I'd start with Maybelline Sky Tubes if mascara transfers under your eyes and you want warm-water removal. For a day built around swimming or repeated water exposure, I'd choose a formula explicitly labelled waterproof, such as Sky High Waterproof. If your usual washable mascara stays put and comes off comfortably, there is no reason to replace it just because tubing is popular.
The useful distinction is how a mascara wears and comes off. “Tubing” describes the coating around the lashes; “waterproof” describes a resistance claim. Those categories can overlap. Neither word promises that a particular brush, colour or amount of volume will suit you.
Choose by the problem you're trying to solve
| Your main problem | Where I'd start | What to check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Grey smears under the eyes by lunchtime | A tubing formula with a removal method you like | Look for an explicit tubing description, rather than guessing from an ingredient list |
| Swimming, tears or frequent water exposure | A labelled waterproof formula | The exact variant and its remover instructions |
| Removal takes too much rubbing | A warm-water tubing formula | Whether you can let the lashes soak properly before removing it |
| Small flakes on the cheeks | Check application and the age of the tube first | More water resistance does not automatically solve flaking |
| Lashes lose their curl | Compare the finished formula and brush on your lashes | “Waterproof” alone is not a comparative curl-hold test |
| No particular problem | Keep the mascara that works | A new category is not an upgrade by itself |
This is a buying framework, not a head-to-head wear test. I compared the manufacturers' current formula descriptions, directions and prices. I would not turn those descriptions into an invented eight-hour wear score.
Four exact formulas, with the removal difference made clear
These are US full-size listings checked on 14 November 2026. Prices exclude tax and shipping. Package sizes use the units printed by the respective retailer or brand; fluid ounces and weight ounces are not interchangeable.
| Mascara | Listed price and size | Formula | Removal route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky Tubes, Very Black | $13.99; 0.23 fl oz | Tubing | Saturate with warm water, then gently slide the tubes off as directed |
| Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Washable, Very Black | $13.99; 0.24 fl oz | Washable | Gentle makeup remover, following the product directions |
| Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Waterproof, Very Black | $13.99; 0.2 fl oz | Waterproof | A remover suitable for waterproof eye makeup |
| Clinique Lash Power Tubing Mascara Long-Wearing Formula, Black Onyx | $28; 0.21 oz | Tubing | Warm water with gentle pressure, following Clinique's directions |
The Maybelline sizes are confirmed by the Sky Tubes listing, Sky High Washable listing and the waterproof listing linked below.
Check the formula name on the tube. Sky Tubes, Sky High Washable and Sky High Waterproof are different products, even though they share part of a name and sit beside each other in the same aisle.
Maybelline Sky Tubes: my first choice for trying tubing
At $13.99, Sky Tubes is the lower-cost way into warm-water tubing in this comparison. Maybelline describes a flexible coating around individual lashes and a brush with a rounded tip for reaching smaller lashes. That makes it a sensible starting point if transfer and removal matter more to you than finding a dramatically different lash look.
The water claim needs a little care. Maybelline describes resistance to cold water alongside removal with warm water. That is more specific than saying every tubing mascara is waterproof. Follow this product's directions: saturate the lashes first, then gently swipe down to release the tubes. Do not try to pull a dry coating off. Maybelline Sky Tubes.
Maybelline Sky High Washable: worth keeping if it already behaves
Washable mascara is a reasonable everyday choice when you like the finish and your remover deals with it easily. Sky High Washable is $13.99 too, so there is no price saving from switching between these two Maybelline options at their listed prices.
I would choose between them on removal and transfer, not on the presence of a particular polymer in the ingredients. A finished mascara's behaviour depends on the formula as a whole. The word “copolymer” is not sufficient evidence that a product is designed to remove as tubes. Sky High Washable.
Maybelline Sky High Waterproof: choose it for the water requirement
This is the explicitly waterproof version. It is the more direct choice when water resistance is the job you need the mascara to do. Budget for a remover that is intended for waterproof eye makeup, and give it time to loosen the product before wiping.
I would not claim that this version automatically holds everyone's curl better, or that it must feel heavier than the washable version. Those are questions for a controlled comparison on lashes, not conclusions the label settles. The 0.2 fl oz waterproof tube is also smaller than the 0.24 fl oz washable tube at the same listed price. Sky High Waterproof at Ulta.
Clinique Lash Power: pay for a different brush and formula
Clinique Lash Power is another explicit warm-water tubing option, with a narrow brush. I'd consider it if a larger brush is awkward around your lower lashes or the inner corner. Its $28 price is almost exactly the cost of two $13.99 Maybelline tubes, but that calculation does not establish a difference in wear.
The reason to spend more is that you prefer this brush and finished formula. It is not that warm-water removal requires a prestige price. Clinique's instructions also call for warm water and gentle pressure; ordinary wiping with a little cold water is a different removal attempt. Clinique Lash Power.
Smudging, flaking and lost curl need different fixes
A smudge is a mark where pigment has transferred. Before replacing the tube, note where it appears. Marks directly under the lower lashes suggest a different application problem from mascara touching the brow bone while it is still wet. Let nearby skincare settle as its directions require and avoid coating the surrounding skin with mascara during application.
A flake is a small piece of dried coating. More coats, repeated brushing once the first coat has set, and a tube that has changed texture are useful things to record. Try your normal number of coats once without returning to partly dried lashes. That is a practical comparison, not a promise that technique explains every flake.
Lost curl means the lash shape has dropped, even if no pigment moved. Photograph the lashes at application and later in similar lighting. If the shape changes but the skin stays clean, buying solely for “smudge resistance” does not address the result you disliked.
Compare a new tube without changing everything else
On the first ordinary day with a new mascara, keep your usual eye skincare and base makeup. Record the formula name, shade, number of coats and whether you used it on the lower lashes. Check once later in the day for transfer, flakes and the lash shape separately.
Then note removal. Did the product release after the instructed soaking time, or did you feel you needed repeated wiping? If your method was wrong for the formula, correct that before judging the result. Warm-water tubing and a waterproof formula can look similar on the lashes yet require different removal routines.
This is an observation sheet you can use at home, not a laboratory protocol. It cannot establish that one mascara is better for everyone. It can stop you buying a more expensive tube to solve the wrong problem.
Keep eye comfort separate from marketing claims
A “sensitive eyes” description does not guarantee that a product will suit every person. Stop using an eye cosmetic that causes irritation. Do not share mascara, add water or saliva to a tube, or keep using eye makeup during an eye infection. The FDA's eye-cosmetic guidance explains these hygiene precautions.
If removal hurts, do not keep rubbing to prove that the mascara is washable. Recheck the instructions, use the appropriate remover and seek advice if irritation persists.
Questions worth answering before checkout
Is tubing mascara always waterproof?
No. Check the exact product's claims. Sky Tubes specifically distinguishes cold-water resistance from warm-water removal; that does not give every tubing mascara the same properties.
Is every washable mascara a tubing mascara?
No. “Washable” is not an explicit tubing claim. Sky High Washable and Sky Tubes are separate Maybelline formulas with different removal descriptions.
Do the little tubes coming off mean my lashes are falling out?
Coating can come away in lash-shaped pieces when a tubing formula is removed as directed. That appearance alone does not mean a lash is inside each piece. Do not tug at dry lashes, and investigate actual lash loss or irritation rather than dismissing it as normal removal.
Should I buy a more expensive tubing mascara first?
I would start with the $13.99 Sky Tubes if its brush and removal method suit the job. Clinique's $28 Lash Power is worth considering for its narrower brush, not because a higher price proves better wear.