TRIED & TESTED

MASCARAS TO SUIT ALL BUDGETS

NO7 THE FULL 360 ULTRA MASCARA £15, Boots.com

★★★★★

AROUND 93% of testers reported fuller lashes, and we are certainly in the happy majority. The shaped brush really gets a good firm grip on things, with hooks that pull lashes up and give a lovely, thick, yet nonclumpy coating of mascara. Lashes were left darker, longer, fatter and separated without being spindly. A great all-rounder indeed.

ESSENCE WHAT THE FAKE! VOLUMIZING & LENGTHENING MASCARA £3.49, Feelunique.com

★★★★★

IN THE past we’ve found mascara formulas that contain tiny fibres to thicken lashes have shed “hairs” under our eyes. Not so with this one. It remained smudge-free all day. Although it’s not the most outstanding “fake lashes in a tube” mascara we’ve tried, it’s a good all-rounder made pretty excellent by that price.

L’ORÉAL PARIS BAMBI EYE FALSE LASH WATERPROOF MASCARA £10.99, Boots.com

★★★★★

YOU know when you try a no-added-sugar version of a favourite food and can’t tell the difference? This is the mascara equivalent. Despite being waterproof, it’s super-dark and excellent for stretching lashes up and out. It’s more about length than thickness but if you want lashes up to your eyebrows, you’ll be happy.

MAX FACTOR FALSE LASH EFFECT RAVEN BLACK MASCARA £11.99, Superdrug.com

★★★★★ THE packaging artwork makes us think of a New Age dreamcatcher, and our dark teenage self would have loved something called Deep Raven Black. We wouldn’t say this mascara is the most jet-black formula we’ve ever encountered, but it’s one of the best for replicating the soft, fluffy, feathery look of false lashes. Gorgeous.