The best tubing mascaras that don’t budge and are great for watery eyes
Fed up with mascara that flakes and smudges after a few minutes? You need a tubing mascara in your life. Here are the best ones we’ve tried
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If regular mascara slips off your lashes, leaving you looking panda-eyed, then a tubing mascara may be for you.
This is because a tubing formulation, unlike regular mascara, doesn’t just sit on the lash, it wraps around the lash, creating a protective and water-resistant tube. Which makes it perfect for long days when you want your makeup to stay put, for anyone with oily lids that cause mascara to melt off or for those with watery eyes.
“I love tubing mascaras for their long-wear quality but they also hold a curl really well,” says makeup artist Lisa Caldognetto. “So if your lashes are prone to drooping throughout the day, a tubing mascara could be a good option.”
The only issue that Caldognetto flags is that tubing mascaras aren’t quite as volumising as their traditional counterparts: “Generally, they create more of a natural look,” she says. So if you have a mascara that gives you all the volume you love then Caldognetto recommends using that and then applying a layer of tubing mascara over the top to act like a top coat.
What is tubing mascara made of?
They are made from polymers – usually from waxes, gums, starch or cellulose. These clever gizmos can wrap themselves around each lash, creating a tube that doesn’t budge until you take it off.
How do you remove tubing mascara?
When it comes to taking off your tubing mascara, you can put your favourite micellar water, cleansing balms and eye makeup removers away. The only thing you need to remove it is some warm water and a light touch. Rub warm water all over your lashes, this will help soften the polymers and then gently pull the tubes off your lashes.
12 of the best tubing mascaras we’ve tried
Rum Wrap Party Tubing Mascara in Inkwell, £22
This was created by makeup artist Sam Chapman, beauty editor Sali Hughes and beauty brand strategist Jo Jones because apparently they’ve never found a mascara they truly loved. They’re not planning a global beauty brand, rather small runs of one-off products. There’s a big buzz about this on Instagram but does it deliver? It does – it’s really good. It comes in two shades – black and this elegant navy – and it somehow lifts, fans and volumises at the same time. The navy shows up on my fair lashes beautifully and on dark lashe it gives them a sort of glow.
Our editorial director Victoria’s daughter Clara is a big fan of this brand. Kulfi is new to the UK, but comes to us having had huge success in the US. Created by beauty expert Priyanka Ganjoo, Kulfi [the brand is named after a South Asian dessert] to offer makeup that truly served South Asian skin tones and undertones but that is playful, fun and celebrates colour and textures. Clara says: “It’s absolutely brilliant. I have really straight lashes that never curl but somehow this lifts them up and makes my lashes look massive. I also like that there are some tiny, spidery-like bristles at the end of the wand so you point the wand towards the teeny tiny lashes in the corners to coat them. And it’s really easy to remove.”
Buy NowRuby Hammer Mascara & Brow Duo, £28
Veteran makeup artist Ruby Hammer’s beauty range sometimes flies under the radar, but if you know, you know. Our deputy editor Kerry is a convert: “The precision brush delivers the perfect amount of tubing formula – it’s especially good for my super-fine lower lashes, it never crumbles down your cheeks and it washes off very easily with warm water,” she says. Bonus: you also get a decent brow gel at the other end of the tube, making this excellent value.
Buy NowMerit Clean Lash Lengthening Mascara, £24
Rifle through my makeup bag and you will always find a handful of Merit products, one of which will always be this mascara. As is fitting for the Californian brand’s ethos of easy-to-wear makeup that enhances your natural look, this mascara isn’t about creating a dramatic look. Instead, you’ll get long, fanned-out looking lashes perfectly coated in an inky black formula. Remove by gently rubbing warm water over your eyes, and the tubes seem to just magically disappear rather than stick to your face – making it all very easy, such is the Merit way.
Buy NowElf Lash Xtndr Tubing Mascara, £8
Our content coordinator Isla’s tubing mascara of choice is this bargain option. “It has a long and thin wand which makes getting to the base of lashes, and the tiny lashes in the corner of the eyes really easy. It doesn’t clump or flake and is a great basic everyday mascara option,” she says. It comes in both black and brown.
Tarte Tartlette Tubing Mascara, £28
While tubing mascaras are often not the most volumising, the dense bristle distribution on this wand will give your lashes an impressive amount of drama. It comes in two shades – black and brown, has a vegan formula, and if you’re unsure about committing to the full size, there is a super handy travel size for £14 (we are a huge fan of travel-size beauty products) that you could try first.
Milani Highly Rated Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara, £14.50
Pitched as lash extensions in a tube, this tubing mascara has cult status on social media platforms. If you crave longer lashes, then give this one a whirl. As well as tubing polymers, it contains small fibres that add length and bulk to lashes. Don’t be disturbed when you remove it as it will end up on your cheeks but, after a quick rinse, the fibres and tubes are gone.
Zoeva Ooh la Lash Mascara, £24
This tubing mascara is a firm favourite of mine. It has a lovely glossy formula compared to others I’ve tried, which can be quite dry and powdery. It really separates and lengthens and, as someone with increasingly watery eyes, I can confirm this doesn’t budge all day.
Indu Stand Up Tubing Mascara, £14
This is designed for teens but it absolutely works for grown-ups too, as Victoria can attest: “I really liked the compact packaging as I’m always carrying my makeup bag around with me so need products that are light. And it really did last all day. It survived a sweaty yoga session, a day in the office and a night out all without flaking or smudging. Sold!”
Buy Now
This is another personal favourite. It’s ideal for those days when you want something on your lashes but nothing too obvious. The black shade isn’t too inky, and the brown shade is a lovely mahogany. It’s so low-key and natural that when it’s removed, the tubes don’t end up all over your face, they wash away with warm water with the rest of your makeup. I’m a contact lens wearer, and this has never aggravated my eyes.
Buy NowHourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara, £34
With its glossy black formula, this is one of Caldognetto’s tubing mascaras of choice. “I love this formula as it layers really well, just make sure to leave a bit of time between layers to avoid clumping,” she says.
Buy NowMac Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara, £20
If making your lashes look longer is your prime aim then step this way. The spacing between the bristles on this brush mean every lash gets grabbed and coated creating definition and length. The pointy end also makes it super easy to coat inner corner lashes as well as bottom ones.
