Once You Try a Tubing Mascara, You'll Never Go Back

A little bit about me: I’m a beauty editor with sensitive, watery eyes, and for a good decade, I haven’t been able to find a favorite mascara. Even the best mascara formulas can leave me looking like a raccoon with bloodshot eyes come noon. But about a year ago, I was introduced to the world of tubing mascaras. Unlike regular formulas, which use moisturizing oils and waxes to create length and volume, the best tubing mascaras leverage special polymers to create an elongated tube around every individual lash. Think: Lash extensions in a bottle.

While all tubing mascaras will have the above in common, they're not one-size-fits-all. Some have smaller wands that are great for lower lashes, a handful are high-quality drugstore mascaras, and others come in brown shades for a softer finish. This means that there's an option for everyone, and the list is much more extensive than I feel like the general public has been led to believe.

I’ve spent the past few weeks testing dozens of formulas (seriously, I’ve worn a different mascara for the past 21 days), noting everything from how long each formula wears to how much it flaked, and even how easy they were to remove with warm water. Yes, I took this extremely seriously because tubing mascara is a product that I truly believe more people should be using. After almost a month straight of testing, I feel more than qualified to bring you the best tubing mascaras for every concern and lash type.

Here, you’ll be able to shop the best of the best—and learn everything you need to know about tubing mascaras and how to apply them with a little help from celebrity makeup artists Brandy Allen, Vincent Oquendo, and Lauren O’Leary, and cosmetic chemist Ginger King.

The Best Tubing Mascaras

• Best Tubing Mascara Overall: Sarah Creal Back of the Cab Volumizing Longwear Tubing Mascara
• Best Curling Tubing Mascara: Tarte Tartelette™ Tubing Mascara
• Best Tubing Mascara for Thicker Lashes: Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara
• Best Tubing Mascara for Sensitive Eyes: Merit Clean Lash Lengthening Tubing Mascara

You’ll get clean, dark, and wispy lashes without a ton of clumpy volume with a few swipes of the Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara. Not one, but two, of our expert makeup artists named this formula as their favorite, so you know it’s a good formula to consider. “This formula is really budge-proof, especially during long press days,” notes Oquendo. “This is one of my favorite formulas. I’ve even used it on bottom lashes.” Allen echoes the sentiment, mentioning that, “it gives lashes intense length, lift, and definition.”

A brush with three suspended bands will help you master the clean-girl aesthetic by way of Tower 28’s Makewaves Mascara. It’s able to coat every little lash (even those little ones on the outer corner) with incredible ease. “This mascara gives a light, natural finish that’s ideal for daily wear, keeps my straight lashes curled for the entire day, and never, ever smudges or flakes—regardless of the humidity or my activity level,” says Marie Claire’s Senior Beauty Editor, Samantha Holender.

Defined lashes, a smudge-proof formula, and length that can make even the tiniest of lashes look like extensions? Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Future Lash Mascara will deliver all of this in a sleek black tube that feels next-level chic. “It is a super black formula, so it really makes my client's eyes stand out,” Oquendo says. "I found that I get a great even application from it, and I don’t have to worry about my client's mascara running on the red carpet.”

Drugstore makeup lovers rejoice—Essence is once again coming through to save the day. This time, with its Bye Bye Panda Eyes! Mascara. “A great tubing mascara doesn't have to cost you more than a cup of coffee,” says Marie Claire’s commerce editor, Brooke Knappenberger. “This $5 mascara works just as well to lengthen your lashes as the more expensive picks on this list. It also delivers the same long-lasting, smudge-proof results as other tubing mascaras, hence the name 'Bye Bye Panda Eyes.” Plus, this formula builds beautifully on the lash.

Ophthalmologist- and allergy-tested, fragrance-free, and no flakes falling into your eyes? Yes, a mascara like this exists, courtesy of Clinique's Lash Power Mascara. Knappenberger loves its thin, tapered brush, which she says “reaches the tiniest of lashes on the corners and bottom lashline.”

Bamboo extract nourishes your lashes while a flex tower (i.e., pliable) brush makes lengthening every hair a breeze. “Maybelline's Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara provides 'endless length and great volume,’” Allen says. “I also love that it comes in five colors.”

A tubing mascara that is removed easily, holds a curl, and lengthens the lashes is like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But it does exist, and we all have Thrive Causemetics' Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara to thank. “This is my favorite tubing mascara that I have tried (and I've tried many)," O'Leary says. "What I love about this formula is that it is really black, separates the lashes well, stays on long, and is easier to remove than my other mascaras." This mascara also comes in pink, green, blue, purple, brown, and black options.

What Is Tubing Mascara?

“Tubing mascaras are non-budging, which is great for oily skin and smaller eyes,” explains Allen, noting they're also some of the best mascaras for sensitive eyes. With these formulas, you’ll get more length than volume and a jet-black finish that still looks natural. Removing your eye makeup is as easy as can be—splash some water on your face, and the tubes of product will dissolve.

How Is Tubing Mascara Different From Regular Mascara?

The biggest difference between tubing and regular mascara is how the formula coats your lashes. “A tubing mascara uses polymers that will form little tubes to envelope the lashes and provide a volumized look,” explains King. “A regular mascara is usually made with waxes and oils—it also tends to smudge more.”

Deciding which option is best for you is largely up to personal preference. Just keep in mind that a regular mascara is better at providing thickness, density, and volume, whereas a tubing mascara will excel at lengthening.

What Are the Benefits of Tubing Mascara?

• Lengthening

Because tubing mascara essentially wraps around each lash with tiny tubes, lashes appear noticeably longer and, according to O’Leary, more defined.

• Easy Removal

O'Leary explains that tubing mascaras create "little tubes around your lashes," which are easier to remove than the pigments of non-tubing mascaras. Thus, they can wash off with warm water alone. This makes tubing mascara a great option for those with sensitive eyes who can't tolerate makeup removers.

• Long-Wearing

Tubing mascara has some serious staying power, too. “Tubing mascara is longer-lasting and doesn't come off until it's removed,” O’Leary says. “It's not waterproof but usually claims to be water-resistant, meaning it's less likely to smudge or transfer until removed.” You shouldn’t experience any running, bleeding, or black circles under your eyes.

What to Look for in Tubing Mascara

• Ingredients

Ingredients truly set tubing mascaras apart from their contemporaries. Allen advises looking for polymers such as dimethicone, propanediol, polysilicone-11, cera alba, carnauba wax, and glyceryl stearate. Ingredients may also simply list "polymer" or "copolymer." Any of these compounds make your mascara a tubing formula.

Because mascara can be harsh on lashes, you'll also want to look for nourishing and conditioning ingredients like shea butter, castor oil, or vitamin E in your formulas.

• Brush Shape

Everyone has a different effect they are going for when it comes to mascara, so it’s important to consider the right brush shape and size for your aesthetic goals. Typically, a denser and smaller brush will give you voluminous lashes, whereas a thinner, longer brush will result in lengthened and clump-free lashes. But don’t be afraid to mix two mascaras to achieve the effect you want—it’s actually O’Leary’s favorite trick.

“I feel like this helps the longevity of my mascara and helps to separate and define at the end of my mascara application,” she says. “But you must do the tubing mascara after a normal mascara because tubing mascara dries quickly and is meant to be longer-lasting, making it harder to apply more coats once it's applied.”

How to Apply Tubing Mascara

If you want to apply tubing mascara like a pro, take Oquendo’s words of advice: “Curl your lashes first and then apply from the base of the lash line. Make sure you get the mascara from root to tip, so that you can have a bright-eyed look.” While you shouldn’t experience any clumping when using a tubing mascara (a huge plus!), you can always use a lash comb to ensure a defined finish.

How to Remove Tubing Mascara

Part of the allure of a tubing mascara is the removal process. If you have sensitive eyes, you know that eye makeup remover, which is needed for regular mascaras, can be irritating. Tubing mascaras, on the other hand, will come off with just a splash of water. “It’s much more gentle to the eyes,” says King. Use unscented micellar water and a cotton pad for an irritation-free cleanse.

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

How We Tested

I personally tested 21 tubing mascaras, while the rest of the Marie Claire team tested an additional nine. We evaluated each product on wear, how much it flaked, how long it stayed on lashes, and how easy it was to remove with warm water.

Meet the Experts

Lauren O'Leary

Lauren is a New York City/Minneapolis based makeup artist, men's groomer, and beauty expert. She grew up in Minnesota but had her heart set on living in New York City since she was very young. As a lifelong artist, she was always on top of the latest beauty trends. Lauren specializes in beauty, editorial, celebrity, commercial/print, film & TV work. A few of her clients include Guess, Maybelline, Saks Fifth Ave, Samsung, Conde Nast, and celebrities Niki Taylor, Kaia Gerber, Joey Fatone, Shaq, Charlotte Mckinney, Hannah Brown, James Van der Beek, and more.

Brandy Allen

A native of Los Angeles, Brandy Allen started working in make-up at the age of 18 while earning her bachelor’s degree in Journalism. She worked in corporate beauty and sales for five years with companies such as MAC, Make Up For Ever, Napoleon Perdis, DuWop, Fashion Fair and Maybelline. While working in make-up throughout college, she honed her skills, product knowledge and customer service. Over the years, Brandy has become one of the industry’s go-to artists for women of color. She’s accentuated the natural beauty of celebrities such as Aja Naomi King, Keke Palmer, Janelle Monae, Serayah McNeil, Danielle Brooks, Yara Shahidi, and many more. Brandy is known for color mixing and flawless skin.

Vincent Oquendo

Vincent Oquendo is a globally recognized makeup artist, known for his bold aesthetic and creative vision. A “make-up maestro,” according to ELLE, Vincent's red carpet clients include Lily Collins, Janelle Monae, Bella Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Hailey Bieber, Diane Kruger, and Jessica Biel.

Ginger King

Ginger King has been passionately creating beauty products from concept to finish since 1995. She is well versed in innovative concepts, creative product formulation, advanced technology applications, ergonomic package development and impactful competitive analysis. Ginger has developed over hundreds of products from hair care to skin care, and sun care to color cosmetics. Her claim to fame products include the revolutionary first to market Joico ICE SPIKER, water resistant hair glue, Freeze 24.7 Ice Shield, SPF 15 face wash and Avon Advance Techniques Color Protection series. Her Avon True Color Eye shadow and Daring Definition Mousse Mascara have also been selected as the finalists for CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women) for 2005 and 2006 respectively.