I sent out a tweet today asking my ladyfriends what mascara they use… and I received over 10 different mascara recommendations back! My beautiful girlfriends know their business, too, so I hereby declare this a list of The Top 10 Best Mascaras out there (and then some). I totally want to have a mascara-trying-on party now to try all of these!

L’Oreal Paris Double Extend Lash Boosting Mascara $3.77 – $13.99 @WilloToons (me) This is the one I’ve been using & I like it, but I was curious if there’s something better.	Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies Spoon Brush $2.99 – $7.99 @MelodyMcC, @jenniffurr & @mollstar love it. Melody’s said: “It’s the best by far.” Jen said, “Very black, curved brush, waterproof.” and Molly added “totally agree! Cheap and stays on well”	L’Oreal Telescopic Original Mascara $11.01 @Aubs & @Stephdub’s favorite. Aubs said “most amazing mascara around. NOTHING compares.”
TheBalm Two-Timer Mascara $17.09 – $20.00 @u_m Carla’s favorite: “I’m a fan.” (and similar to the one I’ve been using)	Dior DiorShow Iconic Mascara $14.99 – $27.00 @TheRealLG & @Erika’s favorite (Erika gets DiorShow). Laura said, “Bar none.” and Erika said, “all the way!”	Loreal Double Extend Lash Extender and Magnifier Mascara $5.99 @msh Morgan’s favorite (I used to use this one for years, too!)
L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara Custom Curved Brush $5.04 – $8.07 @beccafrog Rebecca’s favorite: “Love it. Used it for years.”	Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Brownish Black $3.68 @LauraGlu Laura’s favorite: “People use something else?”	LANCOME Definicils High Definition $24.12 @concretecatwalk Jessie’s current favorite: “…I’m obsessed!”
Fresh Magic Wands Mini Mascara Duo $10.00 @candycat Rachael’s favorite: “Picked this up recently & love it!”	Benefit Cosmetics BADgal Lash Mascara $19.00 @KellyRand Kelly’s favorite: “This stuff is amazing.”	Almay Intense i-Color Mascara, Bring Out the Blue $5.00 – $9.95 @Timoni & her blue eyes “tried over 40 mascaras searching for one that would handle [her] bike commute.” This one’s the winner! Look up your color on the Almay website.


Do you passionately agree with one of the favorites above? Let us know in the comments!

Did we miss your favorite mascara? Search for your brand here & then paste the link in along with your comment. Inquiring minds want to know.

UPDATE: What about eco-conscious & chemical free? I thought about this a lot as I was doing this post. And while it’s not a pretty admission, I’m well aware that:

• My desire for long, lush lashes has primarily been fueled by the magazines and TV.
• The chemicals in the majority of these brands are very dangerous and even worse, cancer causing. Yipes. How far we’ll go for beauty, huh? :(

So I would be remiss not to spread some awareness in this post, and I much appreciate my friend Jennifer for providing me with two great natural mascara options. And because I am so thrilled about the idea of a more chemical-free mascara, I am going to buy & try one of her recommendations first. I hope you’ll all consider doing the same!

Natural, chemical-free and SAFE Mascara – it’s out there!

Korres Abyssinia Oil Volumizing Mascara $20.00	Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! $12.95 – $19.00

These two are chemical free! YES! Thanks to Jennifer wrote: “Everything on your list has parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMOs, triclosan, etc., etc. Try [the mascaras above]. Healthier, and work better than any “regular” mascara I’ve ever used!”

For your further enlightenment on the subject, please watch The Story of Cosmetics, one in a series around the Story of Stuff in our lives not as safe as we’ve been led to believe:

Thanks again, Jen! It’s so easy to get sucked into the beauty-at-all-costs routine when living in a world where it’s on sale for $3.99 and promises us the look of runway supermodels. A fabulous reminder of how important it is to think of our earth and our health first and foremost. Awareness is where it all begins!