I’ve long been wildly picky about mascara, and as I’ve written before, have been hard-pressed to find one that tops the Maybelline Volum’ Express Colossal mascara — which I prefer to even luxury brands. However, this number one go-to has recently been knocked off its pedestal, not by a fancy or trendy beauty brand, but by the newest addition to Maybelline’s Colossal family: the Bubble mascara.It takes everything I absolutely love about the OG and adds even more definition and separation, without sacrificing color, length or thickness. I love how fluttery and soft it looks, you get that false lash effect with the heaviness, labor or artifice of falsies.It’s really all in the name, because this mascara actually does give you a youthful, bubble-like look. The formula is buildable, smooth and pumps up the lashes quickly and with ease, adding tons of volume without becoming a sticky mess. The spiral comb brush is designed with deeply cut bristles to inflate and separate the lashes, and really does look and feel superior to and more innovative than other mascaras I have tried.I find that this is less clumpy than the original Colossal lash formula. Because it’s designed to create more individual separation and definition per eyelash, each precious lash (of which I have very few) looks thick and lush. The result is super-thick, sky-high feathery lashes that make my eyes look more open and awake (a must for a tired mom). I’ve always been self-conscious of how unalive I look without mascara, and it’s nice to know that I can swipe this one quickly with one foot out the door and a baby hanging off me and still look vaguely presentable.I wear this mascara to the office, evenings out (rare), while running errands, to the playground, while traveling and beyond, and find that it lasts all day long with pretty much zero fallout. It comes off easily with micellar water or oil cleanser, and I don’t have to spend extra time tugging off eye makeup or damaging my already fragile lashes. I get compliments often, and most people can’t believe it’s a drugstore brand and that I’m not hiding extensions.I seriously recommend the Colossal Bubble mascara to anyone who doesn’t want to spend a fortune on a truly great everyday mascara. (At $10 per tube, this mascara costs less than the average Starbucks order, as calculated by Yahoo Finance in 2021.) You will never catch me paying $25+ for this everyday necessity, and luckily, I’ll never have to. It comes in four shades: Blackest Black, Very Black, Brownish Black and Waterproof Very Black. My personal preference is Blackest Black in a washable formula.Take a look at what other shoppers have to say and then pick up a tube for yourself and the makeup enthusiast in your life. You won’t regret it. Promising reviews:“The BEST!!! Makes my lashes look long, lush, and curled, and really opened up my eyes. Don’t waste your money on other products!” — Pretty Woman“I love, love, love this mascara. It does everything it’s advertised to do it separates and lengthens my lashes and is very easy to remove. It doesn’t flake or smudge and stayed perfect for hours. I’m going to “ditch“ the expensive Lancome mascara I’ve been using for years. This is my new mascara from now on.” — S. Jones“Best mascara ever. It does everything it advertises, and it’s buildable. Two swipes were all I needed for a natural, full look. It beats all other mascaras that I’ve purchased for three and four times the price. It doesn’t flake and get into my eyes or fall on my cheeks. It’s the greatest.” — Patsy“Maybelline Colossal Bubble Mascara delivers great volume and length while keeping lashes separated and soft. The buildable formula goes on smoothly, doesn’t clump, and the Blackest Black color really makes eyes pop. It’s easy to remove and perfect for everyday wear or layering for a bolder look.” — Stephanie“OMG!!! I can’t believe how satisfied I’am with this colossal bubble mascara, I was very hesitant to get them, but I just had to find out what all of the hype was about, so I decided to take a chance because I’ve been trying different types of faux lashes and its too time consuming when I’m in a hurry, so when I got the notification today 12/13/25 I was so excited. I went straight to the mascara when I received my box of items. And I immediately saw the difference in my eyelash with the first pass and then I applied the second pass, no clumping, easy to apply and all I can say is, if you’re sitting on the fence with hesitation like I was, stop waiting and get it because I AM SOLD , you will not be disappointed. Im no makeup artist or anything, im just the average person looking to get some definition on my eyes because as you can see I have literally no noticeable eyelashes, I know i look crazy on my picture but i was in a hurry to try this, so please excuse my un made face lol. This will definitely be my go to mascara from this day forward. Oh yea and it was easy to remove. So...bottom line is PLEASE BELIEVE THE HYPE” — Sheila T.“I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by this mascara’s length, volume, and appearance. Rivals bigger brands at a cost that won’t hurt your bank account. Definitely a must try!” — Michelle Lea“I’ve purchased quite a few of these. I love the Maybelline Bubble mascara! I have tried so many mascaras some cheaper priced annd others higher priced and this one was definitely at the top. It really makes my eyes pop. I love the cost also.” — AnitaCheck out these other mascaras from previous coverage that you can subscribe to and save! AmazonLancôme Lash Idôle mascara for feathery lashesYou may have heard of the Lancôme Lash Idôle mascara, which has racked up 7,000 5-star reviews and counting at Sephora. The curved wand lifts and fans out lashes for a full, even coat of the long-wearing, volumizing and lengthening gel formula. This is another one that you can grab in a mini size and comes in both black and brown.AmazonAn ophthalmologist-tested, award-winning option by IliaAn Allure Best of Beauty award winner, Ilia's lengthening mascara can thank its efficiency for its really unique wand. It's designed with a comb-like design that has one side for volumizing using the closer, shorter bristles and one side for lengthening and separating the lashes. The gentle formula can be removed with warm water but is flake-, clump- and smudge-resistant. If you wear contacts or have sensitive eyes, this formula could be perfect for you. Sephora sells this mascara in the mini size if you'd like a smaller tube.Promising Amazon review: "I always need a non-toxic mascara as I have sensitive eyes. This mascara is perfect! Doesn’t get all clumpy or anything crazy. Easy to remove. The wand is really cool because it has different sides with different brush types for all corners of my lash line! Also a great price point doesn’t hurt!" — Kristin KellyAmazonThe always-popular Essence Lash Princess mascaraIf you like the look of wearing false lashes but hate the feeling of actually wearing them, this might be the product for you: Essence's Lash Princess False Lash Effect. It's one of Amazon's top sellers and has an astonishing 262,000 5-star ratings.It has a straight conic fiber brush that's designed to keep the mascara from clumping or globbing on your lashes. It's also cruelty-, oil- and fragrance-free — so even those with sensitive eyes can enjoy using it.The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.