Welcome to Shop The Street, FLEETSTREET’s beauty review series. Our editors curate collections of new + noteworthy products (and let you know why you should add them to your shopping list). Today on our list: the best mascaras in Canada. Know, though, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Tap for more info.
Follow FLEETSTREET on Instagram and TikTok.
The best mascaras we keep coming back to, again and again.
All makeup aficionados have one. Maybe you discovered that lime green and hot pink tube of Maybelline at 12, swiped from your mom’s cosmetics bag, or maybe you found a Benefit mascara you adore while experimenting with Sephora samples in college. And sure, every once in a while, you try something else, like a mascara made by a cool, millennial-pink brand with minimalist packaging, or a blogger-recommended luxe version with a hefty price tag, or a crunchy brand that touts lash growth with a side order of spiritual awakening. Maybe you even went the lash-extension route, only to abandon it during the pandemic, for both its expense and required human interaction.
Regardless, you always come crawling back to that same mascara, sounding like a total Ross—we were on a break!. And your old flame always takes you back to the world of precisely-fanned, voluminous, buildable lashes.
That’s why we built this list, so you can find your forever mascara that you can keep coming back to, again and again.
Three souvenir lipsticks you must buy on your next trip to Paris.
Best mascaras in Canada Methodology
As journalists, we’ve had the chance to test out our fair share (ahem, hundreds) of different mascaras. From formulas for short lashes to straight lashes, from Wet N Wild to Lancôme mascara, and from drugstore to specialty boutique brands. In judging the mascaras available in Canada, we put each to the test for a minimum of three days, judging the application, feel on the eyelashes, pigment intensity, length of wear, ease of removing, and what it looks like the next day.
The reason we added the overnight experience for our 2025 review is because we know that sometimes a gal doesn’t have the ability to wash her face at night (whatever the reason, we’re not here to judge, just to test the makeup). If there’s a new mascara launch since the publication date of this mascara review, it may not be included here, as the quality and performance have not earned a spot. Here are the best mascaras and why we always come back to them.
No liquids on board: How to zip through airport security with a makeup bag.
The best mascaras in Canada for 2025 – Drum roll, please
And… here are FLEETSTREET’s picks for the best mascaras in Canada. 🥁🥁🥁
Benefit Bounce, $39, at shoppersdrugmart.ca
Best Overall Mascara in Canada
What you see: To be honest, we didn’t expect to love this mascara so much. It was a sleeper hit in our makeup bags. The smudge-proof black mascara made our natural lashes feel soft and healthy, not beat up from regular eye-makeup wear. And as a volumizing mascara, it lived up to the hype. But it’s the functional lash brush that really opened our eyes. Part fibre brush and part spiky comb, the spoolie gives you so much control. Thickening as you wish. Define as you wish. Thicker, curled lashes? Use the curved brush side. Longer, separated lashes? Use the comb side. Want a combination of the two for a fluffy, wide-eyed look? Use both sides of the brush to create the look you want.
What you don’t see: This contains moisturizing and lash-lengthening ingredients, including linden bud extract for a viscous-thickening material that gives it the falsies look), and rice wax, provitamin B5 and castor seed oil for conditioning, nourishment and strength for lashes.
What you see the next day: It stayed put and smudge-proof throughout the day for us. But we did have to wipe a bit away the next morning. It wasn’t terrible, though. And it did stay on lashes and look natural and pretty, once we wiped away our baby raccoons.
The best concealers for Zoom meetings and interviews.
L’Oréal Paris Paradise Big Deal, $24, at shoppersdrugmart.ca
Best Mascara for Sensitive Eyes (and best drugstore buy!)
What you see: If you want full lashes at a good price, then you want this mascara. The spikey bristle, comb-like brush is twisted, as if it was wrung out like a towel. The tip can be used for lengthening and defining. And the middle to base helps to thicken lashes by holding more product. The result is perfect for day wear, but you can layer more for an evening look.
What you don’t see: It’s been tested to be safe for sensitive eyes and contact-lens wearers. The oils and waxes make it easy to layer and build for your desired look.
What you see the next day: This formula didn’t last a full sleep, and we did have to wipe it off the undereye the next morning.
So what’s the deal with hard water and our scalps?
Too Faced Better Than Sex, $39, at sehora.ca
Best Mascara For Volume
What you see: Although the name has an ambitious claim, this formula thickens, lengthens and curls with just one coat. Inspired by the curves of a woman’s body, the hourglass-shaped brush was designed with extra stiff bristles to maximize the performance of this collagen-fuelled formula. The wand is a bit thick, but it’s great for combing through so you don’t get clumps. We are also suckers for the name and the packaging – can you blame us?
What you don’t see: This curl-locking mascara contains polymers as well as peptides to condition lashes.
What you see the next day: This is not a waterproof mascara, so if you are not able to wash your face before bed, know that it will bleed and transfer. So practice safe eyemakeup care (what did you think we were going to say?!) and pack wipes in your purse.
How often should you get a facial? How many days before an event gets you that glow?
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag, $35, at sephora.ca
Best Mascara for Jet Black Lashes
What you see: Gah, this is the most luxurious feeling eye makeup on this list of best mascaras in Canada. The brush is thick and is well-coated with product when you pull it from the tub. The result is the darkest, thickest lashes. You can save this for special occasions or wear it every day if you want to add oomph to your look.
What you don’t see: It contains acacia Senegal gum (an emulsifier that builds volume), rice bran wax (to add structure to lashes) and paraffin and synthetic bees waxes (to thicken the look of lashes).
What you see the next day: This is a beautiful looking mascara, but after waking up in full Toronto racoon mode, we recommend packing wipes in your purse to wipe off before you get some shut-eye, along with a mini version of this mascara for the next day.
Is serum active? The ingredients that make a good serum work.
Benefit BadGal Bang!, $39, at shoppers.ca
Best Mascara For Straight Lashes
What you see: The wand for this mascara is easy to use and manipulate, and the formula is thick and dries quickly. It’s that combination that allows you to brush on the mascara and place the wand’s bristle end on the lashes mid-shaft to lightly press and curl the lashes. Even on stubborn eyelashes, this mascara kept its eye-opening curl. This mascara would be a good choice for creating that 1960s wet-lash look. No wonder Benefit claims this as a best seller for the brand.
What you don’t see: It’s water-resistant and long-lasting, and it contains provitamin B5, which has been shown to help with supporting eyelash growth.
What you see the next day: It lasted all day without smudging… until the next morning. But one swipe of micellar water and we were back to our fresh-faced selves.
How to perfect the sleeked-back bun.
Lancome Idôle Flutter Extension, $40, at sephora.ca
Best Mascara for Defined Length
What you see: Ever notice that the tub of mascara looks kinda similar to its promise? Well, this long skinny tube delivers. The micro-comb brush had us squinting to see the 480 nano bristles, but it was easy to see the separation it creates for our lashes. The result is pretty and natural, which is perfect for that clean-girl look. While its marketing materials say it gives a false-lash look, that’s not what we see. Instead, it’s natural but wayyyyyy better.
What you don’t see: It’s “a wax-in-water emulsion” (rice, bees, carnauba (palm)) that gives lashes the long shape and weightless feel.
What you see the next day: The next morning, our lashes felt so soft and bare we *almost didn’t check the mirror. But we’re sure glad we did. We needed a makeup pad and micellar water STAT.
Beauty standards: Post-cancer beauty is layered.
Milani Highly Rated Anti-Gravity, $23, at shoppersdrugmart.ca
Best Tubing Mascara in Canada
What you see: Tubing mascaras have gained popularity in the past few years, and my eyes are happy to see more brands carrying this type of mascara in Canada. And the price of this one is something to smize about, too. We found it requires less swipes of mascara, as the formula is thick and coats the thick but short moulded wand. Unlike other brands, though, it does take a minute or two to dry, but the wait is worth it. Once dry, it doesn’t smudge or budge, and it slips off at the end of the day, even with a dry Kleenex. Just like a finishing spray or powder for the face, this mascara could be used as a finishing mascara, tbh, applied over another formula because of how it coats, thickens and separates lashes
What you don’t see: The tube-like lash coverings are thanks to the polymers, but they also contain shea butter and castor seed oil to condition lashes.
What you see the next day: It slides off, so as long as you don’t rub your eyes, you will wake up with the same beautiful lashes you went to bed with.