We all want to have long and full lashes like a French movie star. Not only are thickened lashes a natural confidence booster, but they also help to highlight your eyes in the most flattering and sultry way.
When it comes to choosing how to lengthen your lashes, there are a lot of different options. If you’re looking for something quick, easy, and inexpensive – the French choice – reaching for your favorite tube of mascara is the prime way to go.
How do you know which of the many French mascaras are worth trying and which should be avoided? That’s what I’ll share today!
Best French Mascaras
To save you the hassle of buying a cheap and clumpy mascara, in this article, we’ve put together a list of our top picks for the seven best French mascaras to help enhance your lashes like no other. These mascaras have all been carefully selected for different price ranges, allergies, and ingredient preferences to ensure you’re truly finding the tube of your dream. If you’re ready to ditch that cheap mascara you’re currently dragging along with, let’s go ahead and get started.
We’re sure that you’ll find the perfect mascara to add to your French makeup collection!
1. Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effet Faux Cils
First on the list is the Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effet Faux Cils mascara. This unique mascara has built up a remarkable reputation for its faux lash effect and miraculous hold. Unlike other mascaras that have harsh chemicals that cause damage to your lashes, Yves Saint Laurent has carefully enriched their mascara with a unique Lash Care formula to condition your lashes while also lengthening them for a fluffier look.
On top of this, their mascara has also been carefully crafted with gentle, non-drying ingredients, so you never have to worry about clumps, shedding, or flakes (can I get an amen?). The Yves Saint Laurent is one of a kind and may truly be the true secret to softer and healthier lashes.
You can snag the YSL Volume Effet mascara from Sephora, Nordstrom, Amazon, or the US YSL beauty site.
2. Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara
Next on the list of the best French mascaras on the market, the Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara is an absolute must for those looking to create a naturally voluptuous look. This particular mascara has been designed with a creamy formula to lift and sculpt your lashes from root to tip for a fuller appearance without clumps.
Just like the mascara above, Lancôme has also been enriched with vitamin B5, effortlessly nurturing your lashes for a volume boost of up to 600% – crazy, right? This mascara is also free of sulfates and formaldehyde, so you never have to worry about harsh ingredients coming anywhere near your beautiful eyes. French model Louise Follain also swears by this mascara, so there’s that!
Pick up the Lancôme Hypnôse Buildable Volume mascara from Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta, or the US Lancome website.
3. Dior Diorshow Mascara
Next up is the cult mascara Dior Diorshow Mascara. Designed with a buildable formula and a unique XXL brush to provide a truly gawk-worthy enhancement to your lashes, this mascara is an absolute must-have if you’re looking for lifted lashes that will last.
The Diorshow mascara has been so successful that it’s been reformulated for specific concerns and relaunched multiple times:
- Diorshow Iconic
- Diorshow Iconic Overcurl
- Diorshow Iconic High Definition
- Diorshow Waterproof
- Diorshow Black Out
- Diorshow Pump N’ Volume
Aside from its unique and exotic brush design, this mascara has also been enriched with silk proteins, microfibers, and rose essence to condition the lashes for a look similar to falsies. If you want an authentic faux lash look without the high cost, this is the perfect product for you. This mascara is also available in black, blue, and brown for your unique preference.
Pick it up today from Ulta, Sephora, Nordstrom, or directly from the US Dior site.
4. Sisley So Intense Fortifying Volumizing Mascara
Those looking for higher-quality ingredients needn’t look further than the Sisley Fortifying and Volumizing Mascara. Crafted with quality ingredients, this mascara gives your lashes instant volume and lift, leaving them with a visibly longer and thicker appearance.
Its unique formula is also enriched with a vitamin-rich peptide that noticeably thickens your lashes within just a few weeks of use. If you’re looking for dense, volumized, and strengthened eyelashes that will continue to grow with the more product you apply, Sisley So Intense is the one for you.
Grab this mascara from Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Amazon, or directly from the US Sisley site.
5. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Extension Lengthening Mascara
Next, for those with sensitive eyes, La Roche-Posay is an absolute must in your eyewear collection. Unlike other mascaras, this La Roche-Posay mascara sculpts each individual lash to create a naturally fuller flutter to your eyes that will have you swooning.
This mascara has been made with some of the most gentle ingredients on the market and has been recommended by dermatologists worldwide as a suitable choice for those with sensitive eyes. The La Roche-Posay Toleriane is fragrance-free, paraben-free, and allergy tested, so you can rest assured you are using something of true quality on your eyes with every application.
La Roche-Posay is one of the most trusted French skincare brands in France, so you know their products are legit! You could pick this up in a French pharmacy or order it online.
6. L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara
If you’re looking for a quality and affordable drug-store mascara, the Paris mascara from L’Oréal is perfect for you. The L’Oréal Paris Lash Paradise mascara is an award-winning formula that gives the essential highlight and lifts to make your eyes pop with a volume truly fit for a queen.
With 200+ bristles on the brush, this is one of the best French mascaras and carefully carves and fluffs out your lashes for a feathery look with just one simple coat. The formula is water-proof and is guaranteed to keep your eyes from smudging all day long.
When in doubt, L’Oréal has always got your back. This is definitely the most budget-friendly French mascara on our list! Make it yours from Ulta, Walmart, or Amazon today.
7. Vivienne Sabó Cabaret Premiere Mascara
Last but not least, if you’re looking for something affordable that is also cruelty-free, Vivienne Sabo Cabaret Premiere Mascara is a prime choice for you. Claiming to be the true secret to French beauty, this mascara takes your everyday lashes from boring to something a little more sultry.
This classic formula is lightweight and thickening, working to create a volumized definition with just one coat. This mascara is smudge-proof and clump-free, so you never have to worry about messy clean-up after applying. Overall, it seems to truly have it going on in just about every aspect, and if you ask us, it is definitely worth checking out.
Look, there are a lot of different mascaras out there. Whether it’s volumizing or lengthening, the variations are truly endless. However, if you’re looking for one of the best French mascaras that will give you confidence, make your eyes pop, and also have you feeling like the parisienne you are, we highly suggest checking out the seven choices above, as there truly seems to be no other mascara that can even come close to these French options. So give it a shot, flaunt your stuff, and watch the boys fall to their knees the second they see you. Trust us, a good French mascara will make that happen every time!
