Eye Makeup Hub

Every article + ranking + guide.

Where the pharmacy genuinely competes

Eye makeup is the category where a $25 pharmacy buy and a $62 counter favourite can finish two tenths of a point apart, so this hub exists to tell you when the extra spend earns its keep. Every ranking here is scored on the same rubric, over weeks of real wear rather than a single swatch session.

In the mascara ranking, Lancôme's Lash Idôle takes best overall with a Glow score of 9.0 at $62, while Maybelline's Lash Sensational Sky High scores 8.8 at $25 as the best under $30. The 0.2 gap is real, but so is the $37 difference. Eyeliner tells a similar story: Stila's Liquid Eyeliner leads on 9.5 at $36, ahead of Bobbi Brown's Gel Liner on 9.1 at $48 and Charlotte Tilbury's Eye Pencil on 9.0 at $38. In shadow, Urban Decay's Stoned Vibes Palette tops the palette ranking on 9.4 at $78. Brows get their own ranking plus three dedicated how-to guides.

• Decide on the finish before the brand. A liquid liner, a gel pot and a pencil behave very differently on hooded or watery eyes.
• If your eyes water easily or you wear contacts, start with the sensitive-eyes mascara ranking rather than the main list.
• Our mascara testing includes humidity readings for a reason. A formula that holds through a humid Australian summer is the one worth repurchasing.
• Replace mascara around every three months. No formula scores well enough to justify an eye infection.
• Sparse brows are usually a technique problem before a product problem. Read the brow guides before buying another pencil.

Start with the best mascara in Australia ranking, or go straight to the best eyeliner if a sharp line is the priority.