Makeup

My 5 Favorite Mascaras for Minimalist But Flirty Lashes

Join my quest for the perfect Bambi eyes.

mascara for flirty lashes
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.

5 / 5
M.A.C. Extended Play Perm Me Up Mascara, $24
M.A.C. mascaras are a makeup-artist staple for a reason—they just work. I never, ever travel without this formula because one coat gives me the minimalist look I want for daytime, but a second makes it appear as though I have extensions. It holds a curl like a dream, and I never have to worry that I look like a raccoon halfway through the day.

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