That's right: everything you’ve ever wished for in a mascara can be found in a natural beauty product.
With treatments from eyelash extensions to perming, it’s fair to say that we’re more lash-obsessed than ever. We’ve all been there, from bending our mascara wand to trying the spoon technique. Is it really time to start learning about natural mascara? We sure think so! If this is your first time venturing into the world of natural makeup, no worries. We’re covering all the in’s and out’s of our favorite natural mascaras, so you can make the best choice for your beauty needs (beauty is power!).
Why choose a natural mascara?
We don’t want to be fearmongers. We agree, makeup is a fun and empowering form of self expression. The truth is, your skin absorbs what you put on it—a fact you should be even more concerned about in regards to your eye area.
First of all, what makes a mascara “natural?” The truth is, there’s no set definition for what “natural” means. A good place to start would be to take a look at the ingredients in your typical drugstore mascara. Do you know what all of them are? Another simple test is to ask yourself if you can even pronounce them. Did you pass the test? When in doubt, ask the company, or look up the ingredient on EWG’s Skin Deep database.
In looking for the best natural mascaras, we’ve narrowed down our list to high performing formulas that do without the following harmful ingredients:
Parabens: synthetic preservatives that can mimic estrogen, and have been linked to breast cancer.
Ureas: ureas such as diazolidinyl urea preserve cosmetic products by releasing formaldehyde—a known human carcinogen.
Phthalates: industrial plasticizers used to mix together cosmetic ingredients, making mascara easy to apply. But they’ve been linked to severe hormone disruption.
Dimethicone: Dimethicone is used to achieve a smooth, waterproof finish. It’s hard to get off of lashes afterwards, though, and can lead to brittle lashes—especially if you wear mascara on a daily basis.
Fragrance: The FDA lets companies label any mixture of fragrance ingredients as simply “fragrance” without having to list them all. So even if you’re trying to stay away from phthalates, they might still be in your mascara formula under a disguise.
Animal Testing: Because why should we ever have to subject other living beings to cruelty for our benefit? And the fact that a company would need to test a potentially hazardous ingredient or product on an animal should raise red flags about its safety in the first place.
Best Natural Mascaras
Fruit Pigmented® Ultra Lengthening Mascara from 100% Pure
Cruelty-free
This water resistant mascara guarantees stunning length, while also conditioning with Vitamin E and Provitamin B5 for lusher lashes in the long run. This mascara pigments lashes with black tea, berries, and cocoa rather than iron oxides or coal tar. It comes with a heavenly natural scent without any synthetic fragrances. Check out the consumer studies for this high performing mascara! Comes in 4 stunning shades.
Expressionist Mascara from W3ll People
Cruelty-free, gluten-free
Underperforming natural mascaras are a thing of the past. This mascara from W3llPeople comes with a unique brush design to create long, fluffy lashes that last. Another plus is that this mascara doubles as a liquid eyeliner formula too. We love that it’s petroleum, paraben, coal tar, and aluminum free. Do note that it contains carmine – a red dye made from crushed insects.
Mascara from Hush + Dotti
Cruelty-free, vegan
Thanks to nourishing organic ingredients, this defining mascara easily separates lashes without the stiffness. It’s buildable for more volume and oomf, but might need a few extra coats (clump free!). This formula uses antioxidant-rich ingredients like vegetable squalene and Vitamin E for lash strengthening. Another win for natural beauty.
Black Vegan Mascara from Lily Lolo
Cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free
It’s not fair that vegan products get such bad rap. We love this mascara for its vegan formula and staying power. It defines and lengthens lashes, and is easily buildable for a dramatic look. Plant waxes and argan oil ensure a creamy texture with no clumping. The lash-conditioning argan oil in this formula gets a shout out from us. We love that Lily Lolo uses rice powder instead of talc that can be contaminated with asbestos.
Limitless Lash Mascara from Ilia Beauty
Cruelty-free
This mascara formula is built for lifting and lengthening lashes for a lasting, fresh look. Regardless of whether you like a more lengthy or defined look, it comes with a dual-sided brush to suit your needs. It features biotin as well, so feel free to layer on and use the mascara as a lash conditioner too.
Natural Definition Mascara from Alima Pure
Cruelty-free
A huge no-no for mascaras? Clumping. You won’t find that in this hard working mascara. Jojoba oil and Provitamin B5 effectively define and separate lashes. This formula is great for a daytime natural look, but you can easily build on for a more glammed up nighttime look.
Mascara from Kjaer Weis
CCPB certified organic, cruelty-free, gluten-free
Give it up to makeup artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis to formulate a mascara that will prettify lashes without smudging, flaking, or harmful ingredients. Do note that this a lighter formula that’s a great choice for a natural, bright-eyed look. We’re so in love with the small sustainable packaging and refillable container. The jojoba oil is ultra nourishing for lashes, but light enough so it won’t clump or cause too much greasiness.
Zuzu Luxe Mascara from Gabriel Cosmetics
Cruelty-free
If you love playing around with colors, here’s another mascara that comes in 4 shades. It has great staying power in terms of wear and pigment. Have skimpy lashes? This mascara provides great natural length and volume for an enhanced look. Sea fennel and eyebright extract are soothing for the eyes, and we haven’t found them in a mascara formula before, which is pretty exciting.
Mascara from RMS Beauty
Cruelty-free
We all have different definitions of “natural.” Some of us might imagine minimal face makeup with dreamy long lashes. Or maybe your dream mascara is one that’ll make your eyes pop even without any other eye makeup! No need to compromise. RMS Beauty offers two separate mascaras—a volumizing mascara and defining mascara—both with nourishing plant oils to help get the job done.
Stellar Gaze Length & Strength Mineral Mascara from Pacifica Beauty
Cruelty-free, vegan
Vitamin B and coconut oil moisturize lashes in this mascara for brighter, more awake-looking eyes. The plush brush makes for easy layering and for a more voluminous look. We’d much rather have luscious fluffy lashes than stiff clumpy ones, and this mascara does the trick.
All Natural Organic Mascara from Endlessly Beautiful
Cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free
Dislike that rigid, clumpy feeling that some mascaras give your lashes? This natural mascara helps you achieve lush, soft lashes, thanks to ingredients like organic chamomile hydrosol and sunflower seed oil. Premium botanicals like organic coffee powder and grapefruit seed extract also promote healthier lash growth.
Flowercolor Natural Mascara from Ecco Bella
Cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free
Who said natural beauty products were boring? We’re not kidding, this natural mascara actually comes with its own built-in mirror! It gently coats lashes and extends them to their longest length. If you’re all about keeping your lashes cute and flirty while on-the-go, definitely pack this essential in your purse!
Now go define your look!
It’s time to put individuality back into not just our makeup looks, but also in choosing the products we trust our delicate lashes and sensitive eyes with. Natural mascaras are the way to go for gorgeous eyelashes that will last, without the unnecessary eye irritation. What type of mascara do you prefer for your makeup looks?
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