Exploring Mascaras

Kaidron Community Insights — Mascara Preferences

Mascara is the one product that almost everyone wears — and almost everyone has a very specific way of using it.

There's a reason mascara remains one of the most purchased products in colour cosmetics year after year: it does something nothing else can, and it does it in seconds. This week's survey explored how our community approaches the ritual — from the wand they reach for to the number of coats they swear by, and the formulas they trust to last.

What emerges is a portrait of a highly habituated category. The vast majority wear mascara daily, two coats is the near-universal standard, and the technique is considered — wiggling at the roots leads by a margin that reveals how much this community has refined their application. All-in-one formulas dominate, but the underlying demand is simple: good results and wear that lasts. Everything else is a distant secondary consideration.

The most surprising finding sits in colour: an extraordinary majority are very open to experimenting with coloured mascaras, making this one of the most opportunity-rich categories in the survey. For brand partners, the message is clear — this community is expert, opinionated, and ready to be delighted by something new.

77%

wear mascara every single day without exception

61%

apply exactly two coats — the community standard for a finished look

71%

are very open to experimenting with coloured mascaras beyond black

80%

prefer waterproof or smudge-proof formulas — non-waterproof is very much the minority

58%

use or have used a mascara primer — awareness of this product step is high

Chapter 01

The Daily Habit & What Mascara Is Really For

Daily use is the overwhelming norm. And the primary reason the community reaches for mascara isn't lash darkening or eye enlargement — it's overall enhancement.

77%

wear mascara every day — placing it firmly in the non-negotiable tier of the makeup routine

97%

wear it daily or several times a week — occasional use is almost non-existent in this community

Main reason for wearing mascara

Enhance overall appearance

45%

Define my eyes

28%

Make eyes appear bigger

17%

Darken my lashes

9%

"Results and longevity are the only things that truly matter. Everything else is a bonus."

25%

of all quality selections go to good results — the single most cited reason to choose a mascara, above everything else

23%

cite long-lasting wear as a key quality — near-equal with good results, making performance the category's defining brief

19%

rate easy application as a standout quality — a signal that the brush design and formula experience matter as much as the finish

Chapter 02

Formula, Finish & the Waterproof Question

All-in-one leads formula preference by a clear margin — the community wants one product that does it all. And the preference for waterproof or smudge-proof is overwhelming.

Formula preference

All-in-one 44%

Volumizing 27%

Lengthening 23%

Curling / Other 4%

Waterproof preference

Waterproof

42%

Smudge-proof

38%

Non-waterproof

21%

25%

Good results

23%

Long-lasting wear

19%

Easy application

12%

Brand reputation

11%

Price

9%

Cruelty-free / vegan status

Chapter 03

The Application Ritual — Brush, Coats & Technique

Two coats, a thick or curved brush, and a root-first wiggling technique — the community has a very considered approach to application that goes well beyond simply dragging the wand through their lashes.

Preferred brush type

Thick brush

31%

Curved brush

29%

Thin brush

22%

Comb-like applicator

13%

Spherical brush

5%

Application technique

Wiggling at the roots

33%

Rolling the wand

29%

Zig-zag motion

27%

Blinking onto the wand

11%

61% apply exactly two coats — the established community standard, applied with deliberate technique from the roots up.

Chapter 04

Colour Openness & Mascara Primers

The data on coloured mascaras is one of the most striking findings in this survey — this community is not just open to colour experimentation, it actively welcomes it.

Openness to coloured mascaras

Very open — love experimenting 71%

Somewhat open — might try it 21%

Not open / never considered 7%

Mascara primer & lash base usage

Occasionally

32%

Yes, regularly

26%

No, I don't use them

23%

Not familiar with them

19%

Removal and replacement tell the story of a community that treats its mascara with care — and cycles through products regularly.

40%

remove mascara with micellar water — the leading removal method, chosen for its gentleness on the eye area

67%

replace their mascara within four months — a healthy hygiene habit that keeps repurchase frequency high

92%

replace within six months — signalling that the concept of mascara as a product to refresh and renew is well established in this community

Chapter 05

Community Brand Preferences

Community members named their favourite mascara brands in their own words. Maybelline and Lancôme lead — a striking pairing of mass-market and prestige. Rimmel, Benefit, and L'Oréal complete the top five.

Maybelline

Lancôme

Rimmel

Benefit

L'Oréal

YSL

MAC

e.l.f.

Huda Beauty

Dior

Charlotte Tilbury

Essence

Too Faced

Fenty Beauty

Brand mention bars show relative popularity — indexed to Maybelline as the most-mentioned brand. Based on open-text responses; brands named alongside others are counted individually. Approximate figures only.

Source: Kaidron Community Survey — Mascara Preferences (Survey ID 1782395906331). Data expressed as percentages of total responses per question. Multi-select question (Q426) expressed as share of total selections. Brand mentions (Q434) are open-text responses counted individually; approximate figures only. Minor rounding variance may apply.

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