Spoiler alert: you’re about to discover your new favorite drugstore mascara. I will go so far as to say that L’Oréal Volumizing Panorama Mascara it’s probably the best drugstore mascara I’ve tried in a while. If you love dramatic volume and length but hate smudgy, flaky formulas that are hard to remove… this one is for you.

The L’Oreal Volumizing Panorama Mascara is about $16 (slightly cheaper at Amazon) and in my opinion this is their best volume product to date. It has the perfect balance of volume and length for me, and the performance beats any other mascara from the brand in recent years.

First of all, I love the tapered wand. In a world full of hourglass wands being the popular shape, I’m always a tapered mascara girl for the simple fact that my inner corner lashes are extremely short. With a shape like this, I can easily grab them and apply product without bumping into my nose. It also kept my lashes well separated for a diffused effect.

The only thing that would make it better is if there were bristles on the tip of the brush. Either way, I can grab my lashes from end to end and I won’t end up with mascara on my lid.

The formula is on the wetter side and I find it works best applied in about two coats. Anything more than that can weigh your lashes down and lose curl or lift. However, once it sets, it locks your lashes in place!

When I first tried it, I definitely pushed it to its limit and layered it for maximum effect. I lost some curl doing this, but my lashes didn’t fall any lower throughout the day, which was impressive considering they’re naturally pretty straight. I also find it holds lift much better than the L’Oréal Telescopic Mascara.

Watch the video below for a before and after on curled lashes.

What really impressed me about this mascara though was how smudge proof it is without being waterproof. In fact, this is labeled as a washable mascara, which means it’s designed to be easily removed at the end of the day.

I fell asleep with this mascara on the first day I tested it because I had a migraine and needed a nap. I also covered my eyes with my hand for pressure and to block out the light. When I woke up, the mascara was shockingly in great shape. I only got three tiny flakes that were literally the tiniest mascara flakes I’ve ever seen. No smearing, no raccoon eyes. I was shocked!

When worn during waking hours, it lives up to its claim of being completely flake-proof.

You can see in the video above that I also tested this anti-friction mascara and was pleasantly surprised to find that… it really did nothing. I’m that person who forgets they’re wearing makeup and rubs their eyes when I’m tired or stressed. But rubbing my eyes while wearing this mascara didn’t affect the look. Not only did it not smudge, it didn’t make my lashes stick together and still didn’t fall out.

Also Read: 5 Best Drugstore Mascaras for Short Lashes in 2023

Noticeable volume and length? Check it out. Locked in eyelash sight in tough conditions? Check it out. No flaking, smudging or build-up? Check it out (when you’re awake lol). And yes, when I use my favorite cleansing balm, this mascara comes off incredibly easily without tugging at your eyes. It checks all the boxes and is the one I reach for the most when I want a more dramatic lash look.

In short, L’Oréal Volumizing Panorama Mascara is the absolute number one contender for the best drugstore mascaras of 2024!

– Miranda