Finding the right mascara is a little bit like finding your perfect partner. It takes a lot of trial and error until you find one that works for you. But that’s not the end of it; next comes the real-world testing — like, can it withstand a rainstorm or does it run down your face the second things get a little complicated? (Ahem.)

TL;DR? My mascara journey, like my dating endeavors, has been a messy one, but I know that in the end, all the crying and eye-irritating frustrations will be worth it. While I’m still very much single, I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that I finally found the one when it comes to mascaras: The Exa Ten18 Lash-Amplifying Mascara is the latest launch from a Kate Hudson-approved clean beauty brand, and I pinky promise it’s among the best you’ll ever use. 

Shop now: $24; credo.com

There’s a lot to love about this mascara, but I’ll cover the obvious ones first. The length a single swipe provides is unlike anything I’ve tried before. Usually, I have to layer on the formula to get some semblance of the coveted falsie effect, but not with this one, which means I don’t need to use a lot of product, either. That's why I expect this $24 tube to last me a long time. It also goes on totally clump-free, but the coolest part? I can actually reapply it hours later without flaking or clumping.

Now, let’s get into the more technical stuff. The vegan, clean formula includes a short list of good-for-your-lashes ingredients that give them that aforementioned va-va-voom effect, starting with natural black charcoal from bamboo plants that’s a better color alternative than other pigments typically used in mascaras. There’s also rice bran wax-derived film formers that do the heavy lifting (AKA, they lengthen, lift, and hold the curl), plus orange peel fibers that give your lashes that desirable volume and definition. 

Every time I apply it, people ask me what I use on my lashes, thinking I’m about to tell them I’m wearing falsies. The shock on their face when I pull out my phone, search Exa on Credo, and say, “This is it,” with an emphasis on the “it,” is truly indescribable. 

Shop my go-to $24 mascara to see its full effects for yourself. You won’t believe your eyes (literally).

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