The best mascaras for short lashes in 2024, reviewed by our beauty team

After much testing, our beauty team reviews the best mascaras for short lashes that will create the illusion of long, fluttery ones

Collage of images of three of the best mascara for short lashes featured in this guide from Shiseido, Clinique and Revolution, set against a pale ochre background
(Image credit: Shiseido/Clinique/Revolution/Future)

The best mascara for short lashes, specifically, is one that is exceptionally good at creating a particularly lengthy and fluttery lash look that lasts. Whether you want to add totally transformative volume or would prefer a subtly enhanced look, woman&home's beauty editors have tested enough mascaras to know which ones will get those all-important results in short eyelashes.

Finding the product you deem the best mascara by your own personal standards does take time. With hundreds of options on the market, from the best volumising mascaras to the best tubing mascaras, settling requires a degree of trial and error. You're unlikely to strike gold by picking up any mascara at random and hoping for the best, so it's essential to consider your lash type when shopping.

"The most common complaint I hear is fine lashes," says makeup artist and beauty expert Zoë Taylor, "So choosing a lightweight but buildable mascara is important – rather than a heavy, dense formula, which might clog and weigh down the hairs." Taking her advice on board, and after much testing, here we've reviewed the tried-and-true options that genuinely curled, volumised and lengthened our short lashes.

Best mascaras for short lashes deals

L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Mascara
Get 46% off now
L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Mascara: was £12.99 now £6.99 at Amazon

Save 46% on L'Oréal's iconic Telescopic Mascara, designed to take your lashes to reach new heights. Working to curl, light and lengthen for a thicker and fuller lash look, this mascara boasts a clever double-bristle brush that coats and separates each lash. As for the formula, it's infused with a ceramide complex to act like a natural barrier for your eyelashes.

Clinique High Impact Zero Gravity Mascara
Get 15% off now
Clinique High Impact Zero Gravity Mascara: was £25.50 now £21.60 at Sephora UK

You can currently get 15% off Clinique's High Impact Zero Gravity Mascara. This weightless gel formula works to lift, curl, and lengthen the lashes, giving your eyes a bigger and brighter appearance - plus, no clumping, flaking or smudging.

The best mascara for short lashes, reviewed by our beauty team

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How we tested the best mascara for short lashes

Nine mascaras lying in a row included in the woman&home best mascara for short lashes buying guide

A selection of the mascaras we tested for this guide to the best mascara for short lashes

(Image credit: Amelia Yeomans)

To gauge how well each mascara really performs and, therefore, write as thorough possible a guide to the very best, we tested all of them on our short lashes. We paid particular attention to mascara brush types, formula and ease of application, as well as looking at how they looked after a few hours of wear – keeping a particular eye out for any flaking or smudging.

After that, the main factor we looked at was the mascara's lengthening ability, examining whether each product could revive our short lashes and provide that much sought-after fluttery look.

How to choose the best mascara for short lashes

There are a few key factors to consider to find an ideal mascara that works well on short, sparse or fine lashes. By assessing each one against the following criteria, you can be almost certain that you will find a mascara that will work for you and your lashes.

  • Wand: As well as the formula, a mascara's results hinge largely on its wand type. Volumising mascaras tend to have thicker, hourglass-shaped wands, while lengthening ones usually have thinner, tapered wands. Consider your desired look and pay attention to the accompanying brushes while shopping.
  • Formula: Those with hooded eyes or oily skin (or both) often struggle with mascara smudging. Here, a tubing formula, which "wraps" the lashes in polymers that only come off with warm water or a slightly drier consistency, can be beneficial. If you want something buildable or that's less likely to dry out, opt for thinner, wetter consistencies that layer on more easily.
  • Ingredients: Another important factor for those with sensitive eyes is ingredients. If yours are prone to irritation or you want to improve the health of your lashes, you may want to go for a formula with nourishing oils, but some of these can be irritating to sensitive eyes, so do some research into the ingredients before you buy.

How to make short lashes look longer

The next step is mastering your application. "Once you have curled, apply mascara starting in the root, wiggling the wand deep into the base of the lashes," Taylor recommends "Then, draw out the wand through the lashes to the tips, spreading the lashes as you would like them to sit." Take your time here, as it's a technique worth perfecting to ensure your lashes look exactly as you'd like them.

"The second layer should be [applied] mostly into the roots, and the third starting again in the roots and drawing through to the tips," Taylor continues. "Moving onto the other eye, repeat. Once you are happy, apply a tiny extra bit onto the tips in an upwards and downwards motion." And, voilà, you will have longer and fuller-looking lashes.

How do you apply mascara to short, sparse lashes?

Taylor is very clear in her advice on this matter: "Always curl your lashes!" As with almost all makeup, how you prepare before you begin applying mascara is key to getting the best results – and one of the best eyelash curlers will help with that.

"It doesn’t matter how long or short your lashes are, really take your time on getting them as curled and perfect as possible," Taylor continues. "Once mascara is on, you mustn’t use eyelash curlers on the lashes as it can damage them."

Can mascara damage short lashes?

If you are wondering is mascara bad for your eyelashes, a common belief is that wearing it can harm your natural lashes, especially those that are already quite fine. However, with the right products and removal processes, there is no reason why mascara should harm your lashes.

"Choose your mascara carefully," says Taylor. "Yes, some are very expensive, but the reason is that they [often] have nourishing serums in the formulations to help encourage lash growth." It is usually true that you get what you pay for, so it is worth investing in the right product if yours are in need of some nourishment.

As well as using one of the best mascaras for short lashes, pay close attention to how you remove your eye makeup, too. "Eye makeup removal is so important for the health of your lashes," Taylor confirms. "I love to remove my mascara with a face balm; [this] doesn’t require heavy rubbing with a cotton or re-usable pad." Using one of the best cleansing balms, therefore, can make a huge difference in keeping your lashes in good health.

Amelia Yeomans
Senior writer

Amelia joined woman&home in 2022 after graduating with an MA in Magazine Journalism from City University and is now a senior writer. She began building her career as a lifestyle journalist after completing a fashion journalism course at the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design in 2019, writing for a variety of titles including OK! magazine, New! magazine and Notion on topics such as sustainable fashion and entertainment. She specialises in fashion and beauty content, covering everything from product reviews and nail art trends to reporting on fashion weeks and the best-dressed celebrities at red carpet events. With a keen eye for lifestyle trends, she is always on the lookout for the latest products and brands to hit the market.