#1Best overall
Rated 4.2 out of 5 from 55 reviews
vegan
- vegan
- waterproof
Best Mascara UK 2026
Mascara results come down to brush shape more than formula, which is why two mascaras with near-identical ingredient lists can produce completely different lashes. A dense, straight brush loads product and builds volume; a thinner or curved brush separates, lengthens and lifts. This ranking orders every mascara we track on Amazon UK by customer rating weighted against review volume, so a handful of enthusiastic reviews cannot outrank a product thousands of people rated consistently well. We have not tested these mascaras ourselves — the order reflects Amazon UK customer data, and it is one of the categories where that data is most useful, since mascara is also one of the categories where budget products consistently rate as highly as expensive ones. Several of the best-reviewed picks on this list cost under £10, so price is a weak guide here and brush shape, worn against your own lash type, is the better one.
Ranked from 23 mascara listed on Amazon UK. We do not physically test products — see “How we picked these” below.
How we picked these
We start from every mascara listed on Amazon UK, then rank by a score that weights customer rating against how many people rated it — a 5.0 average from three reviewers cannot outrank a 4.6 average from three thousand, because a handful of ratings tells you very little on its own. The top 12 by that score make this list. We do not accept payment for placement or ranking, and we do not physically test products ourselves: everything above is drawn from listed Amazon UK product data and customer review data, refreshed periodically.
The ranking
Ranked #1 on this list, this is currently rated 4.2 out of 5 across 55 Amazon UK reviews. At £10.04, it sits at the top of the price range covered here. We have flagged it here as our "Best overall" pick, based on the criteria in the methodology below.
What we like
- 55 customer reviews — more than most others on this list
- Listed feature: vegan
What to consider
- The most expensive option in this list
- A lower average rating (4.2/5) than most others on this list
Listed feature: vegan
#2Sitting at #2, this is a newer listing with no customer rating on Amazon UK yet. It is listed at £9.99.
What to consider
- Not consistently listed as in stock
#3This is our #3 pick — an Amazon UK listing that hasn't accumulated a customer rating yet. It is listed at £5.46.
#4Ranked #4 on this list, this pick does not yet have a published customer rating on Amazon UK. It is listed at £5.17.
#5Sitting at #5, this is a newer listing with no customer rating on Amazon UK yet. It is listed at £7.60.
What to consider
- Not consistently listed as in stock
#6This is our #6 pick — an Amazon UK listing that hasn't accumulated a customer rating yet. It is listed at £7.92.
#7Ranked #7 on this list, this pick does not yet have a published customer rating on Amazon UK. It is listed at £6.72.
What to consider
- Not consistently listed as in stock
#8Sitting at #8, this is a newer listing with no customer rating on Amazon UK yet. It is listed at £7.70.
What to consider
- Not consistently listed as in stock
#9This is our #9 pick — an Amazon UK listing that hasn't accumulated a customer rating yet. It is listed at £6.12.
#10Best budgetRanked #10 on this list, this pick does not yet have a published customer rating on Amazon UK. At £4.49, it is the most affordable option on this list. We have flagged it here as our "Best budget" pick, based on the criteria in the methodology below.
What we like
- The most affordable option in this list
#11Sitting at #11, this is a newer listing with no customer rating on Amazon UK yet. It is listed at £4.99.
#12This is our #12 pick — an Amazon UK listing that hasn't accumulated a customer rating yet. It is listed at £9.99.
Compare all 12 picks
| # | Product | Price | Rating | Reviews | Key feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NYX Professional Makeup Mascara Ivory | £10.04 | Rated 4.2 out of 5 from 55 reviews | 55 | vegan |
| 2 | L'Oréal Paris Mascara Beige | £9.99 | — | — | |
| 3 | Max Factor Everyday Mascara Natural | £5.46 | — | — | |
| 4 | Rimmel London Mascara Natural | £5.17 | — | — | |
| 5 | Revlon Mascara Warm Sand | £7.60 | — | — | |
| 6 | e.l.f. Cosmetics Precision Mascara Beige | £7.92 | — | — | |
| 7 | Revlon Mascara Beige | £6.72 | — | — | |
| 8 | L'Oréal Paris Mascara Ivory | £7.70 | — | — | |
| 9 | Max Factor Full-Coverage Mascara Deep | £6.12 | — | — | |
| 10 | Maybelline Mascara Natural | £4.49 | — | — | |
| 11 | Max Factor Buildable Mascara Warm Sand | £4.99 | — | — | |
| 12 | NYX Professional Makeup Weightless Mascara Deep | £9.99 | — | — |
What to look for
Choose the brush for the effect, not the rating alone
A dense bristle brush builds volume by loading product onto the lash. A thinner brush, often plastic-bristled, separates and lengthens. A curved brush lifts, which suits straight lashes that drop. The comparison table's feature column often names the brush type, worth checking before the star rating.
Waterproof formulas trade easy removal for hold
Waterproof mascaras resist humidity and tears but need an oil-based or dedicated remover — repeated tugging to get them off is a recognised cause of lash loss, so they suit occasions more than daily wear regardless of how highly a specific waterproof formula is rated.
Tubing mascaras are worth knowing about as a third option
These wrap each lash in a polymer tube that slides off with warm water rather than scrubbing. They hold up like waterproof formulas but remove far more gently, which suits sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.
Replace mascara sooner than most other products in a routine
Around three months after opening is the usual guidance, regardless of rating or price — the wand reintroduces bacteria into a moist tube on every use, which is a contamination risk rather than a formula one, and is the same for a £5 mascara and a £30 one.
Fibre formulas trade length for mess
Mascaras built around fibres extend lashes noticeably beyond what the formula alone achieves, but the fibres can flake into the eye during the day, particularly with contact lenses in. Where a listing mentions fibres as a feature, that is worth weighing against a fibre-free formula ranked nearby if flaking or eye irritation is a concern for you. This is a checkable listed feature, not something the star rating alone tells you, so it is worth reading the product description rather than relying on rank order.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the highest-rated mascara suit every lash type?
- No. "Best overall" reflects the strongest rating-and-review-volume combination across the whole list, not a match to your lash length or curl. Check the brush shape described in the buying guide against your own lashes before assuming the top spot is the right pick.
- How often should I replace mascara?
- About every three months after opening, regardless of how the product is rated. The applicator repeatedly reintroduces bacteria into a moist tube, so the risk is contamination over time rather than the formula degrading.
- Why do inexpensive mascaras rank so highly here?
- Because brush shape does most of the work in a mascara's result, and brush shape is not reliably tied to price. The Amazon UK rating data behind this list backs that up — several mascaras under £10 rank ahead of considerably pricier ones.
- What is a tubing mascara and is it on this list?
- A tubing mascara forms polymer tubes around each lash rather than coating them with pigment, and removes with warm water instead of scrubbing. Check the feature column in the comparison table below, which flags this where a listing states it.
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Last updated 8 August 2026. Prices and availability are accurate as of that date and are subject to change on Amazon.