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Quick Verdict
Two products, about two minutes, and lashes that look fuller without a strip lash in sight. The NYX On the Rise lash primer under Maybelline Sky High is the drugstore pairing I keep reaching for, and it costs a fraction of a single set of falsies.
Buy if you:
- Want fuller lashes fast without glue or false lashes
- Have sparse or fine lashes that go flat by noon
- Prefer affordable drugstore products over prestige counters
- Are over 50 and want simple, low-fuss makeup that reads natural
Skip if you:
- Rush and skip the primer’s dry-down, then get clumps when you layer mascara
- Want a waterproof, cry-proof formula for weddings or humid days
- Already own a lengthening mascara you love and don’t want a two-step routine
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Two Minutes, Two Tubes, Lashes That Look Like More
Fuller lashes in two minutes sounds like a stretch, but this is the drugstore duo I reach for when I don’t have time to fuss. I curl, I coat with the NYX On the Rise lash primer, then I go over the top with Maybelline Sky High. That’s it. No falsies, no glue, no lash serum I have to remember for six weeks before it does anything.
I’m Lisa, and I share simple beauty over 50. My lashes aren’t what they were at 30, so anything that gives them a little more body without adding twenty minutes to my morning gets a permanent spot in my drawer. This pairing earned it.
What the NYX On the Rise Lash Primer Actually Is
It’s a lash primer you swipe on before mascara, and the formula is grey-black rather than clear white. NYX built it to boost lift, length, and volume before your mascara ever touches your lashes. It’s infused with castor oil, and because the base is tinted rather than stark white, it doesn’t leave that ghostly primed-lash look while you wait to top it.
You can wear it on its own for a your-lashes-but-tinted effect, but the way I use it is as a base coat under mascara. It’s PETA-certified cruelty free, which matters to some of us. And it’s a drugstore price, not a department-store one.
The Routine That Takes Me About Two Minutes
Curl first, always. I start with my eyelash curler and give my lashes a good clamp at the base, because the primer and mascara hold the curl far better on lashes that already have some lift built in. Skip the curler and you’re asking two tubes to do a job that a thirty-second squeeze does better.
Then the NYX On the Rise lash primer goes on. One coat, root to tip, the same way you’d apply mascara. Because it’s tinted grey-black, you’re not staring at white lashes waiting for the moment to layer. I go straight into the Maybelline Sky High while the primer is still slightly tacky, and that’s where the fullness comes from. The primer gives the mascara something to grab, so the Sky High builds taller and thicker than it does on bare lashes.
That’s the whole thing. Curl, prime, coat, and I’m usually capping the Sky High before my coffee goes cold.
The Dry-Down Is the Step You’ll Want to Rush
Layer too fast and you’ll fight clumps. That’s the one bit of friction with a two-product lash routine. If you flood the primer on thick and then pile mascara straight over a wet coat, the two formulas gum up and you get spider legs instead of full lashes. The fix is one thin primer coat, not three, and a few seconds before the mascara. Not a long wait, just enough that it isn’t sopping.
It’s also not a waterproof setup. Castor oil in the base and a buildable mascara on top means this is a lovely everyday look, not a monsoon-proof one. If I know I’m going to be teary or it’s a humid, sticky day, I reach for something waterproof instead. For an ordinary day it holds fine.
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NYX On the Rise Lash Primer
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Who This Duo Really Suits
This is for the woman who wants more lash without a whole production. If your lashes have thinned with age, gone fine, or lost some of the density they used to have, the primer gives the mascara a fuller base to build on. It’s aimed squarely at people over 50 who want a natural, done look rather than a full glam falsie situation.
It also suits anyone who balks at spending $30-plus at the prestige counter for a primer that sits under a $12 mascara. Both pieces live in the drugstore aisle, and together they cost less than a single pack of strip lashes you’d throw away after a weekend.
Lash Primer Versus Just Two Coats of Mascara
You could skip the primer and swipe on two coats of Sky High. Plenty of people do, and it works. The difference the NYX On the Rise lash primer makes is a fuller base before the mascara ever lands, so you get more density from fewer mascara coats, and the tinted grey-black means your lashes never look bare underneath.
The trade-off is a third product in your makeup bag and about thirty extra seconds. If two coats of Sky High already give you what you want, stop there. But if you’re still wishing for more density after two coats, this is where the primer earns its place, it’s a cheaper and faster fix than falsies.
A Few Tips Before You Buy
Curl before you prime, not after. Once the primer and mascara are on, clamping a curler through them can pull lashes and stick to the wand. Do the lift first.
Go light on the primer. One thin coat does the job. Piling it on is what causes clumps when the mascara layers over the top. And give it those couple of seconds to set before your Sky High. That small pause is the whole difference between full lashes and a gummy mess.
NYX built the On the Rise primer to pair with its own On The Rise mascara, but I use it under Maybelline Sky High and it plays perfectly well. You don’t have to match the brand.
Pros
- Fuller-looking lashes in about two minutes with no falsies or glue
- Grey-black tinted primer means no ghostly white waiting stage
- Castor oil base and PETA-certified cruelty free
- Both products are drugstore-affordable and easy to find
- Works under a mascara you already own, not just the matching NYX one
Cons
- Layering too fast over wet primer causes clumps
- Not a waterproof formula for tears or humid days
- It’s an extra step if you’re already happy with plain mascara
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wear the NYX On the Rise lash primer on its own?
Yes. Because the formula is grey-black rather than clear, worn alone it gives a naturally tinted, no-makeup-mascara look. It’s a soft everyday option if you want a little definition without full mascara.
Does the primer only work with the matching NYX mascara?
No, it works under any mascara. NYX designed it to boost its own On The Rise mascara, but I use it under Maybelline Sky High and it performs beautifully. Any mascara you already love will layer on top.
Is this good for thin or aging lashes?
Yes, that’s exactly where it shines. If your lashes have thinned or gone fine over the years, the primer gives mascara a fuller base to grab, so you get more density without piling on coats. It’s my go-to for lashes over 50.
Will it hold a curl?
Better than mascara alone, as long as you curl first. Clamp your lashes with a curler before applying the primer, and the primer plus mascara helps lock that lift in through the day. Curling after application doesn’t work as well.
Is the formula cruelty free?
Yes. NYX is certified cruelty free and acknowledged by PETA, and none of its products are tested on animals. The primer also contains castor oil in its base.
How do I stop the mascara from clumping over the primer?
Use one thin coat of primer and give it a few seconds before your mascara. Clumps happen when you flood on primer and layer mascara over a soaking-wet coat. Keep the primer light and let it set slightly.
Is this duo waterproof?
No, it’s an everyday look rather than a waterproof one. For tearful events or hot, humid days, reach for a waterproof mascara instead. For ordinary wear it holds up fine through the day.
How do I remove the primer and mascara at night?
A gentle eye makeup remover or cleansing oil takes both off easily since neither is waterproof. Hold a soaked cotton pad over closed lashes for a few seconds, then wipe down rather than scrubbing. Being gentle protects finer lashes from being pulled out.
Get it now
NYX On the Rise Lash Primer
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