolyzed collagen, and keratin.
"I love the small brush on this for my lower lashes," writes one Amazon reviewer. "No clumps, [and] my eye lashes look natural." Another says, "This is such great mascara because it allows you to get in really close to your lashline, and also get every single lash — even the tiny ones in the corners."
4Best Korean Mascara For Bottom Lashes
Korean beauty brand Innisfree created a whole line of mascaras that were designed with thinner brushes. The Microcara Mascara is the most miniscule of the bunch, but that doesn't mean it isn't mighty. The tiny triangular bristles allow you to brush every lash from root to tip, and the formula is both lightweight and water-resistant, infused with a naturally derived powder to add volume. This Innisfree mascara also comes in brown, if that's your everyday mascara color of choice (or, if you just like a super-subtle finish on your lower lashes).
"The wand is indeed micro, which coats my sparse lashes really well, both top and bottom," writes one reviewer who gives the mascara five stars. "It does not transfer or smudge anywhere, and it is easy to wash off."
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