Forget flaking or fallout, this year\u2019s best mascaras deliver on wear and performance. <\/p>\n
There\u2019s a level of risk that comes with trying out a new mascara. <\/p>\n
\n Will it start flaking by lunchtime, leaving flecks of black mess under your eyes? Worse still, will it snake down your cheeks
\n after being caught in a lunchtime downpour?\n <\/p>\n
Or will it deliver on promise by lengthening, separating and fanning out lashes, helping fake a solid eight hours\u2019 rest and staying exactly where you put it from dawn till dusk? <\/p>\n
We all hope for the latter, of course, but often our introduction to the best mascaras comes via first-person recommendations from the people who have tried them. Preference comes into play, but performance is a must \u2013 and the best formulas should be buildable and resistant to flaking or smudging. <\/p>\n
Some of the most impressive formulas were ones that landed on our desks in 2025, from volumising tubes to those enhanced with lash conditioning ingredients. <\/p>\n
Below, the best and newest mascaras that deliver on application, wear and performance. <\/p>\n
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Lanc\u00f4me Lash Id\u00f4le Flutter Extension Lengthening Mascara, $75<\/p>\n
The spiel: If the goal is super-long, fluttery lashes, consider Lanc\u00f4me\u2018s lengthening mascara, which is said to give the illusion of lashes that are 5.5mm longer in one swipe. The formula is also said to prevent clumps or flakes for up to 24 hours\u2019 continuous wear. <\/p>\n
The wand: Unlike the original Id\u00f4le mascara, with its angled, conical-shaped wand, Id\u00f4le Flutter Extension features the brand\u2019s smallest brush yet, said to create an ultra-defined lash look. The patented Tiny Smart Brush coats each lash from root to tip in the lash-lengthening formula, ensuring they appear separated and flared. <\/p>\n
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Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bounce Mascara, $53<\/p>\n
The spiel: For full, fluffy lashes, consider Benefit Cosmetics\u2019 newest chapter in the BadGal mascara story. Layer three coats of BadGal Bounce Mascara for lashes that appear full and volumised all day long. The formula harnesses linden bud extract and rice wax to separate, lift and define, while provitamin B5 and castor seed oil work to condition and nourish lash fibres. Don\u2019t want to commit to the full size? The tube also comes in a 4g mini-sized version for $28. <\/p>\n
The wand: A hybrid brush has a fine-tooth comb on one side, helping separate and define lashes, while the flexible fibre bristles on the reverse deposit the formula at the lash line and through lashes evenly. Just remember to rotate the brush as you work the product through lashes to experience the benefits of both sides. <\/p>\n
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L\u2019Oreal Paris Paradise Big Deal Mascara, $40<\/p>\n
Best for: Layering (without clumping) <\/p>\n
The spiel: While we wouldn\u2019t normally recommend piling on 30 layers of mascara, L\u2019Oreal Paris makes a strong case for its clump-free formulation with examples of what happens when you go all-out with your coats of mascara. The highly buildable formula continues to volumise, separate and define lashes with every subsequent layer, all without that dreaded spidery lash look. <\/p>\n
The wand: The cross-conical wand is slightly curved, not dissimilar to an hourglass shape, meaning it\u2019s great to pick up product and dispense it evenly over lashes, from root to tip. <\/p>\n
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RevitaLash Length Define Tubing Mascara, $70<\/p>\n
The spiel: Do you struggle with brittle lashes prone to breakage? RevitaLash\u2019s newest innovation serves double-duty to fortify weak lashes with its blend of nourishing ingredients, while the tubing formula adds natural-looking length. It does so thanks to biotin to defend against breakage, vitamin E to condition, myristoyl pentapeptide-17 to fend off brittleness and boost lash health, plus panthenol to add glossy shine. The best part, however, is how easily the tubes slide off lashes when removed with warm water at the end of the day. <\/p>\n
The wand: The curved wand features bristles in two different lengths \u2013 the small bristles make easy work of collecting those fine little lashes in the inner corners, while the larger ones help fan out lashes to wide-eyed effect.<\/p>\n
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The spiel: Isamaya is one of the newer brands available from Mecca, the artist-led makeup line from celebrity makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench. The brand\u2019s cult-favourite mascara is loaded with growth-boosting actives, which help to care for lashes while adding definition and length. The long-lasting formula is available in two shades \u2013 classic black and terracotta brown \u2013 and is enhanced with key ingredient lipo-oligopeptide, which helps to boost lash density and growth. <\/p>\n
The wand: The mascara wand is a slim oval shape, designed to add length and definition while avoiding clumping. <\/p>\n
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Too Faced Ribbon Wrapped Lash Extreme Lengthening Mascara, $50<\/p>\n
The spiel: Too Faced\u2019s Ribbon Wrap technology forms an extended tube around every lash, promising unparalleled lift, definition and length on every lash type. Whether your lashes are fine, sparse, short, straight, curly or downward facing, Too Faced\u2019s formula adds length and definition for up to 24 hours. <\/p>\n
The wand: The lash extension brush features fine, angled spikes around the tip, engineered to reach even the shortest, finest lashes. <\/p>\n
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Dior Diorshow Overvolume Mascara, $82<\/p>\n
The spiel: Dior\u2019s newest mascara comes housed in the maison\u2019s signature quilted leather \u2013 befitting the luxurious product inside. Diorshow Overvolume is an investment, yes, but the results speak for themselves: instantly volumised, ultra-defined lashes that won\u2019t smudge, transfer or flake. Bridging the gap between care and cosmetic, key ingredient D-Panthenol is designed to nourish and strengthen lashes. <\/p>\n
The wand: The helix-shaped brush includes three different types of bristles to lend volume, capture and coat short lashes, and offer added precision during application. <\/p>\n
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Aleph Lift\/Lengthen Mascara, $68<\/p>\n
The spiel: New Zealand multi-functional makeup brand Aleph reformulated its lone mascara in June, switching up the formulation so the final product filled the gap between lash serum and high-performance mascara. The plant-powered, 100% microplastic-free formula harnesses two different peptides to fortify lashes, minimise hair fall and promote longer, fuller lashes with continued use. It\u2019s ophthalmologist-tested, meaning it\u2019s safe for those with even the most sensitive eyes to wear daily. <\/p>\n
The wand: Aleph has always placed makeup artistry in the hands of consumers, so while you can feel free to use the wand provided, the brand recommends working with the Mascara Fan Brush to gently brush product on to lashes for a natural-looking result. <\/p>\n
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Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in the shade Space Diamond, $22<\/p>\n
The spiel: Maybelline\u2019s most viral mascara had a renovation of sorts in August, when the brand revealed two new limited-edition shades \u2013 Space Diamond and Green Altitude. The shimmering silver of Space Diamond is a perfect party season pick, designed to add a little sparkle to any eye look. The tubing formulation is infused with bamboo extract and fibres to create fuller-looking lashes with every swipe. <\/p>\n
The wand: The exclusive Flex Tower wand is ultra-flexible, designed to move with lashes as it coats them in lash-lengthening fibres. <\/p>\n
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Maybelline Colossal Bubble Mascara, $24<\/p>\n
Best for: Your pre-Christmas budget <\/p>\n
The spiel: Another newbie from Maybelline in 2025 is the Colossal Bubble Mascara, promising to deliver buildable, \u201cinflated\u201d volume to lashes. Light on lashes (and your wallet), the formula is said to boost volume but without weighing lashes down. It\u2019s smudge-resistant but removes easily at the end of the day. <\/p>\n
The wand: Maybelline\u2019s Inflator Comb brush features a spiral shape with deep-cut bristles, allowing it to comb through lashes without clumping. The result? Lashes that appear separated, defined and volumised. <\/p>\n
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YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in the shade Sassy, $79<\/p>\n
The spiel: While this volumising mascara isn\u2019t new, this shade extension is. Meet Sassy, a rich burgundy, taking the number of shades available to five alongside black, brown, green and blue. YSL\u2019s couture mascara is a cult-favourite for a reason, known for coating lashes in its high-volume, buildable formula. Whether a single coat is the desired effect, or you\u2019d rather build up to a statement-making five coats, Lash Clash promises maximum hold and long-lasting wear for up to 24 hours. <\/p>\n
The wand: OTT lashes require an OTT wand, and this double conical brush doesn\u2019t leave a single lash behind. Sweep on from root to tip, lending extra oomph to lashes with every buildable layer. <\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s note: The brand recommends running the brush over the tip of the bottle repeatedly to remove excess product, and apply to lashes in a zig-zag pattern to separate lashes and avoid clumping. <\/p>\n
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The Ordinary Lash Curl Finisher, $20<\/p>\n
The spiel: No colour, but full curl: The Ordinary\u2019s latest launch turns mascara on its head. Instead, the transparent, anhydrous gel offers lift and hold to curled lashes, rather than depositing colour. Like a styling gel for natural lashes, The Ordinary couples popular skincare ingredient squalane with four film-forming technologies that create a mesh around lashes and hold the curled lash in place once dry. <\/p>\n
The wand: The sloped wand easily disperses product on to lashes, to support, lift and hold a curl. To use, curl lashes with a lash curler first before swiping on the product as the last step in your regimen. <\/p>\n
More beauty<\/p>\n
A go-to guide to party season glamour, the best new season beauty buys and more. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Forget flaking or fallout, this year\u2019s best mascaras deliver on wear and performance. There\u2019s a level of risk…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":171639,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[78014,3390,110924,29429,156,48338,110925,49530,14724,29419,92640,110922,111,139,69,5270,6777,21694,131,1961,110923,6925,1530],"class_list":["post-171638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-2025s","tag-best","tag-defining","tag-deliver","tag-entertainment","tag-fallout","tag-flaking","tag-forget","tag-further","tag-go","tag-lashes","tag-mascaras","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-one","tag-performance","tag-step","tag-than","tag-this","tag-volumising","tag-wear","tag-years"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=171638"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171638\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=171638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=171638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=171638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}