I Tried 5 Colored Mascaras & Found The Best One For Music Festivals

My favorite part of going to a music festival is embracing bold, bright makeup trends that I otherwise would never wear. From bedazzled patterns across your body to embracing blush and glitter maximalism, there’s no shortage of incredibly fun (and daring) looks you can try.

This year, the Y2K nostalgia is going strong, with celebrities and their makeup artists embracing colored mascara as a simple way to instantly upgrade any makeup look. Serena Williams wore bright blue lashes to the 2025 Super Bowl. Millie Bobby Brown started an entire burgundy mascara trend with her Vogue Beauty Secrets video. Kylie Jenner is a loyal brown mascara devotee.

Needless to say, the colored mascara trend is something I will most definitely be rocking, but first, I wanted to put a bunch of the best-selling colored mascaras to the test to find the best of the best.

About The Colored Mascaras I Tested

I scoured #BeautyTok and did a quick Google search to find the colored mascaras that reviewers swear by. I narrowed down my picks to find the best products to deliver a healthy dose of color to my eyelashes and last all day without smudging. Making sure these products don’t budge in the heat was a must.

The Best Overall: Tarte’s Tartelette Tubing Mascara

Tarte’s tubing mascara has been a TikTok favorite for years. First released back in 2022, their product promised (and delivered) length, volume, and curl with a non-flaky, long-lasting, and conditioning formula. While originally available only in black and brown, the brand has recently expanded its collection to include navy, electric blue, magenta, and emerald green.

I ranked this my favorite colored mascara overall due to its many strengths (see “Pros”) and the numerous compliments I received while wearing it. I tested this product in electric blue, and I was pleasantly surprised by the richness of the pigment when combined with the primer. This was also my first time using a tubing mascara, and I was genuinely so impressed with the length and overall quality of the formula. It’s been a long time since I’ve used a mascara that didn’t leave me looking like a raccoon halfway through the day.

Key features:

• 24-hour flake-free, smudge-proof, and sweat-proof.
• Formula features shea butter and castor oil to help eyelash growth.
• Easy to remove without scrubbing.

Pros:

• When combined with the primer, the pigment of the colored mascara is super bright and bold, making it a great choice for people with darker eyelashes.
• You only need a coat or two to fully see the benefits of the tubing formula on length, volume, and color.
• Due to its flake-free formula, it’s a great option for people who wear contacts.

Cons:

• $28 full-price is a lot of money for something that also requires a $28 primer.

Overall Score: 4.5/5.

The Best Drugstore: L’Oreal Voluminous Washable Mascara

L’Oreal Paris has been my family’s go-to mascara for decades. Decades. It might not compare to higher-end brands, but the quality of the product for the price is top-tier. While this was one of my favorite colored mascaras overall, barely anyone noticed I was wearing color on my lashes sans primer. If you have darker lashes, it’s important to prep or else you’re just wasting product.

Key features:

• Anti-clumping and smudge-resistant formula.
• Lengthen lashes up to 5x.
• Contains conditioning ingredients.
• Waterproof.

Pros:

• Offered at an affordable price ($12).
• Comes in seven colors.

Cons:

• Pigment isn’t as bright or bold sans primer.
• Does flake after several hours of wear.

Overall Score: 4/5.

The Best Splurge: Pat McGrath Labs Dark Star Colour Blitz Mascara

When it comes to bright and vibrant festival makeup, Pat McGrath Labs doesn’t miss. I tested out their vivid pink mascara. This color might have been a bit too showy for my own personal tastes, but it’s a great splurge-worthy option for people who aren’t afraid to make a statement with their makeup. Not only does it last several hours without smudging, it provides bold pigment sans primer (although I definitely recommend investing in a primer if you have darker lashes).

Key features:

• Free of parabens and sulfates.
• Vegan and cruelty-free.
• Volumizing with anti-gravity lift.

Pros:

• Bright, bold pigment with a single swipe.
• Provides a good amount of volume and lengthening to your eyelashes.

Cons:

• Price point is definitely higher, especially if you don’t plan on wearing this color often.
• Only a single color is currently available.
• The formula is a little wet and can take a few moments to dry.

Overall Score: 3.5/5.

The Best Everyday: Benefit Cosmetics BADgal Bang! Mascara

I’ve been a Benefit Cosmetics mascara stan for years, so I was super excited to test out the Wild Plum color for this story. Overall, I think this was one of my favorite options for a subtle dose of pigment. While I’m not sure I’d choose this specific color for a music festival, it’s an excellent everyday option for people who want a little more color in their life. Funny enough, most people didn’t realize I was wearing a non-black mascara until I stood in the right lighting. It was a lot of fun to see their reactions when they finally realized.

Key features:

• Volumizing.
• Long-wearing.
• Lightweight formula.

Pros:

• Provides a great amount of volume with a single swipe.
• Long-lasting and doesn’t smudge after a full day out.

Cons:

• On dark lashes, the pigment isn’t as bright; highly recommend using a primer for bolder, brighter coloring.
• $29 is still a pretty steep price point for a color you might not wear every day.
• It can be a little difficult to remove, but a double cleansing usually fixes this.

Overall Score: 4.5/5.

The Best Designer: YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara

I don’t usually like to buy designer makeup because often, in my opinion, you can find a similar product from a smaller brand at a lower price point. But, in the name of good journalism, I tested out a colored mascara from YSL and was pleasantly surprised by it. Opting for a deep, rich brown, the color itself was harder to see on my naturally black lashes, but pairing it with a primer gave me a subtle, warm tone to my eyes. I loved the thickness of the brush, and the formula held up well, even on a sweltering day.

Key features:

• Lengthening.
• 24-hour smudge-proof wear.
• Fragrance-free, paraben-free.

Pros:

• An Allure Best of Beauty Award winner.
• Thick brush provides lots of coverage.
• Tons of volume with a single stroke.

Cons:

• $33 a bottle is a good price for a designer product, but it can be a bit out of reach for most people.
• Color isn’t super pigmented if you have dark lashes, and needs to be paired with a primer.

Overall Score: 3.5/5.