Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara | Vegan Formula, Dramatic Volume and Length | Cruelty-Free Eye Makeup + Hourglass Brush for False Lash Effect, Black, 0.27 Fl Oz

Why it's worth it

The mascara that topped US prestige sales for six straight years, in the only shade that matters. If she wears makeup at all, she wears mascara, and this one is a genuine upgrade over drugstore.

Mascara is the makeup gift that can't go wrong. Black is black. There's no undertone to match, no coverage level to guess, no finish preference to navigate. That's why this is the pick for someone whose routine you've never seen — a friend's daughter, a new coworker, your brother's girlfriend. Circana ranked Better Than Sex the number-one US prestige mascara for six consecutive years, from 2018 through 2024.

The hourglass brush is what people actually notice. It's pinched in the middle, so the narrow section gets into the inner corner and the fat ends load up the outer lashes. Owners consistently describe dramatic length and volume from one coat, which is the difference between a mascara she reaches for on a Tuesday and one she saves for going out.

From our review of 7 beauty stocking stuffers for women

What we like

• +Mascara is the makeup gift that can't go wrong
• +The hourglass brush is what people actually notice
• +It's also ophthalmologist-tested and safe for contact lens wearers, which quietly matters
• +The tube is slim and about five inches long — genuinely stocking-shaped, unlike a lot of beauty packaging

What to know

• –It clumps if you're heavy-handed
• –Mascara has a short life once opened — a few months, realistically