Cult favorite Trending

Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara

The prestige volumizing mascara with an hourglass brush: dramatic, curled lashes in a coat or two, at a premium $29 price.

7.6

Good

Beauty score

#7 of 7 eyes

Community

—/10

Format: Mascara
Shades: 3
Size: 0.27 oz
Price tier: Mid-range

Lash volume Lash length Buildable

Made for: All skin types

Key ingredients:Peptides

Check price on Amazon Shop on TikTok Shop

Also at

Brand site$29.00

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Last reviewed November 2, 2026 by our editors · How we score

The verdict

The prestige volumizing mascara with an hourglass brush: dramatic, curled lashes in a coat or two, at a premium $29 price.

Better Than Sex is Too Faced's signature volumizing mascara, pairing an hourglass-shaped brush with a formula of film-forming polymers and peptides that the brand says thickens, lengthens and holds curl. Estée Lauder cites Circana data naming it the #1 mascara in US prestige makeup sales. Reviewers praise the volume and separation from one or two coats. The trade-offs are the $29 price for 0.27 oz, only three shades, and recurring complaints that the tube dries out fast or the thick brush deposits too much product.

Best for

Anyone wanting dramatic, false-lash-style volume from a prestige mascara
Lashes that need help holding a curl
Gift buyers looking for a widely recognized best-seller

Why it’s trending

Estée Lauder cites Circana data naming Better Than Sex the #1 mascara in US prestige beauty (12 months ending June 2024)

Source

What we love

Hourglass brush builds noticeable volume and length in one or two coats
PureWow's reviewer reports it lifts lashes without needing a lash curler
Ophthalmologist tested and suitable for contact lens wearers per the brand
Cruelty-free brand with an official TikTok Shop storefront

Worth knowing

$29 is steep next to drugstore mascaras often compared to it
Some users say it dries out quickly once opened
The thick brush can deposit a lot of product at once, which some find clumpy
Not waterproof; the waterproof version is a separate purchase

How it scored

The breakdown.

Five factors, weighted for makeup. Here’s our working.

7.6Good

Beauty score out of 10. Brands can’t pay for placement — ever.

Payoff & performance30%8.4
PureWow's editor and Beautymone's reviewer report noticeable volume, length and separation from one or two coats, consistent with its status as a prestige best-seller.
Wear time15%7.9
Reviewers such as Beautymone report it holds curl and volume all day without smudging, with only minor flaking once the tube has been open a few weeks; it is not waterproof.
Shade range & inclusivity15%6.4
Only three shades (Black, Chocolate and Midnight Blue), which is typical for mascara but narrower than rivals offering colors and browns.
Value20%6.6
At $29 for 0.27 oz it costs about double drugstore mascaras that creators repeatedly test as close alternatives, such as L'Oréal Lash Paradise.
Community love20%8.3
Estée Lauder cites Circana data naming it the #1 US mascara, PureWow's editor scored it 97/100 and fans on r/muacjdiscussion stock up, though others call it clumpy or quick to dry out.

Beauty profile

Inside the bottle.

Texture

Brand describes an intensely black volumizing formula with film-forming polymers applied with an hourglass-shaped brush

Format

Mascara

Shade range

3 shades

Size

0.27 oz / 8.0 ml

Key ingredients

Ingredient encyclopedia →

PePeptidesBarrier & repair — ingredient guide

What’s in it: Acetyl hexapeptide-1, which the brand says conditions lashes; film-forming polymers the brand says lock curl in place; synthetic beeswax, rice bran wax and carnauba wax base.

How to use

Apply the first coat from the root of the lashes to the tips, wiggling the wand between lashes for a richer deposit. One coat gives length and volume; layer for more intensity.

Claims & certifications

Cruelty-free (brand-stated)
Ophthalmologist-tested

Full ingredient list (INCI)33 ingredients · key actives highlighted · as listed by the brand

Water\Aqua\Eau,
Synthetic Beeswax,
Paraffin,
Glyceryl Stearate,
Acacia Senegal Gum,
Butylene Glycol,
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax,
Stearic Acid,
Palmitic Acid,
Polybutene,
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer,
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax\ Copernicia Cerifera Cera \Cire De Carnauba,
Aminomethyl Propanol,
Glycerin,
Pvp,
Ethylhexylglycerin,
Hydroxyethylcellulose,
Disodium Edta,
Polyester-11,
Cellulose,
Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer,
Propylene Glycol,
Disodium Phosphate,
Polysorbate 60,
Acacia Seyal Gum Extract,
Sodium Phosphate,
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1,
Dextran,
Phenoxyethanol,
Potassium Sorbate,
Iron Oxides (CI 77499),
Ultramarines (CI 77007),
Black 2 (CI 77266 Nano) (shade Black)

Formulas change. Always check the packaging, and patch-test if your skin is reactive.

Official product page

Creator video reviews

Watch it in action.

Real reviews, try-ons and wear tests from independent creators — verified with TikTok and YouTube and labelled when sponsored.

We don’t pay creators for reviews, and they don’t pay us. Nothing from TikTok or YouTube loads until you press play.

What people say

Straight from the source.

Verbatim from Reddit, forums, blogs and the beauty press — linked, so you can read the whole thread.

4 verbatim quotes · 2 positive · 1 mixed · 1 critical

PureWow

Thanks to its unique hour-glass shaped brush, it allows me to separate and coat my lashes—so no clumping involved.

Chelsea CandelarioPureWow · 2024-06Source

r/muacjdiscussion

I am a brave soul who really loves Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. I stock up when it's on sale around the holidays and after, and always pick it as a free sample from Sephora.

u/EmpireAndAllr/muacjdiscussion · 2025-0447Source

r/muacjdiscussion

Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara works well but dries out so insanely fast.

u/SmellyCatsUglyOwnerr/muacjdiscussion · 2025-117Source

r/MakeupLounge

I also have the better than sex mascara too- that one is clumpy because so much product comes out at once and the brush is kinda thick.

u/ilovestrawbzr/MakeupLounge · 2025-032Source

Price & value

Is it worth it?

Typical price

$29.00

for 0.27 oz / 8.0 ml

Per ounce

$107.20

DrugstoreMid-rangePrestigeLuxury

About 30% more per ounce than the typical eyes we review. Our value score: 6.6/10 for a mid-range pick.

Price checked November 2026 at a non-Amazon retailer. Prices change — retailers show the current one.

Where to buy

Check price on Amazon Shop on TikTok Shop Buy from the brand$29.00

We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never affects our scores or what we recommend. How we make money

Community

What members noticed.

Ratings, skin types and the benefits people actually saw — logged on the Benefit Wheel.

No member ratings yet.

Tried it? Your score — and your skin or hair type — helps the next person decide.

Highlighted: what it’s built to do.

Discussion

No discussions yet.

Tried Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara? Ask a question or share how it’s working for your skin or hair — you’ll be the first.

FAQ

Good questions.

Is Better Than Sex mascara waterproof?

The volumizing original is not waterproof. Too Faced sells a separate Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara at the same $29 price with the same hourglass brush.

What shades does it come in?

Too Faced lists the volumizing formula in Black (deepest black), Chocolate (dark chocolate brown) and Midnight Blue (deep blue). Ingredient lists differ slightly by shade.

Is it safe for contact lens wearers?

Too Faced states the mascara is ophthalmologist tested and suitable for contact lens wearers. Anyone with sensitive eyes should still review the ingredient list before use.

Is Better Than Sex mascara cruelty-free?

Yes, Too Faced says it is cruelty free and the brand is listed as cruelty-free on its own site. The mascara contains synthetic beeswax rather than beeswax.

Sources we checked (10)