Makeup
My 5 Favorite Mascaras for Minimalist But Flirty Lashes
Join my quest for the perfect Bambi eyes.

24 February, 2020
10 November, 2021
Since I’ve tested upwards of 100 mascaras in my time as a beauty editor, I’ve grown more and more picky with my favorites. The combo I seek is a tricky one—it has to give lift and curl without looking too thick or va-va-voom. Those types of formulas I save for my weekends, when I want to resemble a disco princess (complete with glitter eyeshadow and oodles of highlighter). It can’t melt down my face by 3:00 PM or flake off and land in my newly Lasik-ed eyeballs. My lashes should look flirty without being the main focus on my face—that’s reserved for my brows. Am I high-maintenance? Perhaps. But minimalist lash fanatics know what I’m talking about, and trust me, those mascaras do exist. These five are a few of my current go-tos.
2 / 5
Le Volume Stretch de CHANEL Mascara, $35
CHANEL mascaras always seemed to be the pinnacle of getting pretty lashes, and you know what? It’s true. The secret in this case is the 3-D printed brush, which has micro bristles and a hollow core to stretch and curl your lashes to your heart’s content. I get all the length I crave from a mascara without over-fattening the individual lashes.
CHANEL mascaras always seemed to be the pinnacle of getting pretty lashes, and you know what? It’s true. The secret in this case is the 3-D printed brush, which has micro bristles and a hollow core to stretch and curl your lashes to your heart’s content. I get all the length I crave from a mascara without over-fattening the individual lashes.
Photo: Shot on site at 6 Columbus, a Sixty Hotel. On Jonelle: Necklace, Baker & Black; Hair, Angela Soto; Makeup, Andriani.
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