The best lash primers help you get the most out of your favorite mascara—hello, low effort. Whether your ideal flutter craves lengthening, separation, volume, or all of the above, the right primer makes mascara easier to apply and results longer-lasting and more noticeable. Like regular mascaras, these base coats come in a variety of wand shapes, pigments, bonus ingredients, and talents (yup, some even waterproof your standard formulas), making it tricky to pinpoint your perfect match. That’s why we checked in with editors, makeup artists, cosmetic chemists, and board-certified dermatologists to help you zero in on the best of the best. Ahead, shop our favorites, complete with our editors’ before-and-after pics. The proof is in the primer.
Our Top Picks
Frequently Asked Questions
Best for Lengthening: Lancôme Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base
Why it’s worth it: Lancôme’s Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base is usually our answer to “Why do your eyelashes look so good?” and, honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way. This 2021 Best of Beauty alum provides a grippy, nourishing base coat that makes your lashes look longer, fuller, and prepped for pigment. By priming your lashes, you help them separate evenly, which maximizes surface area and sets the stage for your mascara to catch eyes. The lash-loving formula packs vitamins B5 and E to promote growth and keep lashes healthy. Bonus: You can even wear this primer solo overnight as a conditioning treatment. And don’t worry, the primer’s initial white color won’t get in the way of the black (or brown, or burgundy) of your mascara, as long as you apply your top coat while the base is still wet (key to avoiding clumps!).
Tester feedback: “I save lash primer for special occasions, since I have a very impatient toddler to deal with. But when I do whip this out, it’s worth the extra effort: It takes the effects of Lancôme’s Lash Idole mascara, which are pretty incredible as-is, to the next level,” says contributing editor Deanna Pai. “It just makes my lashes look thicker and fuller, adding a little more definition around my eyes—versus having a lengthening effect. And despite having a noticeable texture, it left zero clumps.” Pai notes that it takes a minute to dry, which can be annoying when she’s in a rush.
Key ingredients: vitamin E | Color: white | Who it’s for: people who prefer length over volume
Best for Layering: Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Tinted Primer
Why it’s worth it: Maybelline New York’s Lash Sensational Sky High Tinted Primer (a 2023 and 2024 Allure Best of Beauty winner) scores major points for versatility. Unlike many of its priming peers, the formula doubles as a soft-black tint that can be worn solo or in conjunction with your favorite mascara. Infused with ceramides and vitamin B5 to condition, this primer helps your mascara layers appear less clumpy and crunchy, making your lashes feel healthier over time. The trick to this primer is to let it dry fully before applying a follow-up—thankfully, it dries really quickly, so patience needn’t be a virtue. It’s not waterproof, which we think is a plus because it comes off easily when you’re ready to rinse.
Tester feedback: “When I was entering the lash primer game, I was afraid that layering mascara over primer would be a one-way ticket to crunchy, clumpy city. But Maybelline’s primer sits light on my lashes and helps my top coat stay put and look more defined,” says contributing commerce writer Annie Blackman. “I’ll be honest, the first time I brushed it on, I ignored the directions and didn’t wait for the primer to dry before going in with mascara.” That impatience, she says, was a mistake. “It led to an overload of creamy pigment. So, following the dry-down instructions is important.” Blackman also points out the wand’s flexibility, making it easier to catch the tiny lashes in the inner corners of your eyes.
Key ingredients: ceramides, carnauba wax, jojoba oil, vitamin B5 | Color: Soft Black | Who it’s for: people looking for a multi-use primer that can be worn in different ways
Best 2-in-1: Honest Mascara + Primer
Why it’s worth it: If anything is true about Allure editors, it’s that we’ll always cheer for a two-in-one—and Honest Beauty’s Extreme Length Mascara & Lash Primer has us fist-pumping. The primer end of this dual-sided tube is infused with softening jojoba esters, helping your mascara swipe on more smoothly and evenly with maximum lash lengthening and separation. Just brush on the primer, wait about 30 seconds, and then follow up with the jet-black mascara side of the tube. During our testing, we found that the short tube of the primer can take some getting used to—and requires a little contortion to apply it to the corners of the lashlines—but it’s not a dealbreaker. And the mascara alone delivers pretty good lengthening.
