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You want to know which mascara is actually waterproof? Ask your friends with straight eyelashes. Waterproof mascara is code for "Aqua Net for eyelashes." Unless I use an eyelash curler and a specifically waterproof formula of mascara, my stick-straight lashes lose their upward bend in minutes. Maybe you were blessed with bouncy lashes, but if you ever break a sweat, or experience smudging on your bottom lid, waterproof mascara is simply the best option for active mascara-wearers.
And no one does waterproof like Eyeko.
I've tried them all. And I mean, whatever new type of waterproof catches my eye at Rite Aid along with higher-end department store brands like Dior and Lancome. Cheaper formulas from Maybelline and Revlon have that too-wet consistency at first, are great for a week or two after it's dried out a bit, and then become a clumpy, un-swipeable glob. Those $30 luxury tubes look great when you first apply, but I hadn't found any formula that held my curl past lunch.
The Eyeko Sport waterproof mascara was something new to try, from an intriguing company that exclusively makes eye makeup and nothing more. At a more agreeable price point of $25, for something I wear every day. (Discounted to $22.50 today!)
I'm on my third consecutive tube now, and have reached the end to my search for the perfect mascara. The cruelty-free, fibrous formula adds length to my stubby fringe without becoming spidery when I get heavy handed. It lasts me longer than drugstore formulas, without drying out as fast, and the flexible tube is a major perk when packing too many products into too small of a toiletry bag.
Just know that once you enter the bright-eyed realm of waterproof mascara, you will have to add eye-makeup remover into your routine. But using that to remove mascara with a cotton ball is gentler on our eyes in the long run, avoiding the scrubbing and tugging that can hasten the arrival of fine lines.
(Cool Stuff is a new feature at Willamette Week where we feature product reviews, roundups, sales and other commerce and shopping-oriented content. All Cool Stuff reviews are editorially independent, meaning we provide honest reviews and aren't paid by the brands we write about. If you do choose to purchase something after following one of our links, Willamette Week may receive a commission, which helps fund our journalism.)