The mascara: Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara

I love the wand on this mascara. It's small, neat and applies mascara very precisely. But how does its waterproofing ability measure up? During my run, I pushed myself a little more than usual in order to get the beads of sweat rolling down my face. (If you ever need to get in shape fast, volunteer to sweat-test several mascaras.) Once I felt the salty sting of sweat entering my eyeball, I knew the test was complete. When I got home, I looked like a mess -- except for my mascara, which was still perfectly in place. Overall, this waterproof mascara is great for a natural look, and it holds up well, but if you want a lot of drama (I don't, especially when I'm running), you may want to look for one with more volume-producing capabilities. --Emily Woodruff

The mascara: Urban Decay Cannonball

The waxy, gel formula of Urban Decay Cannonball grabs lashes and lifts them upward for incredible, natural curl that stayed in place, despite the copious amounts of burpee-induced sweat pouring over my eyes. If you're running a marathon or something similarly hardcore, opt for this one. It doesn't budge, and your lashes still look great afterward -- whether the liquid in your eye is from tears or sweat. However, it is tough to get off (is there such a thing as too waterproof?) -- so make sure you have some heavy-duty eye makeup remover on hand (try Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover). --Allie Flinn

The mascara: L'Oréal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara

By this point, I was tired of trying to make myself sweat. Do you know how hard it is to sweat in zero-percent humidity during a 70-degree California winter? Life is rough. So I turned to father-daughter dance Youtube videos, which weirdly always induce waterworks. The L'Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara, which looks like it's going to get all over the place judging by the goopy state of the product on the wand, actually held up really well. By some miracle, the wand applies just the right amount of mascara to the lashes, without getting it on my lids or giving me clumped together, spiky lashes. Of the three mascaras I tried, this one was best at separating and defining lashes. As far as staying power, it didn't run or smear -- though I did find that the crying made the lashes stick together a little more. Still, it surpassed my expectations. I'd definitely rely on this bargain buy for all my sad movie/YouTube cryfests. --Emily Woodruff