We Asked, They Answered: Real Sephora Employees Tell Us Their Favorite Mascaras

I don’t always trust others to make me look beautiful, but when I do…it’s the women who work at Sephora. These are the experts of my face, and I trust almost anything they say unless they are the rep for a specific brand. Usually, instead of asking “What do you recommend?” I get into serious girlfriend-to-girlfriend trust circle mode and ask, “So what mascara are you wearing right now” or “Seriously, what mascara do you use every day?”

(Related: 16 Tips On How To Get Hired At Sephora)

Because mascara is such an essential item with so much variety, I thought that this time I should share my findings with you guys, my internet besties. In a sweep of the two Sephora stores closest to my NYC office—somewhere around 20 employees—these were the most common responses I got. And if anyone knows what mascara to use, it’s the people who can buy them all and experiment at a hefty employee discount.

1. Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash ($24.00)

This was the number one response I got, and it wasn’t close. Certainly, the numbers were skewed by the mere fact that this is brand new, but the Sephora employees are officially obsessed with this mascara. And with good reason. I’m a recent convert myself thanks to our very own Kristyn Fillip, who reviewed Benefit’s new mascara offering and showed that it is even better than their classic They’re Real! mascara. Trust me, you’ll be obsessed too.

2. Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes Mascara ($31.00)

A few Sephora employees swore by this unique ball-tip mascara by Givenchy. When asked why they preferred this particular mascara, all three who recommended it cited its intense black color. If your main eyelash priority is making them super black, this is definitely the mascara for you. If you want to go with colored lashes, the blue is also fabulous!

3. Diorshow Mascara by Dior ($25.00)

Unsurprisingly, the long-time cult favorite Diorshow was another common response. While I personally haven’t tried this mascara, several Sephora employees swore by its amazing volume. When our editor Sam tested it for our Controversial Cult Fave series, she also loved the volume, agreeing it created full, plush lashes. Unfortunately, she also found that after a few hours it faded and smudged underneath her eyes. Sephora employees say yes. Sam says yes-but-no. What do you guys think?

4. Estée Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara ($25.00)

Though only a couple of employees cited this Estee Lauder mascara, I’ll admit I was surprised. I have tried this and one other Estee Lauder mascara in testers and did not like the brush one bit. However, I do have a penchant for chubby brushes (I’m using the Buxom Lash Waterproof Mascara ($19.00) right now and absolutely love it) and not everyone does. Employees said that the draw of this mascara is its ability to separate your lashes and create length that lasts all day. I believe it—it just isn’t enough volume, thickness, or intensity for me.

What is your favorite of Sephora’s many mascaras? And especially if you are a Sephora employee yourself, do you agree with the lovely ladies I asked?

(Photo: Shutterstock)