Is a drugstore mascara really as good as a luxury one?

Across the reviewers we read, the consensus is yes for most users. Drugstore picks like L'Oréal Telescopic, Maybelline Sky High and Essence Lash Princess routinely beat prestige formulas in head-to-head community threads, and Allure's coverage of Sky High and Byrdie's coverage of Lash Princess both treated them as legitimate top-tier options. The clearest argument for a higher-end mascara is formula longevity in the tube and brand-specific brush shapes, not necessarily on-lash performance.