Defining your eyes and adding the final flourish to your eyeshadow look, mascara is a must-have in your make-up arsenal. But if you’re looking to avoid panda eyes (we’ve all been there), then the best waterproof mascaras can help you stay smudge-free all day long.
Known and loved for their stubborn staying power, waterproof formulas can be stickier and take a tad longer to dry but they can deliver a miniature lash lift and hold their curl for longer. As a beauty editor, I’ve tried my fair share of mascaras over the years – but only a few have passed the waterproof test. The best formulas don’t smudge, clump, smear or flake, keeping your make-up intact.
Top-performing waterproof mascaras not only add volume, definition and length but are a breeze to remove, too. As these formulas are designed to resist water though, I’d recommend using a specific eye make-up remover or an oil-based cleanser with a richer texture.
Whether you want a lash lift in a tube, are keen to add volume, or are seeking a long-wearing mascara that suits sensitive eyes, I’ve handpicked the products that are worthy of a spot in your make-up routine.
How we tested
Spanning luxurious brands to budget beauty buys, I tested these products during downpours, sunny days and even in the shower. I spent weeks putting different waterproof mascaras to the test, and have narrowed them down to the crème de la crème, rating staying power, ease of application, type of wand and how easy the formulas were to remove. Read on for my edit of the best waterproof mascaras.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Louise Whitbread has spent years working in the beauty industry and has tested countless skincare products and solutions for The Independent. From an expert-led feature on minimising acne scarring to the best body scrubs and night creams, she knows what to look for when it comes to finding beauty products that actually work.
The best waterproof mascaras for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Bobbi Brown no smudge mascara: £31, Lookfantastic.com
- Best budget buy – Maybelline lash sensational waterproof mascara: £9.99, Boots.com
- Best for lengthening – Benefit badgal bang! volumising waterproof mascara: £21.60, Boots.com
- Best for volume – Milk Makeup kush waterproof mascara: £22.10 Cultbeauty.co.uk
- Best for sensitive eyes – Clinique high impact waterproof mascara: £19.12, Boots.com
Bobbi Brown no smudge mascara
If you simply can’t do without long, fluttery lashes, this small but mighty mascara is well worth the splurge, giving lashings of volume with just a couple of coats.
The brush picks up an even coat of product without overloading it, and, once on, it doesn’t budge – even when worn in the shower. We found it was brilliantly buildable, too, enabling us to add coat after coat, without leaving lashes looking clumpy.
Despite being the brand’s smallest mascara, with a compact 5.5ml tube, it’s lasted us more than six months.
Buy now £31.00, Lookfantastic.com
Maybelline lash sensational waterproof mascara
This has long been a hit among budget beauty lovers, and it has experienced a new wave of fame after it was revealed Sofia Richie’s make-up artist, Pati Dubroff, used it for the model’s viral wedding make-up look.
After just one use, we were impressed with the formula’s lash-lengthening effect, its capability to apply multiple layers without any crumbling, and its staying power, which held up particularly well while we were commuting on the Tube during a heatwave. The brush is curved, with bristles that vary in length to ergonomically coat every lash with a single swipe. We found three coats were the optimum for a voluminous, long-lasting finish.
Buy now £9.99, Boots.com
Benefit badgal bang! volumising waterproof mascara
Another cult favourite, Benefit arguably has some of the best lash products on the market. Its buildable waterproof formula is weightless and super lengthening, delivering non-clumpy, defined lashes.
Our only bugbear is it’s slightly harder to remove than others we tried for this round-up – taking a good few rounds of make-up remover to make sure it was all gone. That said, this also demonstrates the product’s impressive staying power.
Buy now £21.60, Lookfantastic.com
Milk Makeup kush waterproof mascara
This mascara comes in a chunky, weighty tube with an oval-shaped brush, which we found worked best for adding volume and thickness to lashes, while the weight of the wand made it feel sturdy to apply.
The vegan-friendly formula is rich in plant-derived oil to nourish lashes, and we saw no flaking or clumping. Not only that, it’s also easy to remove. So, if you want the staying power of a waterproof mascara but don’t want to spend ages taking it off, this is a worthwhile option.
Buy now £22.10, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Lancôme lash idôle waterproof mascara
Lancôme has such an extensive mascara range that it can be hard to know which to choose, but a very good starting place will be with its idôle. It comes with a curved brush that gives lashes a bit of a lift and oodles of volume. What’s more, it was easy to manoeuvre around any hairs that were refusing to cooperate.
The formula proved to be impressively long-wearing yet was also easier to remove than expected. We returned to this mascara repeatedly over the month-long testing period.
Buy now £21.00, Boots.com
Clinique high impact waterproof mascara
For defined, lengthened lashes, this mascara is hard to beat and is one of the brand’s most popular make-up products. It has serious staying power – it didn’t smudge, smear, flake or crumble in a sweaty tube carriage or during drinks in the park when the temperature hit 25C.
The brush is full of evenly spaced bristles, but not so jam-packed that it’ll leave you with flecks of product on your eyelids. The wand is easy to navigate into the corner of your inner lash, to coat each hair, without looking clumpy.
It wasn’t the easiest to remove, so, we’d recommend using a cleansing balm or eye make-up remover, to ensure it’s all off before you hit the hay.
Buy now £19.12, Boots.com
NYX Professional Makeup worth the hype waterproof mascara
Affordable and effective, this is an ideal mascara for those with short lashes looking for added length, volume and easy application. The tapered brush coated even the smallest hairs on our bottom lashes, without feeling heavy or clumping together.
We opted for three coats to achieve our desired look, and the formula didn’t irritate our watery eyes, nor smudge throughout the day. What’s more, the mascara was relatively easy to remove, and comes with a purse-friendly price tag, too.
Buy now £7.00, Amazon.co.uk
Chanel le volume de Chanel waterproof mascara
If you’re looking to splurge, Chanel’s waterproof mascara is one of the best we’ve tried. It didn’t move a jot throughout the day, even during a facial, or while wearing a face covering when jumping on and off the Underground and going in and out of shops. It also comes in a neat and compact tube, making it easy to pop into your bag.
The formula added length, volume and thickness to even the sparsest of lashes, and had brilliant staying power. There was no clumping on our lashes, or flakes. It’s worth every penny.
Buy now £31.45, Boots.com
Rimmel volume thrill seeker waterproof mascara
This brush has a classic hourglass shape that can be tilted to reach every lash, for a thicker, fuller-looking flutter. The formula held up very well during a day in the office followed by after-work drinks, with no smudging or crumbling, and without feeling too stiff. Removal is a breeze, too – of course, it’s much easier with an oil cleanser but we found it no bother to wipe off completely. It’s often on offer, too, so, you can snap it up for less. Consistent and reliable, this formula is a one-way ticket to extra volume.
Buy now £8.24, Lookfantastic.com
L'Oreal Paris volume million lashes mascara waterproof
You’ll rarely go wrong with a mascara from L’Oreal. This is a brand that pumps out hit product after hit product, and the million lashes waterproof formula is no exception.
The wand is straight, with a tip at the end (though, we didn’t use that much), and it never got in the way of reaching those tiny hairs on the inner corner of our eyelids.
The neat, evenly spaced, flexible bristles vary in length, with the longest in the centre of the brush, which makes adding definition to even the shortest of lashes simple. It doesn’t build up too much product in between uses, so, you don’t need to wipe off any excess product before application, and it delivers a true fanned-out effect – this mascara is as close to lash extensions as you can get.
Buy now £11.99, Lookfantastic.com
The verdict: Waterproof mascaras
Coming out on top is undoubtedly the Bobbi Brown no smudge waterproof mascara. It gives us lashes with ample volume, thickness and drama, without smudging or clumping. Easy to layer up with multiple coats, it didn’t budge, even after hours of wear. Meanwhile, Clinique’s high impact waterproof mascara suits sensitive eyes and doesn’t smudge or flake. Finally, NYX Professional Makeup’s worth the hype waterproof mascara is affordable and effective.
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