11 Mascara Primers That Are 100% Worth the Extra Step (2024)

When it comes to curly, long, voluminous lashes—sometimes you need a little something extra. Enter: mascara primers. Just like face primers, mascara primers are that secret extra step to create particularly great results. According to New York City-based makeup artist Joseph Carrillo, they help to thicken and lengthen the lashes before mascara. "They usually come in the color white so you can see where you have applied it," he says. Carrillo adds that some even have additional benefits. "These primers now come with properties to condition the lashes for growth and to prevent them from breaking," he adds.

To find the best options, we scoured the internet in search of rave reviews. Then, we cross-checked those with recommendations from our editors here at Byrdie. When determining the best mascara primers, we looked at the following features and benefits, among others: conditioning ingredients, thickening properties, tinting, volume, lengthening, and affordability. With this comprehensive list of the top mascara primers, you can look forward to your longest, thickest lashes ever.

What We Like: Helps add length, conditions lashes, helps mascara lasts longer, and great for sensitive eyes.

What We Don't Like: Can weigh down super thin lashes.

Key Ingredients: Wax blend, vitamin E | Size: 0.2 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Specially formulated for sensitive eyes, Lancôme's primer offers a white mascara base with microfibers to enhance both the color and the length, curve, and thickness of your lashes. The microfibers coat each lash, lifting them once a coat of mascara is applied. It's been a long-time favorite mascara primer among our editors, and with so many positive reviews online, we're certainly not alone. If you're looking for an all-in-one primer to condition, lengthen, and add volume to your lashes, this is our top pick.

What We Like: Applies easily and smoothly, thickens and helps lashes appear, and doesn't stick or clump.

What We Don't Like: Have to apply multiple layers for the best results.

Key Ingredients: Wax blend, diamond powder | Size: 0.3 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This lash primer's formula, dubbed an "air-pumped texture," coats each lash with a dense layer to intensify the effects of your mascara. Plus, it's infused with an oil-serum concentrate to improve the thickness and curl of your lashes—immediately and over time. In a clinical study done by the brand, subjects reported 73% more curl after eight weeks of application and 90% more curl when compared to their bare lashes. We love that it separates, curls, and thickens the lashes without getting goopy or weighing them down.

What We Like: Won't weigh down lashes, conditions lashes, and defines and separates lashes.

What We Don't Like: Tube can dry out quickly.

Key Ingredients: Wax blend, hydrogenated jojoba oil | Size: 0.3 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This shockingly lightweight formula amplifies your natural lashes for a thicker, longer look that still feels soft. It works to separate the lashes while coating them in a silky formula that adds serious volume, extends their length, and leaves them feeling soft and primed for mascara application. And we love that it's affordable and accessible at pretty much any drugstore.

What We Like: Tinted formula, separates the lashes nicely, and not clumpy.

What We Don't Like: Doesn't help hold a curl.

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, vitamin B5 | Size: 0.26 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If you're looking for a mascara primer to deliver on length, this drugstore option is a fantastic choice. The formula contains ceramides and vitamin B5 to condition the lashes, and we love that it's tinted so you can wear it on its own or under mascara. The brush is excellent for separating the lashes, and the primer works to extend each individual lash for an overall more lengthened, fanned-out look. It's affordable, safe for sensitive eyes, and perfect for anyone looking for a clump-free mascara primer that provides excellent lengthening benefits.

What We Like: Brown tint, defines and separates lashes, and looks natural.

What We Don't Like: Could be more thickening.

Key Ingredients: Wax blend, serine | Size: 0.3 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Use this brown mascara primer to tint, define, and separate your lashes for a natural, feathery look. It can be worn alone to mimic the appearance of a lash tint or layered under mascara for an added boost. While it's not the most volumizing option on the market, we love it for creating a lengthened, separated, natural lash look.

What We Like: Convenient primer and mascara in one tube, great for lengthening, and relatively affordable.

What We Don't Like: Can smudge a bit throughout the day.

Key Ingredients: Jojoba esters | Size: 0.27 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you like to keep your makeup bag to a minimum but you can't go without a lash primer, we recommend checking out this primer and mascara in one. Not only does it help you eliminate bulk in your collection, but the convenient product boasts impressive performance, too. The primer end helps to separate and condition the lashes thanks to jojoba esters in the formula, and the mascara end separates, lengthens, and adds volume to the lashes. Not to mention, getting a two-in-one product for less than $20 is a pretty great deal.

What We Like: Contains peptides, great for volume and length, and creates lash separation.

What We Don't Like: Can feel a bit heavy.

Key Ingredients: Peptides, natural wax blend | Size: 0.34 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Some mascara primers do more than just enhance the appearance of your lashes, and this is one of them. Thanks to the inclusion of peptides in the formula, it works to fortify the lashes and make them look smoother and more conditioned. The water-resistant formula also lengthens, thickens, and separates the lashes for a full, fanned-out look. If you want your mascara primer to work overtime, this is the one we recommend for you.

What We Like: Keeps lashes soft, separates and defines lashes, and thickens and helps lashes look fuller.

What We Don't Like: Can be a bit thick.

Key Ingredients: Cellulose, carnauba wax | Size: 0.16 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Now for the jet-setting crowd: This Tarte travel-size primer. The formula reveals soft, silky lashes with just one prep step—swipe on the conditioning blend for unprecedented volume, a boost in length, and some serious curl. We also love that it contains olive esters to condition and moisturize the lashes.

What We Like: Acts as a nourishing mask for delicate lashes, minimizes mascara transfer, and extends mascara wear.

What We Don't Like: Could have more product in the tube.

Key Ingredients: Wax blend, argan oil, jojoba esters | Size: 0.19 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Don’t be alarmed by the Pepto-Bismol pink color of this lash mask that does double duty as a mascara primer. That’s just the peony, Japanese cherry, and jasmine flower oil blend doing its conditioning, nourishing thing, along with other lash-loving extracts like yuzu fruit for follicle strength and fuller fringe. Upon “first swipe,” we noticed thoroughly separated, coated lashes that stayed wet just long enough for the mascara application, and the final result was a set of lush, super-long lashes that rivaled falsies.

What We Like: Buildable, biotin prevents lash fall-out, and vitamin E conditions.

What We Don't Like: Can clump easily.

Key Ingredients: Wax blend, cellulose, biotin, vitamin E | Size: 0.29 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Piling on layers of mascara for longer, fuller lashes can often result in a case of the dreaded flakes or worse: a ton of transfer under your eyes. Joah’s flake-free formula primes lashes like a pro so you can apply mascara without worry, and it sneaks in healthy hair ingredients like biotin and vitamin E for extra nourishment. Plus, the volumizing hourglass wand coats every little lash for a wide-eyed, lifted look—transforming even the shortest hairs into Bambi-esque wisps.

What We Like: Boosted lash curl by 132% in clinical trials, ophthalmologist tested, and has pitch-black pigments.

What We Don't Like: A bit hard to build product.

Key Ingredients: Wax blend, argan, and grapeseed oils| Size: 0.27 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Stick-straight lashes don’t stand a chance against Too Faced’s Foreplay Primer which enhanced curl, volume, and fullness over 100% in its clinical trials. If you struggle with poiliosis (aka white eyelashes that don’t hold melanin) you’ll be happy to know this formula contains deep black pigments that can fake darker fringe even before mascara is applied. A beneficial blend of argan and grapeseed oils also wraps each follicle in omega 3 and 9 fatty acids for healthy, unbreakable hairs.

What to Look for When Shopping for Mascara Primer

• Conditioning ingredients: When choosing a mascara primer, looking for one that offers conditioning and nourishing ingredients for the lashes is a fantastic way to yield more benefits in your makeup routine. The best mascara primers will provide conditioning ingredients such as vitamin E, peptides, rich oils, panthenol, and other vitamins to boost lash health and appearance.
• Formula and brush: Look for a formula and brush that appeals to the desired look and results you're going for. Some wands and formulas are designed specifically to lengthen the lashes, while others deliver on volume. Ultimately, it comes down to your preferences and whether you’re in the market for a lengthening option, or looking for something to thicken the lashes and add significant volume.
• Pigment: Consider whether you want a clear, white, or pigmented mascara primer. Pigmented mascara primers can offer more color without risking white peeping through. Some mascara primers that offer color can also be used on their own for a natural, subdued look that also provides nourishment to your lashes.
  

Why Trust Byrdie

Hallie Gould is Byrdie's editor-in-chief + GM. She has a decade's worth of experience as a writer and editor and has written hundreds of high-performing stories on skincare, wellness, makeup, and hair.

Kelli Acciardo is a commerce writer at Byrdie covering all things beauty. Although a newbie to mascara primers, she’s recently become obsessed with Winky Lux’s First Swipe.

Team Byrdie also worked with a trusted makeup expert for this story:

• Joseph Carrillo, a Mexican-American celebrity makeup artist and the Co-Host of the podcast 'Becoming an Icon,' which explores various Latinx genre-defining stars such as Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Bad Bunny.

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough facial moisturizers from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com, and we will evaluate the product ASAP.