When it comes to longevity and staying power, no other form of makeup is as important in its ability to last as your mascara. Mascara defines your eyes, giving them a greater presence and draws the focus of others in a complementary way, more than eye shadow or eyeliner, even. As many women have light colored or multicolored eyelashes, the right mascara can be a vital component of a successful makeover. Conversely, however, it’s really important to use mascara that will stay on and not run or smear over the course of a day and require retouching or even having to wash your face to erase the smudges cheap mascara can leave.

There ARE Differences in Mascara
Mascara, like everything else, seems to be in a chronic process of improving, with each new release promising to go beyond its predecessors. If you are in the market for trying a new brand of mascara, you will want to make sure that whatever you buy will perform well, give you the results you desire and will  last. While most people don’t evaluate mascara in terms of how long it will last, they should, because not all are equal in this department.

Reasons to Wear Longer Lasting Mascara
One of the biggest reasons to buy long lasting mascara is that you don’t want to have to reapply it. When it comes to smudge-resistance – that is really key – as no woman wants to have raccoon eyes or appear to be an NFL quarterback after carefully applying makeup. Cheap mascara can smudge all on its own, so buyer beware! Other reasons include if you know you’ll be getting hot and possibly perspiring, or if you will be around water or swimming. And women of a particular age find that lasting mascara is able to withstand the most vicious of hot flashes.

So What’s Good?
Here are some of the top sellers, for long, long wear:

  • L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Miss Manga Waterproof Mascara: Great tapered brush, lasts literally all day without a hitch!
  • Lancome Definicils Waterproof High Definition Mascara: Thin brush, thick mascara give you unprecedented control in applying, and it won’t budge, once dry.
  • NYX Badunkadunk Mascara: Ignoring the goofy name, this mascara is plush and black and while not waterproof, will last all day, until you are ready to wipe it off.
  • Maybelline New York Volum’Express Pumped Up Colossal Mascara: Long lasting, but also quick drying, so quickly apply one or two coats to prevent flaking.