In the face of sweaty situations, oily lids, and anything else that makes mascara run, smudge, and flake, the best tubing mascara will hold firm. Unlike traditional mascaras, these contain polymers that wrap around the lashes so they don’t smudge or flake during the day, cosmetic chemist Ginger King explains.
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While waterproof mascara may offer longer staying power than its traditional counterparts, many require a full-force scrub-fest to remove — and even worse, they often claim a few lashes as collateral. Tubing mascaras tend to be gentler: Instead of rigorously wiping your eyes with makeup remover or thoroughly massaging mascara away with cleansing oil, these “tubes” slide off with warm water and some gentle pressure. “Think of it as the saran wrap on your lashes,” King says. “They add some bulkiness and are flexible enough to stretch for an eyelash extension look.”
If you’ve given them a go before, you may already be familiar with the oddly satisfying visual of your lashes appearing to shed, like snakeskin, while your real lashes thankfully stay intact. (On the other hand, if this is your first try, don’t freak out when you see lash-like, little tubes going down the drain!)
Below are our tried-and-true, flake-free, and smudge-proof favorites — recommended by Allure editors and makeup artists — that’ll give your lashes the illusion of extensions. They’re that good.
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