The very best lash primers assist you get essentially the most out of your favorite mascara—hey, low effort. Whether or not your excellent flutter craves lengthening, separation, volume, or all the above, the best primer makes mascara simpler to use and outcomes longer-lasting and extra noticeable. Like common mascaras, these base coats are available a wide range of wand shapes, pigments, bonus components, and skills (yup, some even waterproof your commonplace formulation), making it tough to pinpoint your excellent match. That’s why we checked in with editors, make-up artists, beauty chemists, and board-certified dermatologists that can assist you zero in on the most effective of the most effective. Forward, store our favorites, full with our editors’ before-and-after pics. The proof is within the primer.
Our Prime Picks
Continuously Requested Questions
Finest for Lengthening: Lancôme Cils Booster XL Tremendous-Enhancing Mascara Base
Why it is price it: Lancôme’s Cils Booster XL Tremendous-Enhancing Mascara Base is normally our reply to “Why do your eyelashes look so good?” and, truthfully, we would not have it some other approach. This 2021 Best of Beauty alum offers a grippy, nourishing base coat that makes your lashes look longer, fuller, and prepped for pigment. By priming your lashes, you assist them separate evenly, which maximizes floor space and units the stage on your mascara to catch eyes. The lash-loving formulation packs nutritional vitamins B5 and E to advertise progress and maintain lashes wholesome. Bonus: You may even put on this primer solo in a single day as a conditioning treatment. And don’t fret, the primer’s preliminary white shade will not get in the way in which of the black (or brown, or burgundy) of your mascara, so long as you apply your high coat whereas the bottom continues to be moist (key to avoiding clumps!).
Tester suggestions: “I save lash primer for particular events, since I’ve a really impatient toddler to take care of. However once I do whip this out, it is price the additional effort: It takes the consequences of Lancôme’s Lash Idole mascara, that are fairly unbelievable as-is, to the following stage,” says contributing editor Deanna Pai. “It simply makes my lashes look thicker and fuller, including a little bit extra definition round my eyes—versus having a lengthening impact. And regardless of having a noticeable texture, it left zero clumps.” Pai notes that it takes a minute to dry, which will be annoying when she’s in a rush.
Key components: vitamin E | Colour: white | Who it is for: individuals who favor size over quantity
Finest for Layering: Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky Excessive Tinted Primer
Why it is price it: Maybelline New York’s Lash Sensational Sky Excessive Tinted Primer (a 2023 and 2024 Allure Best of Beauty winner) scores main factors for versatility. In contrast to lots of its priming friends, the formulation doubles as a soft-black tint that may be worn solo or together with your favourite mascara. Infused with ceramides and vitamin B5 to situation, this primer helps your mascara layers seem much less clumpy and crunchy, making your lashes really feel more healthy over time. The trick to this primer is to let it dry absolutely earlier than making use of a follow-up—fortunately, it dries actually shortly, so endurance needn’t be a advantage. It is not waterproof, which we predict is a plus as a result of it comes off simply once you’re able to rinse.
Tester suggestions: “After I was getting into the lash primer recreation, I used to be afraid that layering mascara over primer can be a one-way ticket to crunchy, clumpy metropolis. However Maybelline’s primer sits mild on my lashes and helps my high coat keep put and look extra outlined,” says contributing commerce author Annie Blackman. “I will be trustworthy, the primary time I brushed it on, I ignored the instructions and did not await the primer to dry earlier than getting into with mascara.” That impatience, she says, was a mistake. “It led to an overload of creamy pigment. So, following the dry-down directions is essential.” Blackman additionally factors out the wand’s flexibility, making it simpler to catch the tiny lashes within the internal corners of your eyes.
Key components: ceramides, carnauba wax, jojoba oil, vitamin B5 | Colour: Gentle Black | Who it is for: individuals searching for a multi-use primer that may be worn in several methods
Finest 2-in-1: Sincere Mascara + Primer
Why it’s price it: If something is true about Attract editors, it’s that we’ll at all times cheer for a two-in-one—and Sincere Magnificence’s Excessive Size Mascara & Lash Primer has us fist-pumping. The primer finish of this dual-sided tube is infused with softening jojoba esters, serving to your mascara swipe on extra easily and evenly with most lash lengthening and separation. Simply brush on the primer, wait about 30 seconds, after which observe up with the jet-black mascara aspect of the tube. Throughout our testing, we discovered that the quick tube of the primer can take some getting used to—and requires a little bit contortion to use it to the corners of the lashlines—nevertheless it’s not a dealbreaker. And the mascara alone delivers fairly good lengthening.
