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 while navigating a long day at work, heading to the gym, or unexpected tears, then a good waterproof formula is a must.
Designed to stand up to moisture, sweat, and humidity without budging, the best waterproof mascaras offer all the benefits of a standard formula – length, volume, lift – while staying locked in place from morning to night. As a beauty editor with several years of experience testing make-up, skincare, and hair products, I’ve tried hundreds of mascaras, from buzzy new brands to long-time favourites. But when it comes to waterproof iterations, only a handful have passed the test. The best formulas don’t smudge, clump, smear, or flake – keeping your lashes looking fresh no matter what the day throws at you.
Because these formulas are built to last, they require a little more effort when it comes to removal. I always recommend using a dedicated eye make-up remover or an oil-based cleanser with a richer texture. These break down the waterproof coating gently and effectively, so you can avoid tugging at your lashes or irritating the delicate skin around your eyes.
Whether you're after a lash lift in a tube, want dramatic volume, or need a long-wearing option that won’t upset sensitive eyes, I’ve curated a list of waterproof mascaras that are truly worth the hype and a permanent place in your make-up bag.
How I tested
Spanning luxurious brands to budget beauty buys, I used these products during downpours, sunny days and even in the shower. I spent weeks putting different waterproof mascaras through their paces, and have narrowed them down to the crème de la crème – here’s what I considered when reviewing each formula:
- Lash effect: A great waterproof mascara shouldn’t just stay put, it should also deliver on performance. I looked for formulas that offered visible impact, whether that was lengthening, volumising, curling, or defining. Each mascara was assessed not only for its water resistance but also for how well it enhanced the lashes without clumping or weighing them down.
- Application: I’ve frequently been the victim of a cumbersome mascara wand in the eye, so gave extra points to those that made it easy to swipe on the product in just a few strokes.
- Wand type: Certain wands feature hair-like bristles to feather the lashes and create volume, while others are more spindly to separate between each lash. In an ideal world, the very best waterproof mascara wand would be capable of curling, volumising, defining and lengthening, so the stakes were high.
- Waterproofing: This goes without saying, but the mascaras which landed a spot in our final round-up needed to be 100 per cent waterproof, without a single trace of flaking, smudging or rub-off – even when doused in water/sweat.
- Removal: A waterproof mascara is all well and good so long as you can take it off at the end of the day. Using the advice further down from make-up artist Mira Parmar, we ensured that each and every formula that made my final cut was simple to remove without sticking to the lashes or leaving a panda eye residue.
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, Johnlewis.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
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Bobbi Brown no smudge mascara
Best: Waterproof mascara overall
Size: 5.5ml
Shades: Black
Lash effect: Volumising
Vegan and cruelty-free: Not confirmed vegan and not cruelty-free given that parent company retails in China where animal testing is required
Why we love it
- Adds volume
- Doesn’t budge
- One tube lasts a long time
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, Johnlewis.com
Maybelline lash sensational waterproof mascara
Best: Budget waterproof mascara
Size : 9.4ml
Shades: Very black, brownish black
Lash effect: Lengthening
Vegan and cruelty-free: Not confirmed vegan and not cruelty-free as Maybelline retails in China where animal testing is required by law
Why we love it
- Buildable
- Impressively lengthening
- Long-lasting finish
Take note
- Will require a balm-based cleanser to remove effectively
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
Best: Lengthening waterproof mascara
Size: 8.5g
Shades: Black
Lash effect: Defining
Vegan and cruelty-free: Not confirmed vegan and Benefit retails in China so isn't cruelty-free
Why we love it
- Buildable weightless formula
- Impressive staying power
Take note
- Harder to remove than other products
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 £27.00, Boots.com
Milk Makeup kush waterproof mascara
Best: Volumising waterproof mascara
Size: 9.5ml
Shades: Black
Lash effect: Adds density
Vegan and cruelty-free: Yes, both
Why we love it
- Vegan
- Adds volume and thickness
- Easy to remove
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 £26.00, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Lancôme lash idôle waterproof mascara
Best: Curling waterproof mascara
Size: 8ml
Shades: Black
Lash effect: Curling
Vegan and cruelty-free: No
Why we love it
- Lifting
- Manoeuvrable
- Impressively long-wearing
- Volumising
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 £28.00, Boots.com
Clinique high impact waterproof mascara
Best: Waterproof mascara for sensitive eyes
Size: 10g
Shades: Black, black-brown
Lash effect: Lengthening
Vegan and cruelty-free: Yes
Why we love it
- Defines lashes
- Evenly spaced bristle brush
- Long-wearing
Take note
- Hard to remove
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 £25.50, Boots.com
NYX Professional Makeup worth the hype waterproof mascara
Best: Waterproof mascara for short lashes
Size: 7ml
Shades: Black
Lash effect: Fanning
Cruelty-free and vegan: Yes, both
Why we love it
- Affordbale
- Adds length and volume
- Easy application
- No irritation or smudges
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 £9.50, Amazon.co.uk
Chanel le volume de Chanel waterproof mascara
Best: Waterproof mascara for weddings
Size: 6g
Shades: Black, brown
Lash effect: Thickening
Vegan and cruelty-free: No
Why we love it
- Luxurious
- Doesn't budge at all
- Adds volume and thickness
Take note
- On the pricey side
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 £37.00, Selfridges.com
Rimmel volume thrill seeker waterproof mascara
Best: Waterproof mascara for straight lashes
Size: 8ml
Shades: Black
Lash effect: Creates a fluttery finish
Vegan and cruelty-free: Yes, both
Why we love it
- Thickens and defines
- Holds up well all day
- Doesn't feel too stiff
- Easy enough to remove
Take note
- Takes a lot of layers for desired, voluminous finish
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 £10.99, Boots.com
L'Oreal Paris volume million lashes mascara waterproof
Best: Defining waterproof mascara
Size : 9.4ml
Shades: Black
Lash effect: Creates a falsies-like finish
Vegan and cruelty-free: No
Why we love it
- Reaches every single lash
- Adds brilliant definition
- Gives the effect of a lash extension
Take note
- Adds length and definition but isn’t thickening
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 £9.72, Amazon.co.uk
Your waterproof mascara questions answered
What is the best waterproof mascara?
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.
How to remove waterproof mascara
Make-up artist Mira Parmar, whose clients include Joanna Lumley and Celia Imrie, has broken down the most effective way to remove waterproof mascara gently.
She explains that there are three types of remover which are all capable of breaking down the waterproof fibre, including:
If you opt for the biphasic option, Parmar recommends taking two cotton pads – one for each eye – and dispensing a few drops onto each cotton pad, before applying them to the eye and leaving them in place for a minute or so, allowing the cleanser to break down the product. “Then rub downwards rather than in circular motions to prevent irritation,” she explains.
As for the balm and oil cleansers, Parmar suggests massaging the product directly onto dry skin. After removing with a warm flannel, she adds that a ‘double cleanse’ can help to eliminate any excess shine, particularly for those with oilier complexions.
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