The best clean mascara - honest reviews
Why does clean mascara even matter? Too many general mascaras contain parabens, silicones, phalates, dioxane, carbon black, synthetic fragrance and more. Without getting into the weeds, these are ingredients you just don’t want near your eyeballs and vulnerable membranes. Thankfully there are a lot of clean options out there and the Environmental Working Group has a large database that includes nearly every mascara. If you haven’t downloaded their app, do it today! It’s called “healthy living” where you can search categories, specific items and scan items in store to see what kind of safety rating they have.
I’ve tried so many mascaras it’s ridiculous! So before I get into my reviews, I definitely need to acknowledge that my opinion is just one opinion and we all have different things we are looking for in a mascara. Here is what I like and what I look for: length! I have pretty dark lashes and volume isn’t something I necessarily go for (or at least length is my priority). I prefer when the wand has firm bristles vs. a “brushy” wand. I have pretty sensitive eyes so it was hard for me to find one that didn’t cause irritation. Lastly, I tend to run a little more greasy around my eyes so I often found mascaras smudging into my under eye area. Keep all of this in mind as you read my reviews and let’s get into it! Here are 10 clean mascaras rated from my least favorite to my absolute favorite.
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10. 100% Pure - $28
I tried this brand early in my journey to find a clean mascara. It smells so good you can eat it and that’s because it’s a fruit-pigmented natural mascara. I really loved how it went onto my lashes but this one ended up in my under eye area pretty quickly. Apparently the formula is water-resistant and not flakey which is probably true but it was a hard pass for me when it ended up smudging into my skin. This mascara was VERY pigmented and I was very impressed by that. If it didn’t smudge, I’d probably still be using it.
Photo from 100% Pure Website
9. Dime - $22
I was SO disappointed in this brand because it supposed to be one of the highest performing clean mascaras but it irritated the heck out of my eyes. Other than that, the performance is actually really good and maybe deserves to be higher on the list. It’s not flakey, it’s super dark and stays on very well. But again, hard pass on a mascara if it irritates my eyes.
Disclaimer* it looks like they “improved” the formula and I can’t speak to any changes that may have been made.
Image from Dime website
8. Ere Perez - $28
Ere Perez was kind of an off the wall try. It’s not a huge brand and I tried their avocado waterproof mascara. This mascara just wasn’t enough and felt like I wasn’t wearing anything at all. If you’re looking for a lighter mascara with lash benefits, this is definitely a winner. This formula does support stronger and longer lashes which is a bonus. This one did NOT end up in my under eye area and it did NOT cause any irritation but it just didn’t give me the results I wanted.
Image from Ere Perez website
7. W3ll People - $20
I loved the brush of this mascara! It was non-irritating but very wet. This mascara did get a little clumpy especially because you have to put on more than one coat to get decent length and volume (which I’m not a fan of). I’m a one coat kind of gal. If you’re looking for one you can find at target or other drugstores, Honest is the best option in my opinion which you’ll see here soon.
Image taken from WP website
6. Essence Mascara Lash Princess - $4.99
I was highly impressed with this mascara for only being $5 AND a clean formula. I saw a makeup influencer I follow use it and I needed to try it. I was looking for a budget friendly option to recommend and here it is! This brand also has a lash primer that works really well with it. You can find this mascara on Amazon, at Ulta, Target and more.
Image from Ulta website
5. ILIA - $28
I LOVED this mascara. The brush was amazing and it was certainly lengthening. It wasn’t very volumizing and definitely more of a natural look, but I was okay with that. It separated lashes flawlessly and was long lasting. It only had ONE downfall and that is when my eyes got watery, the mascara irritated them. I could have days with no irritation at all but for some reason if I cried, got dry or watery eyes for any reason, I would get irritated. I really wanted to keep and love this mascara but sadly it was not an option for me.
Image from ILIA website
4. Honest - $17.99
Honest mascara was almost a winner for me! I love the brush and LOVED that it was a mascara and primer in one. It does not smudge, It does not take a million coats to perform well, it did not irritate my eyes and it did not clump. Here is what did happen though, I was losing lashes. I know so many people who loves this mascara so I don’t know if it was a fluke or if something else was going on because this mascara truly is awesome!
Image from Honest website
3. Younique 4D Fiber Lashes - $31
Younique follows European standards which are significantly better than US safety standards. I really wanted to love this mascara and really the only reason I didn’t like it is because of the wand and the formula but it was really a matter of preference. I’ve come to realize that I really love tubing mascara. This formula didn’t flake, it didn’t smudge and it’s essentially the bread & butter of this brand. They make good mascara! If you don’t know a consultant with Younique, I’m happy to recommend one to you (aka my cousin Rineke Lewis)
Image from Younique website
2. Beautycounter - $30
Beautycounter’s new formula is supreme over its previous one. I LOVE the brush, it’s a one coat mascara (more if you want), does not flake, adds incredible length and volume BUT it smudges just a bit. Key word is barely. I think my greasier eye area made this a no go for me but I know so many people who absolutely love it! I might try it again with a lash primer because I truly did love the performance of this mascara.
Image from Beautycounter website
1. Thrive Causemtics - $24
This is my absolute favorite clean mascara. After trying so many mascaras throughout the years, I ALWAYS came back to this one. I love the wand, it’s a tubing mascara that adds plenty of length and volume while holding it’s curl. I’m incredibly happy with the results after just one coat. It does not smudge, it does not flake and it has never caused irritation. This mascara easily comes off with warm water so maybe it’s one downfall is that you can’t get it off with just makeup remover. Cleansing or showering at night is key to remove it all.
Image from Thrive Causemetics website
