These 11 Mascaras Actually Make Short Lashes Look Longer

I always have an Hourglass Unlocked mascara in my collection, that’s how much I love it. Designed to give the appearance of lash extensions with the ease of a mascara, it works to lengthen and lift the lashes without weighing them down. It does this through a combination of a slightly curved silicone brush, my personal favourite style for lengthening, which distributes the product evenly. Then, the pigmented formula wraps the lash, delivering a pitch black look without any flaking or build-up.

If you’re looking for an affordable mascara, Maybelline’s Sky High Mascara should be your first port of call. A beauty-editor favourite, it contains lengthening fibres which, although practically undetectable to the eye, work to lengthen the lashes with each sweep of the brush. I like to build up a few coats for maximum impact, yet no matter how many times I pass it over my lashes, they never look clumpy, simply lifted and longer.

I’m sure it comes as no surprise to hear that celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic has, of course, mastered the lengthening mascara. Created to be the only mascara he’d need in his kit, it offers lift, volume and curl all rolled into one. Even more, it’s also infused with pro-vitamin B5, to nourish lashes, while castor oil conditions for no unwanted crunch. If you’re looking for a foolproof formula, this is a great option.

I have recommended this mascara to so many people and every one of them has ran out and bought it for themselves, so of course I have to include it in this edit. A triple-threat tubing mascara, it makes lashes look longer and fuller in just one sweep while also infusing them with a trio of skincare ingredients. Alongside the lengthening polymers, you’ll also find biotin for definition, collagen to plump and peptides to keep lashes soft and supple. This is a lengthening mascara and then some.

Okay, I know Charlotte Tilbury’s Exagger-eyes Mascara is technically a volumising formula, but it provides too much length for it not to be included on this list. Infused with plumping polymers, the tubing formula wraps each lash in a glossy black pigment providing thickness, lift and most importantly of all, length. Since I got my hands on this mascara, I’ve reached for it almost every day and, as someone who's usually fickle with her beauty product allegiances, you know that’s the highest of commendations.

For natural-looking length, Nudestix Lash Lengthening Mascara is one of my favourites. It features a slightly coned bristle brush that grabs the lashes easily and coats them from root to tip. In terms of formula, I would say this is one of the driest on this list, so you do need to work quickly before it sets. What this means, however, is that there’s minimal chance of transfer and less room for mishaps—a big plus if, like me, you’re prone to getting mascara on your upper lids without even meaning to.

What I love most about this mascara, however, is that it’s also infused with a peptide complex. Remember those lash serums I mentioned earlier? Well, with this mascara you can skip them as the peptides work to strengthen and lengthen your natural lashes as it colours, which means longer and stronger lashes on mascara-free days too.

Another great affordable option, I’ve actually written a whole article on my love for Max Factor’s Supreme Recharge Mascara, so if you’re considering buying it and looking for a more in-depth review, I’d definitely check it out.

In a nutshell, however, Supreme Recharge is a keratin-infused formula that offers both length and volume while also strengthening the lashes. That means longer lashes over time, as well as when the mascara is applied. The trick with this one is not to overload it; two coats are all you need for a false lash-inspired look.

While Benefit mascaras exist in various iterations, for me, the original They're Real is the best, especially when it comes to length. The clever brush features not only different length bristles on the body but also at the tip, to easily allow you to catch even the smallest of lashes, while the long-wear formula lengthens and lifts without going dry or flaky. There’s a reason Benefit is the number 1 prestige mascara brand in the UK and trust me, this mascara has a lot to do with it.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to love this mascara as much as I do. Housed in an unassuming grey tube, Chantecaille’s Longest Lash Mascara looks much like any other mascara featuring a bristle wand that cones slightly at the top, packing not necessarily in keeping with its £66 price tag.

On use, however, it reveals its mastery. The brush is designed with two different sizes of bristles, which don’t just coat the lashes but also give them a fanned-out effect. My only word of warning, while I love this mascara, anyone with very straight lashes may want to skip it as the fanned effect does create a slightly angled look rather than a soft, curled finish.

If you haven’t heard of Sculpted by Aimee before, the brand's LashLift mascara is a great place to start. Created by makeup artist Aimee Connolly, the beauty brand creates luxe formulations at affordable prices. The LashLift Mascara features an incredibly lightweight formula that slips easily over the lashes yet feels invisible once on. The look, however, it’s a winner for anyone who wants longer lashes with plenty of definition. My only wish is that the mascara handle was slightly longer to allow a little extra room to manoeuvre the wand, especially as a long-nail girlie.

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Lastly, we have Knight’s favourite Beauty Pie mascara. While I can’t vouch for this one myself, if it has Buster’s seal of approval, you know it has to be good. Described as creating “locked and loaded lashes”, it promises both length and curl as well as glossy, high-impact colour. It also features a slightly smaller brush than some of the other mascaras on this list, something Knight commented he looked for in the best lengthening mascaras. On Knight’s recommendation, I know I’ll be ordering this one to try it out for myself ASAP.