This $5 Find Is My Secret Weapon for Impossibly Long Lashes That Rival Falsies

Essence's Lash Princess mascara is still one of my all-time favorite budget formulas. But recently, I've discovered that I've been using it all wrong because I haven't been priming my lashes with the brand's Volume Booster Lash Primer. It does everything a lash primer should including conditioning and boosting volume. I can't wait to try it out with Lash Princess for even better results.

Pros: Affordable, boosts lash volume underneath mascara, buildable formula

Cons: Brush can cause product to be clumpy

Key Specs: 0.24 oz, infused with açaí oil, mango butter, and vitamin E to condition lashes

Customer Review: "This is the best lash primer that I have ever used. Much better than expensive brands. The price is amazing. I will switch to Essence primer from now on."

Tarte's Opening Act conditioning treatment is a favorite lash primer of mine. It features cellulose, a plant-based agent to thicken; carnauba wax to ensure a smooth application; and olive esters to condition and protect your lashes.

Pros: Conditions and adds length to lashes with olive esters and cellulose

Cons: Can be clumpy if you use too much

Key Specs: 0.24 oz, contains caranuba wax to help ensure a smooth application

Customer Review: "This lash primer is hands down the best. Every once in a while I will be tempted to try a new lash primer, but always come crawling back to this one (sorry Dior). This makes such a difference in how my mascara looks. When I use this, my lashes look so much longer and thicker. Absolutely love this and can’t wait to finish my Dior lash primer so I can buy this again!"

Milk Makeup's clean formula is packed with cannabis sativa seed, poppy seed, and sunflower seed oil to nourish, hydrate, and strengthen your lashes naturally.

Pros: Contains thickening, heart-shaped fibers to add volume, cannabis sativa seed oil conditions lashes and provides a smooth application

Cons: Can be clumpy if you use too much

Key Specs: 0.32 oz, poppy seed oil and sunflower seed oil nourish and hydrate lashes

Customer Review: "THIS LASH PRIMER IS AMAZING! I can really see the difference in how my lashes look when I use primer beforehand. I pair this awesome primer with this brand's Kush Mascara. Both together are an absolute dream."

This lash primer from Morphe really grew on me. At first, I was a tad apprehensive about using a bright-blue formula, but trust me, you won't regret trying it out. The electric blue hue in this primer is actually meant to amplify your mascara color and make it appear more vibrant. I've received the best results with black—it makes your mascara really pop.

Pros: Affordable, blue tint intensifies your mascara color

Cons: Blue tint is sometimes still visible underneath mascara

Key Specs: 0.34 oz, contains conditioning ingredients like paraffin and rice bran wax

Customer Review: "I hardly ever write reviews but this product might be a new HG! I was a little shocked at the blue color (that's on me—I wasn't paying attention when I bought it), but it dries beautifully and makes my lashes look like I'm wearing falsies with just normal mascara on."

Milani's lash primer is designed to be clump-free and helps amplify volume and length underneath your mascara. It forms a flexible, lash-extending film that lengthens while the violet hue of the primer also works similarly to the Morphe primer. It boosts your mascara's color to make it stand out even more.

Pros: Conditions and primes lashes for mascara, violet tint enhances your mascara color

Cons: Can be clumpy if you use too much

Key Specs: 0.34 oz, jasmine flower wax hydrates, preps, and conditions lashes

Customer Review: "Use this every day under my mascara. Makes the color pop."

With ingredients like vitamin E and panthenol, this formula from Urban Decay provides the perfect amount of extra lift and length before you go in with your regular mascara.

Pros: Coats your lashes from root to tip, buildable formula

Cons: Expensive

Key Specs: 0.28 oz, vitamin E and panthenol condition and protect lashes

Customer Review: "I have used this product for years. It’s always a repurchase when there is a sale. When I apply, I make sure there is not an excess on the wand. In my opinion, this primer makes any mascara look good over it."

Infused with microfibers, vitamin B5, and vitamin E, this option from Lancôme helps improve lash thickness over time while the white color of the formula also helps create an intense false-lash effect when paired with your mascara.

Pros: White tint intensifies mascara color, helps improve lash thickness and length over time

Cons: Expensive

Key Specs: 0.19 oz, contains microfibers, vitamin B5, and vitamin E

Customer Review: "Best mascara primer. I loved my lashes after using this, definitely going to buy it again. Highly recommend."

Grande's lash serum has a lot to offer, but so does its lengthening and thickening lash primer. Pop this on as a first step. It has peptides to strengthen your lashes and a natural wax blend to promote volume.

Pros: Smudge-proof, water-resistant formula, contains strengthening peptides

Cons: Can be clumpy if you use too much

Key Specs: 0.32 oz, peptides strengthen lashes, natural wax blend promotes length

Customer Review: "Love the thickness this adds to my lashes for a more dramatic evening look!"

This formula from Dior boosts volume, enhances curl, and helps improve your lashes over time with daily use. It contains cotton nectar to soften and protect lashes and cornflower floral water to enhance your mascara's color.

Pros: Acts as a lash primer and serum in one to add volume, curl, and length

Cons: Expensive

Key Specs: 0.33 oz, cotton nectar softens and protects lashes, cornflower floral water enhances mascara color

Customer Review: "This stuff sits wonderfully under mascara! I have yet to try it on its own but it adds so much volume and length to my lashes prior to putting any mascara on. The brush makes for a gorgeous clump free application and really separates my lashes."

L'Oréal mascaras are classic (and efficient), but why not amp up your formula by using one of the brand's lash primers, too? The Voluminous Lash Primer instantly thickens every lash, builds dramatic volume, conditions, and amplifies your mascara formula of choice.

Pros: Affordable, highly rated, boosts lashes instantly, conditions lashes over time

Cons: White tint can sometimes still be visible underneath mascara

Key Specs: 0.24 oz, thickens, volumizes, and conditions

Customer Review: "I have virtually non-existent lashes that generally need four coats of ANY mascara to get lashes. With one coat of this and one coat of mascara, I look like I have extensions!!!"

This creamy, lightweight mascara primer gives an instant boost to your lashes. It glides on evenly and really maximizes your results.

Pros: Lightweight formula, boosts lash length from root to tip

Cons: Brush could be better

Key Specs: 0.44 oz, oil blend conditions lashes

Customer Review: "Covergirl Lash Blast Amplify Primer It's such a game-changer when it comes to prepping your lashes for mascara. This primer really helps to amplify the volume and length of your lashes, giving them that extra oomph! It's a must-have in any makeup routine."