10 Best Waterproof Mascaras So You’ll Never Look Like a Racoon Again

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By IPSY Editors
Published on April 15, 2024
An image featuring open mascara tubes with varied brush types set against a gradient pink background
An image featuring open mascara tubes with varied brush types set against a gradient pink background

We are big mascara girls. Ya know, those people who believe a makeup look is never fully set without some lashes. But as much as we love to layer on the stuff day after day, we hate when it flakes or smudges off. 

Seriously, what is up with mascara that is not built to serve and function as a mascara? That’s why we love reaching for waterproof formulas so we can be sure we won’t be applying by morning and looking like a full-on racoon by midday. Seriously, a reliable, water-resistant or proof mascara is all you need to complete your eye makeup arsenal. Just make sure you have the right remover to boot. Here are a few of our favorites below.

1. Best Waterproof Mascara for Outdoor Days:

EYEKO Beach Waterproof Mascara

EYEKO Beach Waterproof Mascara
EYEKO Beach Waterproof Mascara

For those days when you expect to break a sweat or hang out poolside, here's a waterproof mascara that uses a blend of natural ingredients (like coconut oil and fruit extracts) to condition and nourish your eyelashes while also keeping your look completely smudge-free. And because you're most likely to need a waterproof mascara when you're spending time in the sun, this formula is even packed with SPF to protect lashes from UV rays. 

"This stayed put until I took it off 12 hours later," writes kittenbites42. "No clumping, no smears. My lashes looked amazing."

2. Best Volumizing Waterproof Mascara:

BELLÁPIERRE COSMETICS Volumelash Waterproof Mascara

BELLÁPIERRE COSMETICS Volumelash Waterproof Mascara
BELLÁPIERRE COSMETICS Volumelash Waterproof Mascara

If your primary goal is to create volume, this waterproof formula is what you need to instantly create a noticeably thicker lash line. This mascara has a flexible brush that expertly coats every last lash (even those teeny tiny ones) and a formula that both paints and nourishes lash hairs with growth-promoting castor seed oil and conditioning vitamin E. 

"Separates lashes really nicely," says one Ipster. "Great waterproof stay power but easy to remove."

3. Best Classic Waterproof Mascara:

TOO FACED Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara

TOO FACED COSMETICS Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara
TOO FACED COSMETICS Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara

There’s a reason this product has its iconic name and a reason why it’s all over TikTok: this mascara really is THAT good. The reason beauty lovers are so obsessed with this formula is because it curls, lifts, and separates lashes all at the same time. Plus, it’s waterproof! So cry all you want at the end of the night, girl, we won’t judge you. 

"Makes my lashes look full and thick almost like I'm wearing fake lashes! Amazing product," says Ipster amtaylor3. 

4. Best Ultra-Longwear Waterproof Mascara:

TARTE Maneater™ Waterproof Mascara

TARTE Maneater™ Waterproof Mascara
TARTE Maneater™ Waterproof Mascara

TARTE is like that kid in gym class who’s always picked first—they’re good at literally everything. And when they set out to formulate a waterproof mascara, they took their tried-and-true Maneater formula up a notch to ensure it was smudge-proof. 

5. Best Growth-Boosting, Water-Resistant Mascara:

IL MAKIAGE Encore Volume & Water Resistant Mascara

IL MAKIAGE Encore Volume & Water Resistant Mascara
IL MAKIAGE Encore Volume & Water Resistant Mascara

If your lashes are on the shorter side, why not multitask by applying a mascara that also doubles as a lash treatment? This water-resistant mascara uses a combination of bamboo, carnauba wax, and vitamin E to help your lashes grow longer and stronger. On top of that, the smudge-proof, sweat-proof formula quickly lifts, separates, and thickens with just one coat.

"This has become my go-to above and beyond any other mascara," writes Ipster tsukechick. "It immediately adds fullness and length and doesn't smudge."

6. Best Water-Resistant Mascara for a False-Lashes Effect:

DOUCCE Boombastic Lash Volumizer Mascara

DOUCCE Boombastic Lash Volumizer Mascara
DOUCCE Boombastic Lash Volumizer Mascara

Here's a formula perfect for those days when you want to create the drama of falsies without going through all the effort of applying them. One quick coat of this rich black formula lengthens, thickens, and volumizes, but no worries—you won’t reach the end of a long day only to realize you’ve been walking around with raccoon eyes. This water-resistant mascara can stand up to tears, sweat, and humidity all day without smudging or budging.

"This is probably the easiest to use mascara I've ever tried," says Ipster Clilly985. "The brush is perfect and the formula doesn't stick to itself. You very literally only have to swipe it on."

7. Best Weightless Water-Resistant Mascara:

BENEFIT COSMETICS BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara in Black

BENEFIT COSMETICS BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara in Black
BENEFIT COSMETICS BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara in Black

Say goodbye to water-resistant formulas that leave your lashes feeling stiff and heavy. This mascara was created with aeroparticles, an ultra-lightweight material that's actually used in space technology. The result is a formula so airy and weightless you won't even feel it on. Pair that innovation with a wand applicator that coats and adds lift to every last lash, and you've got the ultimate wide-eyed formula.

"Loved what it did to my lashes! Helped them look bigger and better," one Ipster writes. Another adds, "I totally love this mascara, makes my puny lashes look long and full!"

8. Best Curling Water-Resistant Mascara:

TARTE Lifted Sweatproof Mascara

TARTE Lifted Sweatproof Mascara
TARTE Lifted Sweatproof Mascara

If you’re like us, your lashes stick out straighter than a charcuterie board. But don’t fret, this is a common lash problem that’s totally fixable with the right mascara, like this TARTE Lifted Sweatproof formula. This volumizing formula can transform even the straightest and sparsest of hairs. All you need is one coat, and no, it won’t flake or smudge throughout the day. 

"I like this for when I want to have a natural look," says Ipster SydLambb. "It looks super good with minimal makeup."

9. Best Waterproof Mascara for Sensitive Eyes:

CLINIQUE High Impact Waterproof Mascara

CLINIQUE High Impact Waterproof Mascara
CLINIQUE High Impact Waterproof Mascara

Sensitive eyes, sensitive skin around the eyes, contact lens wearers, and more—we’ve finally got a mascara for you. CLINIQUE’S High Impact formula works by standing up to heat and humidity, which means it won’t leak out and pour into your eyeballs. Plus, it’s ophthalmologist tested and formulated as safe for contact lens wearers and anyone with sensitive eyes.

10. Best Waterproof Mascara for Show Stopping Bottom Lashes:

MILK MAKEUP Kush Waterproof Mascara

MILK MAKEUP Kush Waterproof Mascara
MILK MAKEUP Kush Waterproof Mascara

Adding mascara to bottom lashes is a great way to turn up the drama on any look. To do this, we love MILK MAKEUP’S Kush formula. It’s actually packed with heart-shaped fibers that glom onto lashes (in a good way, not in a bad attachment-style way) and make them appear thicker, longer, and yes, more dramatic. The best part is that the formula actually conditions and encourages healthy lashes over time, thanks to the fact that it’s packed with hemp-derived cannabis oil. 

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