An Ophthalmologist and a Makeup Artist Just ID'd the 10 Best Mascaras for Aging Lashes

"I take product development very seriously and spend years working to create the safest formulas so people don't have to decide between healthy eyes and their makeup routine," says Hilal-Campo of Twenty/Twenty's formulas. This mascara was formulated with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and biotin as well as vitamin E, fatty acid, and stearic acid to nourish the lashes.

Customer Review: "I'm so happy to have found this ophthalmologist-made mascara that is safe for my dry eyes. It also gives me more natural, evenly curled eyelashes, generally without clumping."

Pros: ophthalmologist developed and tested

Cons: none

Specs: 0.38-ounce tube

Designed with sensitive eyes in mind, this mascara uses a unique nonclumping and hypoallergenic mascara formula to define and separate thin, tiny lashes. The mascara has a nutrient-infused base that acts like a lash booster to enhance the growth of your natural lashes. Its formula is also clean, pH balanced, hypoallergenic, and nondrying.

Customer Review: "Breast cancer survivor of many years. Lost eyebrow [hair] and lashes at the time and have constantly tried mascaras to help with my very few and fragile lashes! I'll never use anything else!"

Pros: has a buildable formula that adds length and volume to the lashes

Cons: wearers may experience some light flaking throughout wear

Specs: 1.13-ounce tube

Rituel de Fille's lifting and lengthening mascara has a lightweight, buildable, and flake-resistant formula that uses castor oil and argan oil to nourish the lashes with wear. The waxes and film formers maximize wear time while boosting moisture for a high-volume finish. The bio-based fiber brush for this mascara makes it extremely easy to coat every last lash.

Customer Review: "Good everyday mascara. Does not smudge or flake. I feel like I enjoy this mascara more than the first couple of times I used it, so perhaps it's one that gets better with some time. Recommend!"

Pros: easy removal after all-day wear with no pulling or snagging

Cons: formula becomes clumpy with two or more layers

Specs: 0.34-ounce tube

If definition is what you're after, look no further than the Defining Mascara. It's formulated with a calming and protecting blend that effectively separates and coats the lashes for definition. It also has no parabens or synthetic fragrances—making this a must-have for anyone with sensitive eyes.

Customer Review: "I'm able to wear this mascara every day because it's very gentle on the eyes. It doesn't clump at all and gives a natural shine and wet look to my lashes. It also washes off very easily just with water."

Pros: glides onto the lashes effortlessly while also delivering shine

Cons: thin, watery formula is not buildable or ideal for bold eye looks

Specs: 0.20-ounce tube

The Milk Makeup Kush High Roll Defining & Volumizing Tubing Mascara separates and defines every lash for added definition, volume, and length without smudging or flaking. With a wear time of up to 24 hours, it uses High Roll Tubing Technology combined with a blend of nourishing oils and volume-boosting waxes.

Customer Review: "This is by far the best mascara I've used in a long time. Checks all my boxes: doesn't transfer/smear above my deep-set eyes even after sweating hard, doesn't flake, easily removes with just water, and makes my lashes look great in one coat. Will repurchase this for the foreseeable future."

Pros: gives the lashes a high volume, fanned-out finish

Cons: can look clumpy despite its creamy texture

Specs: 0.30-ounce tube

For a waterproof mascara you can rely on, try the Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara. The 12-hour, nonsmudging formula adds volume and length to short, brittle lashes while resisting clumping, sweat, and humidity. The brand recommends using this mascara by placing its brush at the roots of your lashes and wiggling it up to the lips, then repeating for build.

Customer Review: "I've always had a problem keeping mascara on, mostly rubs off below bottom lashes. This seems to go on smooth and stays on the best I've found in a long time. I'm over 60 and my skin seems to be changing a lot. I'm buying this as long as it still works on me."

Pros: allergy tested and 100% fragrance-free

Cons: none

Specs: 0.28-ounce tube

Sarah Creal's new buildable tubing mascara delivers all-day, smudge-proof lashes that have the same volume and definition as lash extensions. It also has all-day staying power with a formula clinically shown to last up to 12 hours before easily gliding off the lashes with warm water. This mascara is also ophthalmologist tested and safe for sensitive eyes.

Customer Review: "I have short and straight lashes that don't stay curled. This mascara helped keep the curl while lengthening my lashes! I love that it is long wearing and did not smudge in the summer heat. It washes off easily too!"

Pros: uses shea butter to softens and condition the lashes

Cons: offered at a luxury price point

Specs: 0.27-ounce tube

The Limitless Lash Mascara has a buildable, flake-free formula infused with arginine (keratin) to fortify and reinforce the lashes from within, shea butter to condition the lashes for a soft feel, and more. Now, the best-selling mascara comes in a lighter mono-material tube for planet-friendly packaging.

Customer Review: "Buying mascara has always felt like a necessity for me to finish my makeup and not something I've reused happily. But this one is amazing! No clumping, lightweight, but bold! It's perfect!"

Pros: dual-sided wand for eye-opening length and definition

Cons: tends to lightly flake and smear

Specs: 0.27-ounce tube

Probst highlights this Maybelline mascara for its drugstore price point and falsie-like finish. This mascara is infused with fibers that deliver dramatic volume, length, and lift with a clump-free, ophthalmologist-tested formula. It also has a double-curved separator brush to grab lashes at the root for the false-eyelash effect.

Customer Review: "This waterproof lash lift is unmatched. Gives the most fluffy, long, volumized, separated, curled gorgeous lashes imaginable. I will never buy another mascara—this is the BEST Maybelline has to offer!"

Pros: does not clump, smear, or flake; all-day wear

Cons: none

Specs: 0.32-ounce tube

For a department-store option that works well for aging lashes, Probst favors the best-selling Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara by YSL Beauty. This one makes her list because it offers 200% more lash volume, a double-brush wand to lengthen the lashes, and intense color and extreme volume for 24 hours without smudging.

Customer Review: "Such a fun product, love the color, length, and volume it adds to my lashes! Mascara lasted all day and hardly transferred. Also easy to remove and beautiful packaging!"

Pros: vegan, free of parabens, and contains less than 1% synthetic fragrance

Cons: luxury price point

Specs: 0.30-ounce tube

Customer Review: "This amazing mascara is always my favorite go-to in my makeup bag. It creates beautiful lashes... So good I never need to put on the false ones."

Customer Review: "This mascara does not smudge! It is the best. Comes off easily with water without making 'raccoon' eyes. I wear it all day without any smears or smudges."

Customer Review: "I love Sisley mascaras overall, but this one is definitely my favorite. It really opens up the eyes, does not smudge (which is a big one for me), and stays fresh all day long."

Customer Review: "It is a very budget friendly, everyday wear mascara. I like how my lashes look and feel, and it does not irritate my eyes, which a lot of waterproof mascaras do. 10/10 I will buy again."