I've Never Liked False Lashes, so I've Used This Mascara for 12 Years Instead

Whereas my skincare and haircare routines are always changing and evolving (everything from the season to where I'm living to the time of the month seems to affect what my skin and hair need), my go-to makeup routine has remained steadfast and remarkably unchanged for years. I've been open about the fact that I still swear by and use lots of the staples I loved back in high school and college, and while testing new and exciting beauty products is a given considering the nature of my job, I very much have an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality when it comes to my favorite blushes, bronzers, foundations, and mascaras. Today, I'm focusing on the latter. 

Growing up, I had an obsession with beauty and fashion magazines. I would read every glossy word from start to finish and back again, and I dedicated my weekly babysitting and retail job earnings to trying all of the most enticing and award-winning formulas inhabiting every write-up. Year after year, Dior's forever-iconic mascara, Diorshow, was front and center, and obviously, I got my hands on the stuff as soon as I could scrimp enough money together. Diorshow quickly became one of my mom's all-time favorite mascaras, but as someone who had very long, albeit stick-straight, lashes, it was just too heavy for me. I've always prioritized curl and length, and I found the bushy brush too big and imprecise for the highly defined, separated, and false lash–effect lift I was after. So after doing a little more research, I landed on a different, slightly less well-known Dior formula, the Diorshow Iconic Mascara ($30), and it quickly became my ride-or-die wand for creating the lifted, super-curled doe-eyed lashes of my dreams. (To this day, people mistake my Dior-lacquered lashes for falsies.)

As far as mascaras go, Dior makes some of the best in the biz, and they're a unanimous fan favorite among the makeup artist and celebrity set, too. As I discovered when I was younger, however, certain Dior mascaras are best suited for certain types of lash goals. Since they are an investment at $30 a pop, it's important to make sure you're choosing the best formula to suit your personal mascara preferences. Below, we've ranked all of Dior's mascaras based on ratings and reviews, highlighting each formula's prized talents—be it curl, volume, length, or a combination of all three. Keep scrolling! Dior's best-selling mascaras await just below. 

Best for: extreme volume. If you're someone who prefers a rubber brush (versus big and bushy) and lots and lots of volume, this is the best Dior mascara for you. Unlike any other mascara we've tried, this one has a squeezable tube that allows you to "pump" the formula one to two times before application. It's all about thickness and volume with this mascara, and according to the brand, lashes will reap +94% high-definition volume. Plus, the dual-material wiper ensures the brush has the perfect ratio of product so you don't end up with a heavy, clumpy lash line. 

Best for: extreme volume, intense black finish. You'd think all black mascara would be made equally, but there can actually be a lot of gray area when it comes to how black a black mascara is. So let's be clear: Thanks to its unique Black Fix complex (a blend of super-saturated black pigments), Diorshow Black Out Mascara is the blackest of black mascaras you can get from Dior. The ultra-inky color payoff is paired up with the brand's trademark volume-enhancing perks, and a gum arabic derivative strategically enables extra-long wear. 

Best for: extreme volume, extension-like length. Meet the most famous of famous Dior mascaras, Diorshow. Without a doubt, this is one of the most iconic mascaras of all time (within the Dior clan and outside of it), and it's especially great for anyone who's craving megawatt volume coupled with falsie-like length. (The formula is deftly enriched with microfibers to achieve the latter.) The brush is big, it's bushy, and the tube's very cool Air-Lock wiper system prevents the mascara from compromising air exposure, which can prematurely dry the formula out long before you've used the entire tube. So yes, this mascara stays wet and fresh until the very last swipe.

Best for: curl, volume, lash definition. With its signature curved brush, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara is one of the most instantaneously recognizable options from Dior's mascara menu. It delivers a little bit of everything, which makes it the best option for someone looking for a mascara with lots of multitasking benefits. It's thoughtfully designed to suit every type of lash so that anyone and everyone can expect a reliable 24 hours of wear and its trademark fanned-out lash effect. Plus, Dior has gone the extra step by infusing this mascara formula with shine-enhancing cotton nectar to help with overall lash health. 

Best for: lots of curl, lift, lash definition. Here it is, folks! The all-in-one magical mascara I've been using since high school. No, this mascara doesn't pack a huge punch where length and volume are concerned, but adding a few extra coats will definitely help create a fuller, thicker result. But back to this mascara's magical curling superpower. This is the only mascara I've ever tried that delivers clump- and flake-free definition combined with featherlight curl and lift that doesn't make my long, straight lashes sag and droop. (There's nothing that gets my goat quite like heavy, gloopy, and stuck-together lashes.) In fact, the curling power in this mascara is so potent that I'll even use it to "set" other more lengthening or volumizing mascaras when I choose to use them. I'm not sure what kind of witchcraft Dior is using, but the unique lifting formula this mascara contains makes for exceptionally sculpted, stretched, and curled lashes that look fake in the best way possible. 

Best for: thickness, curl, length, long-term lash conditioning. Surprise! The most popular, best-rated Dior mascara isn't a mascara in the traditional sense, but a mascara primer. Essentially, adding a few coats of this ingenious formula before your favorite Dior mascara will just enhance the benefits you're looking for (think length, volume, and curl) while simultaneously lacing stressed lashes with a conditioning serum to help them look and feel healthier and longer on their own. The brand recommends pregaming with this mascara primer before going in with the classic Diorshow Mascara (number four above!), but I can say from personal experience that I've used it before Iconic and Iconic Overcurl with super-satisfactory results. Sometimes, I'll even apply it at night to let my lashes marinate in all of the conditioning agents while I log my beauty sleep. 

Up next, Women Across the Globe Adore This Iconic Perfume Brand—Here Are the Favorites

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