MomSkoop
If your lashes are naturally short or thin, finding the right mascara can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
The good news is that plenty of formulas are specifically designed to add length, lift, and volume to even the sparsest lashes.
Whether you’re working with a tight budget or ready to splurge on luxury, these 11 mascaras will transform your lash game and give you the flutter-worthy fringe you’ve been dreaming of.
1. Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara
Sky High lives up to its name by taking your lashes to new heights.
The flexible brush bends and flexes as you apply it, reaching even the tiniest corner lashes that other wands miss.
Infused with bamboo extract and fibers, the formula grips each lash from root to tip.
This drugstore favorite builds length without clumping, making it perfect for everyday wear.
Your lashes look naturally long and separated, almost like you’re wearing falsies.
The waterproof version holds a curl all day, even through humid weather.
Plus, the slim wand design means you won’t accidentally smudge mascara on your eyelids during application.
2. L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Mascara
Precision meets performance with this genius mascara.
The double-hook brush is incredibly thin, almost like a comb, which lets you coat every single lash individually.
If you’ve got short, sparse lashes, this level of control changes everything.
The formula contains polymers that stretch and lengthen as it dries, creating an extended look without weighing lashes down.
You can layer it multiple times without getting that spidery, clumpy effect that ruins so many mascaras.
Each coat adds more drama while keeping lashes soft and flexible.
The lengthening effect is visible immediately after the first swipe.
3. Clinique High Impact Mascara
Clean beauty meets serious performance in this dermatologist-tested formula.
High Impact separates and defines each lash with surgical precision, making sparse lashes look fuller and more defined.
The brush features a unique design that grabs lashes at the base and sweeps them upward.
Sensitive eyes won’t react to this ophthalmologist-tested formula, which is also safe for contact lens wearers.
The pigment is rich and black, creating instant drama without needing multiple coats.
Your lashes look naturally enhanced rather than coated in product.
It removes easily with warm water and a gentle cleanser, causing zero irritation during the process.
4. Lancôme Lash Idôle Lash-Lifting & Volumizing Mascara
Luxury comes in a tube with this high-end favorite.
The curved brush lifts lashes from the root, creating an eye-opening effect that makes your eyes look bigger and more awake.
Sparse lashes get both length and volume in one swipe, thanks to the gel-cream formula.
The 250 different bristle lengths on the brush ensure every lash gets coated evenly, from baby lashes to longer ones.
Despite adding serious volume, the formula stays lightweight and comfortable throughout the day.
Your lashes won’t droop or lose their curl, even after eight hours of wear.
The packaging feels expensive and substantial in your hand.
5. Maybelline The Falsies Lash Lift Mascara
Want the false lash look without the glue?
This fiber-infused formula delivers.
The curved brush mimics the shape of your lash line, lifting from the roots and extending length at the tips.
Tiny fibers cling to your natural lashes, making them appear longer and thicker.
The formula dries quickly but stays flexible, so your lashes move naturally when you blink.
You can build up multiple coats for evening drama or keep it light for daytime wear.
Either way, your lashes look noticeably longer and more voluminous.
The waterproof version is especially impressive, holding curl through workouts and tears without smudging or flaking throughout the day.
6. Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Mascara
Selena Gomez created this mascara with real people in mind.
The buildable formula lets you customize your look, from natural definition to full-on drama.
The tapered brush is thicker at the base and thinner at the tip, making it easy to coat every lash.
Short lashes get serious length without looking fake or overdone.
The formula contains conditioning ingredients that actually improve lash health over time.
Your lashes feel soft and flexible, never crunchy or stiff like some mascaras leave them.
The sleek packaging looks beautiful on your vanity and the formula lasts all day without transferring onto your eyelids or under-eyes.
7. Benefit BadGal Bang Mascara
Lightweight volume sounds impossible, but Benefit figured it out.
This mascara uses aero-particles, the same technology found in space travel, to create volume without weight.
Fine lashes won’t droop under heavy product because the formula is incredibly light.
The brush has a unique slimpact design that reaches root to tip, coating every lash evenly.
You get 36 hours of wear without smudging, flaking, or fading.
The formula is also water-resistant, holding up through humidity and light rain.
Your lashes look naturally voluminous and lifted, like you were simply born with amazing lashes that need minimal enhancement.
8. Shiseido ImperialLash MascaraInk
Japanese beauty technology brings precision to lash enhancement.
This mascara uses an innovative film-forming polymer that wraps around each lash individually, creating length and lift.
The brush is thin and precise, perfect for coating short lashes without clumping.
The formula is buildable, letting you add more coats for drama without getting spidery.
Your lashes stay separated and defined, even after multiple applications.
The ink-like formula dries quickly and stays put all day, resisting humidity and oil.
Removal is surprisingly easy despite the long-lasting formula, coming off cleanly with warm water and gentle pressure without harsh rubbing required.
9. Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
Budget beauty doesn’t mean sacrificing quality.
This drugstore gem costs less than a fancy coffee but performs like a high-end mascara.
The conic fiber brush grabs every lash, depositing just the right amount of product for length and definition.
Sparse lashes look noticeably fuller and longer after just one coat.
The formula is buildable without getting clumpy, so you can layer it for more drama.
Your lashes stay soft and flexible, never stiff or crunchy.
The dramatic lengthening effect rivals mascaras that cost five times as much, making this a must-have for anyone on a budget.
10. CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara
Sometimes classics become classics for good reason.
This iconic orange tube has been delivering volume since 2007, and it still works beautifully on fine, short lashes.
The large brush might look intimidating, but it actually makes application easier by coating more lashes at once.
The formula adds serious volume without clumping, making sparse lashes look full and lush.
Your lashes get lifted at the roots, creating an eye-opening effect.
The pigment is richly black, adding drama without needing multiple coats.
This mascara stays put all day without flaking or smudging, making it reliable for long days at work or school.
11. L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara
This golden tube has graced makeup bags for decades.
The formula contains volumizing collagen and ceramide-R, which plump up thin lashes while conditioning them.
The brush is simple but effective, coating each lash evenly from root to tip.
Sparse lashes get noticeable volume and thickness without looking fake or overdone.
The rich black pigment makes your lashes stand out, even without eyeliner.
Your lashes look naturally fuller, like you simply have great genetics.
The formula doesn’t smudge or flake throughout the day, staying perfectly in place from morning until you remove it at night with ease.