Heightened, defined lashes are just one easy step away. Most beauty trends have their time in the spotlight and then fade into the background. But when it comes to eye makeup, long, defined lashes will always be popular. You may not be blessed with naturally long eyelashes, but you can still get the look without relying on falsies.

This is where lengthening mascara comes in. A few coats of mascara can bring your lashes to new heights, but not all mascaras are created equal — which is why we’re sharing the mascara picks that will give you the length you dream of.

What Does a Lengthening Mascara Do?
A lengthening mascara focuses on elongating your lashes, making them look longer and more defined. Longer lashes can also make your eyes look bigger and more open.

Which Is Better: Volumizing or Lengthening Mascara?
Volumizing mascaras and lengthening mascaras are both great for defining your lashes, but they work in different ways. As we previously stated, lengthening mascaras are all about making your lashes look longer, while volumizing mascaras focus on making your lashes look fuller and denser. Neither is better than the other, and they actually work quite well when layered together.

Do Lengthening Mascaras Expire?
Lengthening mascaras, like all mascaras, expire and while you should check your specific products for an expiration date, most mascaras expire within three to six months.

What Mascara Gives the Best Length?
Lengthening mascaras will take your lashes to new heights with powerful formulas and unique brushes. Here, seven picks to add to your makeup routine.

L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Instant Lift Waterproof Mascara
It’s fair to say that many mascaras put an emphasis on volume, which makes it all the more exciting when you find one that truly focuses on length. This must-have fits the bill by visibly lengthening lashes with a ceramide-infused formula, as well as separating the individual eyelashes with its patented double-hook brush for a gorgeous, fanned-out, long lash look.

Editor’s tip: To ensure your lashes are fully coated, place the brush at the base of your lashes and slowly wiggle it upward. You can also dip the wand into the tube again and add a bit of extra product to just the tips of your lashes for additional length.

L’Oréal Paris Air Volume Mega Mascara Lightweight Mega Volume Washable
This lightweight option gives you puffed-up weightless lashes with intense volume and length. The air-whipped formula creates a lash multiplying effect without adding weight to your lashes, while the cushiony bristle brush coats every lash from root to tip. The bonus: It’s smudge and flake resistant and also comes in a waterproof version.

L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara
The original version of the Telescopic mascara features a combination brush that has a flat side to lengthen your lashes, while the comb side will separate them. The fan favorite mascara gives you intensely lengthened lashes, and users say the clump-free result sets this mascara apart from others.

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Noir Balm Washable Mascara
This balm-in-mascara has a vegan formula and it’s free from parabens and mineral oil. The formula is also buildable, and it volumizes and lifts lashes while being flake and smudge resistant.

L’Oréal Paris Bambi Eye Oversized Eye Washable Mascara Instant Volume
Sometimes when you’re striving for maximum lash length, it can be difficult to reach the inner corners of your lashes with a traditional mascara wand. Enter this mascara, which has a lifting brush to coat each lash from the inner to the outer corners. The long and short bristles will also separate each lash for definition — leaving you with lifted, curled, and lengthened lashes that offer a wide-awake look.

L’Oréal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes
If you haven’t heard of tubing mascara, you’ve been missing out. Tubing mascaras, like this one, form tubes around your lashes that act like lash-lengthening extensions. Not only does the tubing mascara make eyelashes look longer, but the nourishing base coat is infused with ceramides to protect and strengthen lashes. After applying the base coat and swiping on the tubing formula, you’ll see up to 80 percent longer lashes.

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous X Fiber Mascara
This mascara works to both lengthen and thicken your lashes. The primer begins by adding volume to the lashes, and the fiber-infused mascara adds dramatic length. You’ll be left with long, gorgeous, defined eyelashes.

How to Apply Lengthening Mascara
The application of your lengthening mascara will depend on the specific product you’re using and the kind of brush it has, but there are some key things to note, especially when you’re layering your lengthening mascara with a volumizing mascara.

Step 1: Use a mascara primer, like the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara Primer/Base, to help your mascara better adhere to the lashes. Apply it from root to tip and allow it to dry before moving on to your mascara.

Step 2: Start applying your mascara by taking the brush from the root of your lashes to the tip. Apply a second coat after the first, and you can either stop there or move on to applying a volumizing mascara.

Step 3: Use the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Washable Mascara to add volume to your lashes with its soft wavy brush that has more than 200 bristles to really define your lashes. Take the brush, and hold it at the base of your lashes, then slowly wiggle it back and forth to really make sure the formula is worked into your lash hair. Move the brush through the length and tip of your lashes, then and you’ll be left with beautifully lengthened and volumized lashes.