Beauty Great Lash Clear vs Royal Blue: Which Mascara Wins Best Now
Great Lash Clear and Royal Blue serve different makeup moods. Clear is the invisible groomer for natural looks. Royal Blue adds a playful tint that brightens eyes. Here is how they compare.
| Factor | Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara, Roy | Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Transparent | Subtle royal blue |
| Best use | Brows, bare lashes, flyaways | Creative lash looks |
| Eye brightening | No color effect | Makes whites look whiter |
| No-makeup looks | Perfect and invisible | Too visible for bare faces |
| Multitasking | Brows, lashes, hair | Lashes only |
| Price | Around 6 to 8 dollars | Around 6 to 8 dollars |
| Everyday staple | Yes, universally useful | Fun rotation product |
Our Verdict
Choose Clear if you want the ultimate multitasker for brows, bare lashes, and flyaways. It belongs in every makeup bag. Choose Royal Blue if you want to experiment with colored mascara. Its subtle tint brightens eyes beautifully.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: Straight lashes needing lift and curl.
Maybelline Great Lash Curved Brush Mascara, Very Black
- Curved brush hugs lash line
- Very Black pigment
- Washable formula
- Lifts and defines
Pros
- Curved brush reaches corners
- Good lift effect
- Easy removal
Cons
- Brush learning curve
- Less volume than Big
Best for: Detail work on small or lower lashes.
Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes Mascara, Brownish Black
- Heart-shaped brush
- Brownish Black soft color
- Grabs tiny lashes
- Washable formula
Pros
- Reaches every lash
- Softer than black
- Great lower-lash mascara
Cons
- Niche brush shape
- Less dramatic
Best for: Volume lovers wanting softer-than-black color.
Maybelline Great Lash Big Mascara, Brownish Black
- Big brush for volume
- Brownish Black shade
- Washable lash-doubling
- Bold lash look
Pros
- Bigger volume payoff
- Softer brown-black
- Classic formula
Cons
- Big brush can smudge
- Less precise
Heated Lash Curlers Plus Mascara: The Curl-Hold Combo
Straight lashes that refuse to hold a curl need heat, not just a curved brush. A heated lash curler warms the lashes into shape the way a curling iron works on hair, and the curl then needs mascara to lock it in. The order matters: curl with the heated tool first on bare lashes, then apply mascara. Applying mascara first and then heating bakes the product and creates crunch.
Clear Great Lash works beautifully as the setting coat over a heated curl because it adds hold without pigment weight that drags the curl down. The Curved Brush version in Very Black suits the same routine when you want color with the curl. Let the heated curl set for thirty seconds before applying mascara, and never use a heated curler on wet mascara. For pin-straight lashes, this combination outperforms any mascara alone, since no formula can create curl that the lash structure resists. Our volumizing mascara guide covers wand shapes that complement curled lashes.
Clear Mascara for Sparse, Aging Lashes
As lashes thin with age, heavy black mascara can look harsh against sparser lashes, drawing attention to what is missing. Clear mascara solves this elegantly: it defines and separates the lashes you have, adds a healthy sheen, and never clumps into the spidery finish that cheapens sparse lashes. The Great Lash Clear formula also tames brows and flyaways, making it the multitasker mature makeup bags need.
For days you want more definition, layer clear over a lash-conditioning serum rather than reaching for heavy pigment. The serum supports lash health while the clear coat provides polish. Avoid waterproof formulas on aging lashes when possible, since the aggressive removal they demand stresses already-fragile lashes. Brownish Black shades offer a middle ground: softer than black, more defining than clear. Our Clinique Lash Power guide explains tubing mascara, another gentle option for delicate lashes.
Lower Lashes: The Detail Brushes That Work
Lower lashes need a different tool than upper lashes, and full-size wands overwhelm them. The Lots of Lashes version with its small brush exists for this detail work: the tiny bristles coat lower lashes precisely without painting the under-eye skin. The technique is to hold the wand vertically and wiggle it through the lower lashes with a light touch.
Most people apply too much product to lower lashes. One light coat suffices: heavy lower mascara migrates downward by afternoon and ages the eye. Clear mascara is the safest lower-lash choice for daytime, giving definition with zero smudge risk. For evening, Brownish Black defines without the severity of black. If your lower lashes are very short, skip mascara there entirely and let the upper lashes carry the look. Our makeup removal guide covers gentle removal that protects delicate lower lashes.
One more clear-mascara use: it sets brows beautifully without the stiffness of brow gel. Brush it through brows after filling them to lock hairs in place with a natural finish that never looks crunchy or overdone.
Royal Blue mascara deserves a trial on blue eyes. The subtle blue tint deepens blue irises through tone-on-tone richness, and it reads as almost-black from a distance, so it never looks costume-like in professional settings.
Great Lash has survived decades because the formula is genuinely good, not just nostalgic. The small brush reaches every lash, the formula rarely clumps, and the price lets you replace it on schedule without guilt. Classics persist for reasons.