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Although summer is the perfect season for swimming at the pool with your BFFs or going on all-day hikes with your pup, what summer is not the perfect season for is wearing mascara. Mascara is already a difficult beauty product in itself — it can be hard to find the perfect mascara that doesn’t smudge, flake, or make your lashes look clumpy, and summer poses even more challenges with the added layer of heat and sweat. Don’t you just hate it when you jump into the pool wearing mascara and come out looking like a raccoon? Yeah, no thank you.
Thankfully, there are some amazing sweat-proof and waterproof mascaras out there (that actually work!) that will survive even the sweatiest, stickiest, slimiest summer days. Whether you want an affordable waterproof mascara that won’t budge or a smudge-free, water-resistant formula, here are eight of the best sweat-proof and waterproof mascaras to try out this summer, ranked from most affordable to most expensive.
- Maybelline New York Great Lash Waterproof Mascara
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This mascara from Maybelline New York is one of the most cost-effective waterproof mascaras on the market at just $7.99 — which is great if you’re on a college student budget or just don’t want to spend too much money on makeup. It comes in two shades, is hypoallergenic-tested, and is suitable for contact lens wearers. This mascara has also won two awards — Allure Readers’ Choice and Best of Beauty Award Winner — meaning that you can trust that it’s a great waterproof formula.
Maybelline New York, $7.99
- e.l.f. Big Mood Waterproof Mascara
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A mascara that won’t sweat right off your face after an hour in the sun? Big mood. At $8, this clean waterproof mascara from e.l.f. volumizes and lifts your lashes to make your eyes pop. The hourglass brush head also helps separate your lashes and hold your lashes’ curl all day long.
e.l.f., $8
- Pixi Beauty Lash Booster Mascara
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This waterproof mascara from Pixi Beauty comes in adorable sage green packaging and works like a charm. Paraben-free and not tested on animals, this mascara features a cone-shaped brush that coats each lash evenly.
Pixi Beauty, $15
- Glossier Lash Slick
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If your goal in life is to be just like Olivia Rodrigo, then Glossier Lash Slick is the perfect mascara product for you. This water-resistant, fragrance-free formula promises to stay on your lashes for up to 12 hours without smudging or flaking, and is safe for those with sensitive eyes.
Glossier, $16
- Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
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At $20, this water-resistant mascara from Rare Beauty promises to last all day without clumping, flaking, or smudging. This vegan, paraben-free formula is also suitable for those with sensitive eyes, as well as safe for contact lens wearers.
Rare Beauty, $20
- Saie Beauty Mascara 101
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If you’re looking for a more sustainable mascara option, this clean mascara from Saie Beauty is the perfect solution. Boasting a gluten free and cruelty-free formula, this mascara conditions and strengthens your lashes with rich nutrients. Verified buyers said that the mascara stayed on their lashes for over 12 hours and didn’t smudge or flake — which sounds like a win-win.
Saie Beauty, $25
- Milk Makeup KUSH Waterproof Mascara
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This waterproof mascara from Milk Makeup is formulated with conditioning hemp-derived cannabis seed oil for softer, healthier-looking lashes. The formula is vegan, clean, cruelty-free, paraben-free, gluten free, and talc-free. This vegan mascara also comes in two sizes, with the mini size priced at $14 and the standard size costing $26. If you want a small tube of mascara to bring with you on the go for touch-ups at your crush’s pool party, the mini size is the perfect option!
Milk Makeup, $26
- ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara
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This smudge-free, flake-free, water-resistant mascara from ILIA is bound to stay put on your lashes, no matter how sweaty you get. Safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers, this mascara is made with 99% naturally-derived ingredients and has won numerous awards.
ILIA, $28
