Maybelline Great Lash is the best mascara I have EVER used, at any price.

I use the brownish black when I'm in working mode and navy blue on weekends. To avoid smears and smudges, I never use mascara on my lower lashes.

Barbara (and others who use Great lash waterproof mascara): what is your secret to removing it???? I like Great lash and it's one of the few mascaras (waterproof or not) that doesn't smudge all over my face, but it's SO HARD to remove - I always still have some on my eyelashes the next day!

Keep in mind that I don't wear foundation or concealer, so I'm not routinely washing my face with makeup remover...

Wow, thanks for all of the suggestions and recommendations! Based on your responses, I think I'm going to take several approaches:

1) Make sure to replace tubes of mascara at least every 3-6 months (I've been really bad about this, mostly because I have used mascara so seldom the past few years)
2) Apply mascara on upper lashes only (I had already converted to this practice years ago)
3) Dust on transluscent powder after eye moisturizer/concealer/foundation to set those products and absorb any oily or moist residue

Since I'll be replacing mascara much more frequently, I'm looking forward to giving several of your recommendations a try and determining if there is one (or a few) that work better than others.

I know I'm really late to the party here...

But I also highly recommend Blinc - it is amazing! My eyes get irritated so easily and this doesn't cause any problems at all.

AND, for those of you who like Blinc, but would like some more definition, try the blinc lash primer - WOW - I have long lashes so don't need it, but when I do use it, its amazing the difference - much longer thicker lashes - and you can add a few layers of the primer to get to the desired look. (It's white, and takes a minute or so to dry).

I'm really keen to read how your experimenting goes Becky! I'd never worn mascara regularly until I was gifted my blinc set and now I wear it every single day and love what it does

I"m way late to the party but I use Cover Girl Lash Exact. Actually it's Exact Eyelights in the tinted color (raisiny for my green eyes). I like that it goes on unclumpy and with a rubber brush instead of the bristley kind. Reasonably priced as well.

Oh, and I used to be in the camp of using mascara so rarely I'd have it for several years - I know scary, but true. Now that I found the Lash Exact I go through a tube regularly every 4 or 5 months on schedule.