The Japanese Mascara With an International Cult Following Is Available at Walmart for $13

Claudia Fisher

Before I went to Japan a few years ago, I wanted to nail down the exact drugstore beauty products I should buy there. Known for their beauty aisles lined with top-notch serums, cleansers, masks, cosmetics, and more covetable skincare picks, Japanese drugstores attract throngs of beauty-enthused tourists seeking the latest and greatest in J-beauty to keep their complexion looking youthful and fresh. During my product studies, I couldn’t help but notice one mascara repeatedly popping up both in niche beauty forums and mainstream sites alike: Kiss Me Heroine’s Make Long & Curl Super Waterproof Mascara in 01 Super Black.

I wasn’t even in the market for a new mascara, but after reading the online buzz, I was willing to fork over all the yens it took to get my hands on this adored bit of makeup. Luckily, many yens were not required for this very affordable beauty purchase, which I only later discovered is available at Walmart for just $13.

Customers have a hard time deciding which benefit of the mascara they like best: the lifting power; the lash-separating goodness; or the volumized, lengthened, curled triple threat your eyelashes become. The word on the internet streets is that the waterproof mascara’s hold is is so durable, your lashes will stay coiffed and smudge-free all day, even through rain and humidity. I went swimming in the Kiss Me Heroine mascara and it is, hands down, the best waterproof mascara I’ve ever used, holding up through multiple submerges and the absence of mirrors until many hours later.

Formulated with lightweight fibers, the revered mascara coats your lashes in the blackest of black shades without weighing them down or creating stuck-together lash clusters. For up to 10 hours, your eyes will look bright and alert with the help of long, thick, and upturned lashes.

Walmart
Walmart

Buy It! Kiss Me Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara Super Waterproof, 01 Super Black, $12.97; walmart.com

The curved shape of the applicator helps to curl, separate, and individually coat each lash from root to tip while the brush’s bristles work on upping definition without clumping. The manufacturer claims the hold is so strong with this formula that the mascara can withstand tears, sweat, and grease (in addition to water) without bleeding onto your face or dropping the curl throughout the day.

The beauty communities of Reddit, Influenster, and MakeupAlley love Kiss Me Heroine’s mascara, with the only reported downside that it can be a bit tough to take off, which is why the Japanese brand makes a special remover — Kiss Me Heroine’s Make Speedy Mascara Remover — for under $9. Unbeknownst to pre-Japan visit me, both of these super affordable beauty staples are easy to get in the US (meaning I did not have to schlep so many home from Tokyo…). Walmart is helping the world become a thicker-lashed place by offering the Kiss Me Heroine Waterproof Mascara and the accompanying remover at prices we love just as much as you’ll love your new lashes.