Best Nontoxic Mascara
If you’re new to the clean beauty world or simply want some inspiration for some natural mascara, this guide will help you out by telling you all about the best natural mascara in every category. Whether it’s drugstore, high-end, or best of all, this list will tell you the best of the best.
It’s not comprehensive by any means. Rather, it’s more of a list of the best natural mascaras I think are worth trying. I’ve been on my clean beauty journey since 2012, so I know a thing or two about beauty products that are actually natural and/or organic. Let’s dive in!
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Is Mascara Bad for Your Eyelashes?
Any traditional mascara (i.e. that doesn’t use natural in any of its marketing) is bad for not only your eyelashes, but your health in general!
Even some mascaras that say they are natural only use it as a marketing tactic and aren’t natural at all, which is something you have to look out for. But don’t worry, I’ve done all the hard research for you in my quest for the best natural mascara.
Just like any other traditional beauty product out there, the average ingredient list is riddled with horrendous chemicals that have little to no regulations. And that’s why I’m here writing this blog in the first place. Until the government gets its act together, we’ll have to be our own clean beauty detectives.
Not gonna lie, the things that you find in mascara are pretty scary! Formaldehyde was the most shocking ingredient to me. I mean, people use that stuff to preserve just about anything! And it’s confirmed to cause cancer in humans.
You may be putting these chemicals in very small amounts on your body, but you’re putting it next to a very important organ, your eyes! You want to keep those as healthy as possible!
Is There a Mascara That Is Good for Your Eyelashes?
Of course! There are plenty of natural and nontoxic mascaras that do your eyelashes a world of good. Any truly natural mascara will be full of ingredients that help keep your lashes long and healthy.
At the very least, they won’t hinder the health of your lashes, eyes, or overall health. I’ll let you know which natural mascaras are full of nourishing ingredients. Because who doesn’t want super long lashes naturally??
The best ingredients for lash health are any kind of gentle essential oils that help with hair growth. That can be any kind of carrier oil, like jojoba, sweet almond, or even avocado oil. I’ve even seen castor oil in mascaras before, because it’s like a powerhouse for hair growth! And it would be perfect for lashes because it’s in small amounts.
Just be careful if you decide to use castor oil on your hair. I only recommend castor oil hair masks to people with thick or severely damaged locks. It’s way too heavy for thin or even normal hair types. But don’t worry, I know all about DIY natural hair growth masks!
What is the Best Natural Mascara to Use?
One of my favorite things about the best natural mascara is that it’s one of the most accessible clean beauty products out there! If you live near any type of drugstore with its own beauty section, or any kind of health food store, you’ll most likely have easy access to one of my favorite brands for natural mascara.
I’ve got some suggestions for the best mascara by brands that I love and trust. These mascaras have won several awards, get rave reviews, or they’re brands that I’ve personally been using for years! All of these options should past the test for the best organic mascara for sensitive eyes. So go ahead and read through this list. Be sure to let me know your favorites in the comments!
Ilia Mascara Limitless Lash Mascara
First up is a cult favorite among the clean beauty community. The limitless lash mascara by Ilia Beauty is an incredibly nourishing blend of beeswax and shea butter that will make your lashes grow long and strong.
Ilia Beauty has fantastic selections for makeup of all kinds, but their mascara is one of their top products because it’s effective, completely natural, and washes off easily with warm water. But don’t worry, I’ve found that it has amazing staying power!
I’ve tried this mascara myself and I agree that it’s definitely worth trying. I love the dual-sided brush that separates and lengthens my lashes beautifully. It’s also fantastic for getting those tiny bottom lashes! I don’t know about you, but I always seems to get more of my face than my lashes with regular brushes.
Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara and Primer
This natural mascara is a very close second, if not the same, when it comes to clean beauty favorites compared to Ilia’s mascara. The only major difference between the two is that this one is very affordable!
You can find Honest Beauty’s products in-person at Target, one of my favorite places to get clean beauty products. Or you can find them anywhere else online. Their extreme length mascara and primer is a favorite because of its unique approach to beautifying your lashes.
This natural mascara is a dual-end tube that has a primer on one end for you to get your lashes ready. After giving the primer a minute to dry, apply the mascara and go about your day. I love this idea because the formula is very nourishing with jojoba oil as a prime ingredient.
Combine that with its accessibility and price, and you’ve got yourself a fantastic natural mascara! I’ve used several tubes of this stuff and I always find myself going back to it. Give it a try if you ever find yourself at Target.
W3ll People Expressionist Volumizing Mascara
Another brand that I especially love to recommend to clean beauty beginners is W3ll People. They have amazingly effective natural makeup options that are very affordable. Of course, their Expressionist Volumizing Mascara is no exception!
It’s got a plant-based formula that you can change however you want based on what you’re feeling on a given day. W3ll People’s mascara has a pretty chunky-looking brush, but don’t let that intimidate you.
You can apply one layer of this natural mascara for a natural yet long-lash look. Or you can apply a second layer for a more dramatic look. And the best part is that it doesn’t clump or make your lashes look chunky!
I’ve personally used and loved this mascara for my stage makeup routine for this reason. And it’s super easy to take off. I love that I can rinse it off with the rest of my makeup without losing half of my lashes in the process.
Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Mascara—The Best Natural-Looking Mascara
This list wouldn’t be complete without the best natural mascara on Amazon! (In my opinion) Honeybee Gardens is one of my favorite natural makeup companies for several reasons. One of them being their high product quality standards. All of their products are vegan, cruelty-free, and made of completely natural ingredients.
My makeup bag is full of their stuff, but I’ll fill you in on the mascara here for now. I tried their mascara several years ago and it’s still one of my favorites! I got the Truly Natural Mascara in espresso, because I like to have a more natural look.
It also comes in a black shade if that’s what you like, and it separates each of my lashes perfectly! I’ve never had issues with clumping either. You can even layer this mascara for an everyday or more dramatic look. Check out my Honeybee Gardens review to see how it looks on me with the rest of their products!
One of my favorite things about Honeybee Gardens, though, is that it’s so incredibly accessible! And the prices are very reasonable. You can find all of their products on Amazon, or if you live near a Natural Grocer’s, you can see it in person!
Physician’s Formula—The Best Natural Drugstore Mascara
Physician’s Formula has an amazing line of natural products called Organic Wear that you can get right at your drugstore! They have foundations, eyeshadows, you name it! But their most known for their amazing line of mascaras.
Their original mascara is this cute little green tube here. This particular one I’ve never tried, but my mom loves it. Physician’s Formula has several other tubes, depending on what kind of lashes you want. Their colors range from white to black to multi-colored, like this one here. They are also the cheapest mascaras on this list!
Their ingredient list received an outstanding evaluation from EWG’s SkinDeep, so you can rest at ease knowing that you can still pick some safe mascaras from the comfort of your favorite drugstore.
Feel free to buy a few tubes and experiment! Go for what kind of lashes you want first, but don’t be afraid to branch out a bit. Each tube has its own purpose and brush style, so you might be surprised at which one you like.
My personal favorite is the white tube, or BB Mascara. I found that my lashes looked the fullest, but what I loved the most was the style of brush. Half the brush is small and angled just right for the lower lashes? Life-changing!
Some of these mascaras may work amazing for you, while others might be kind of meh. Especially if you like to have your lashes on the dramatic side. My one complaint about this line of mascara is that I think my lashes built up some kind of tolerance to it.
You know when you try a new shampoo and your hair feels great at first, then slowly goes back to its dull self? I feel like that happened with my lashes over time. I can’t say for sure though, maybe I’m just psyching myself out a bit.
Final Thoughts on the Best Natural Mascara
When it comes down to it, your favorite natural mascara is completely your decision. Although they’re tiny, eyelashes are hair! And everyone’s hair will react a little bit differently to certain things. That especially goes for anyone in the clean beauty space.
Mascara is a product that I think should be one of the first to change when starting your clean beauty journey, because it has some of the worst ingredients. And when you use it every day, that can really add up. Luckily, there are plenty of natural mascaras on the market for you to try out!
If you live in an area with lots of drugstore makeup options, chances are you have easy access to Physician’s Formula Organic Wear. It’s one of the few, if not the only, completely natural makeup line available at drugstores. Or you can give Honeybee Gardens a try if you live near a Natural Grocer’s. Oh, and you can’t forget W3ll People or Honest Beauty if you live near Target!
There’s a little something for everyone when it comes to natural makeup, so go ahead and check out your favorite place to shop and see what you can find. Maybe you’ll find even more than natural mascara.
Which one of these natural mascaras is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
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