We Tried 13 Non-Toxic Mascara Brands. These Are the Best (& the Flops).

If I could only wear one makeup product for the rest of my life, I would without a doubt choose mascara.

Probably because my lashes are super blonde, so putting on mascara makes a huge difference in my appearance.

But mascara is also one of those products that really has to work.

Yes, you want it to be non-toxic, but you also want it to go on smoothly (without clumping), create voluminous lashes, and—perhaps most importantly—stay on throughout the day!

No one likes making a trip to the bathroom, looking in the mirror, and then discovering that they’ve been walking around with black flakes or smudges all over their eyes.

So, I picked out a bunch of ‘clean’ mascara brands (some of which I’ve been using for years, and some that I’ve recently tried for the first time), and Lauren and I put them to the test.

Some of these mascaras perform just as well as conventional brands… So there’s really no need to sacrifice performance for safe ingredients these days.

I hope this guide will help save you some time, money, and trial & error, and that it will help you find YOUR favorite non-toxic mascara!

This guide contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase (though not all links are affiliate!). A couple of the mascaras were gifted, but we bought most of them. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine.

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Ingredients to avoid in mascara

All of the mascaras below are free from all of the most concerning ingredients that are often found in ‘conventional’ mascaras, such as:

• Butylated compounds, such as BHT
• Carbon black / coal tar dyes
• Mineral oils
• Parabens
• PFAS (yes, as of mid-2024, PFAS are still being used in some mascaras!)
• Phthalates
• Sulfates, like SLS
• Undisclosed fragrance

Preservatives in mascara

Now, pretty much all mascaras (clean or not) contain certain ingredients that have restrictions on the amount that can be used. (Specific restrictions vary depending on the country.)

Ingredients like sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and benzoic acid are preservatives that are commonly used in the mascaras listed below.

These have all been found to be very safe in general, but there are restrictions on the amount that can or should be used in certain types of products. They are all much safer than alternatives such as parabens, which are endocrine-disrupting preservatives that are still commonly used by conventional mascara brands.

Personally, I’m totally fine with using cosmetics with these preservatives in them because I absolutely do not want to use mascara that has mold or bacteria growing in it. An eye infection from mascara that wasn’t properly preserved? No thank you.

Plus, it takes me a pretty long time to go through a tube of mascara. So I want it to be able to last a while, without growing anything that could give me a weird, painful, and embarrassing infection.

All of that said, there are a couple of “just okay” preservatives used by a few of the brands below. I’ve called those out where it’s relevant so that you can be aware and decide for yourself if you want to use it. (The 3 brands that I think may not be good for sensitive eyes are Thrive, Elate, and Ogee.)

How we tested for sweat/water-resistance

Below you’ll find our thoughts on the sweat/water-resistance of each of the mascaras we tried.

First, let me be very clear that none of these mascaras are waterproof. They aren’t meant to go swimming in. 😆

Lauren, Lauren (yes, we have two Laurens!) and I tested the water-resistance under real-world circumstances, which basically consisted of doing really sweaty workouts!

And honestly, we were both pretty surprised by how well some of them held up! I’m really happy to be able to make several recommendations for non-toxic mascaras that have pretty good water resistance.

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Our Thoughts on These 11 Non-Toxic & Natural Mascara Brands

Okay, let’s get to it. Here are our non-toxic mascara brand reviews!

ILIA

I tried: Limitless Lash Mascara
Price: $28
Certifications: None (but it has earned awards from ‘conventional’ beauty publications like Allure & Glamour if that tells you anything!)
Colors: Black

ILIA’s Limitless Lash Mascara has become a bit of a cult favorite among the “clean beauty” crowd, and for good reason. It’s one of the best-performing non-toxic mascaras on the market. (Plus, it’s not crazy expensive compared to some others.)

I’ve actually been using it for years!

(They also have a Volumizing Mascara, which I haven’t tried yet. It doesn’t come with quite the same number of positive reviews as the Limitless one.)

I love the way it goes on. It has a comb-style brush which helps to lengthen, lift, and separates with just the right amount of volume. It really does make for nice length, shape, and fullness. 

They use ingredients like shea butter, arginine, and carnauba wax to protect your lashes and boost their growth. There aren’t any ingredients that are very concerning to me. I feel very safe using this mascara.

FYI, ILIA’s mascaras are not vegan, as it does use beeswax.

Sweat/water-resistance: Really good. I haven’t had any problems with my Ilia mascara sweating off around my eyes during my workouts.

Would I buy it again? Yep (and I have!)

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DIME (best for water-resistance)

Lauren A tried: Volume Mascara
Price: $22 (or $16.50 with subscription)
Certifications: Leaping Bunny Certified Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Colors: Black

Lauren’s Review:

This mascara has a lot going for it! The packaging is gorgeous (as is everything DIME!), the wand separates lashes well, and the formula is both lengthening and thickening.

I’d call this a quick-dry formula, which means it won’t be smearing all around your eyes when you’re blinking – yay! But it does build nicely with a couple layers of application. If you like a natural look, one layer will do. If you like a bolder lash, it layers up beautifully, giving you thick and full-looking lashes.

Even though a lot of DIME’s products are EWG Verified, this one is not (yet?). There are very minimal ingredients, and nothing that is super concerning to me.

Sweat/water-resistance: This one not only stays on all day, but it’s waterproof to some extent because it both stayed put during a very sweaty workout (without any finishing powder beneath my eyes even to help!), AND it stayed on my lashes when I splashed water on my entire face to start washing it.

Don’t worry, though – it came off easily with my gel cleanser, washing off in big flakes.

Would Lauren buy it again? Definitely. Overall, this is a huge winner: non-irritating, great staying power, the ability to scale up the thickness of your lashes.

Use code THEFILTERY for 20% off.

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Thrive Causemetics

I tried: Liquid Lash™ Extensions Mascara in Black
Price: $26
Certifications: Leaping Bunny Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Colors: Lots! Black, Brown, Pink, Blue, Green, and Purple

This one was actually recommended to me by a good friend of mine who isn’t even super into non-toxic living.

I’ve heard really good things about this mascara; it’s a relatively popular one, even among the “normies”! 😆 The ingredients aren’t too bad, so I decided to give it a try.

And yep… I totally see why it’s so popular. I love the way it performs.

It’s a “tubing” formula, which basically means it gently wraps around each lash in lightweight “tubes,” which you can then build upon to make your lashes longer and thicker. (Don’t wait for the mascara to dry before going over it again though—just keep swiping until you get the volume you want.)

It gives really great volume while still keeping the lashes separated, without clumping. I found it to hold up really well throughout the day, without flaking or rubbing off.

**Ingredient-wise, it’s not the “cleanest” mascara on the market. They do use a couple of ingredients that we may want to minimize, including phenoxyethanol, dimethicone, and synthetic copolymers. These are definitely not the worst ingredients, but they’re not great to use a lot either. I’m personally not super concerned with them, especially if I’m weighing out the high performance of this mascara.

Sweat/water-resistance: Really great. This is definitely one of the best when it comes to sweat & water. I’ve never noticed it smudging or flaking off, even after a long day or a hard workout.

Would I buy it again? Probably! This might not be my “daily” mascara due to some of the “just okay” ingredients, but I could see myself buying & using it again when I need something that can look great and hold up for the whole day.

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Elate (best plastic-free/refillable)

I tried: Essential Mascara in Black
Price: $33
Certifications: None
Colors: Black, Brown

Okay, wow, I’m SO glad to be able to recommend a mascara that really checks all the boxes:

• low-waste/refillable/plastic-free
• non-toxic
• actually works and looks nice

The mascara comes in a glass tube, and then when you run out, you can just re-buy the tube and keep using the wand you already have.

The wand handle is made of bamboo, and the wand itself is made of silicone. So no plastic—yay!

It goes on smooth and keeps my lashes separated, without any clumps. It’s not quite as thick & voluminous as Thrive or ILIA, but it’s close.

It’s vegan and cruelty-free, too.

The do use sodium hydroxide as a preservative, which may be irritating for some, especially around the eyes. This is the only potentially concerning ingredient, in my opinion.

Sweat/water-resistance: Really good. I haven’t had any issues with this mascara coming off during my sweaty workouts.

Would I buy it again? Absolutely. This is definitely one of my favorites, especially when you take the low-waste/refillable aspect into account. 

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Honest Beauty (best at Target; most affordable)

I tried: Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer AND Extreme Volume Mascara + Bold Lash Primer
Price: $20
Certifications: EWG Verified, Peta Cruelty-Free (only the Volume one is vegan)
Colors: Black

I’ve actually used Honest’s Extreme Length Mascara + Primer for years. It’s definitely one of the most affordable options for clean mascara (although you can get the DIME one for cheaper if you sign up for a subscription!).

This time, I ordered their other mascara, the Extreme Volume + Bold Lash Primer, so that I could tell you about both.

When it comes to application and overall look, I definitely like the Extreme Length one better.

However, it seems like the Extreme Volume one is much more sweat/water-resistant.

The Length one (in the white tube) comes with a white primer on one end, which helps to build fuller, longer lashes before putting the black mascara on. It has a thinner, comb-style brush, which keeps lashes separated without clumping.

The Volume mascara (in the black tube) has a blue primer, which is supposed to “add depth + richness to the black mascara.” It definitely can make a thick, dramatic look, but the problem is that the bristle-style brush is too thick for my liking. It’s easy to get mascara on to my eyelids while I’m putting it on. It also can get a little clumpy.

Both of these mascaras are cruelty-free, but only the Volume one is vegan (the Length one uses beeswax).

Sweat/water-resistance: Here’s where the Volume mascara outshines the Length mascara. The Length one tends to rub off onto my eyelids a little bit after sweating, but the Volume one seems to hold up a lot better.

The other day, I wore the Volume mascara to a (very) hot pilates class. I was completely soaked in sweat by the end of it, and I could not believe that my mascara had not smeared one bit!

Would I buy it again? Yes, especially if I’m looking for something on the cheaper side and/or need to grab something at the store. I’ve re-purchased Honest’s mascara several times over the years.

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Ogee

I tried: Beyond Clean Volumizing Mascara
Price: $48
Certifications: 77% organic ingredients (certified by NSF)
Colors: Black

I really like Ogee’s mascara. It may not be my absolute favorite when it comes to application & performance, but I do really like it a lot. It can create a full, dramatic lash look. It can get slightly clumpy sometimes, but nothing crazy.

Ogee utilizes ingredients like jojoba oil and oat proteins to nourish lashes while strengthening them at the same time. It’s also gluten-free, cruelty-free, and made in the USA. (It is not vegan, as it contains beeswax.)

Ingredient-wise, they do use benzyl alcohol and potassium hydroxide, which may be irritating to some folks with sensitivities.

But, they also have a high percentage of certified organic ingredients too.

Sweat/water-resistance: Moderate. It’s not crazy, but sometimes a little mascara rubs off onto my eyelids after a while.

Would I buy it again? I’m on the fence. Don’t love it, don’t hate it. The main thing is that some of the other brands listed above perform slightly better, at around half the price.

(That said, I’d probably buy some of Ogee’s other products again! I’m working on a full review, so stay tuned!)

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Toups & Co.

Celia tried: Long Lash Mascara
Price: $26
Certifications: Some certified organic ingredients
Colors: Black, Dark Brown

Celia’s take:

Toups & Co.’s Long Lash Mascara boosts volume and length while improving lash health and promoting growth. This lengthening mascara is made to fight flakes, clumps, and fallout without causing irritation for all-day wear. 

was kind of taken aback by the short wand of this mascara, but I actually like how much control it gives me during application. 

This mascara makes my lashes look much longer without feeling too heavy. It also wears well throughout the day. It doesn’t rub off easily or end up under my eyes by lunchtime like some other mascaras. I’m a big fan! 

Would I re-buy it? Yes​​—this is a great non-toxic mascara! It doesn’t get clumpy or raccoon-y (which is my biggest qualm with some natural mascaras) and lasts all day without flaking or irritating my eyes. Plus, it makes a huge difference in the length of my lashes.

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Shaklee

I tried: YOUTH® Lash Revitalizing and Conditioning Mascara
Price: $43.20 (members) – $50.85 (non-members)
Certifications: EWG Verified
Colors: Black

Shaklee is a supplement and personal care brand that has apparently been around since the early 1900s! However, I didn’t even know about Shaklee until last year, when I happened to find this mascara in the EWG Database.

So, I decided to give it a try.

Shaklee’s YOUTH® Lash Revitalizing and Conditioning Mascara is a “2-in-1 lash conditioner and mascara.” It uses ingredients like shea butter to help nourish and strengthen lashes.

I actually do like this mascara a lot. It goes on smoothly and gives my lashes a full, volumized look, while still keeping the lashes separated. And it’s easy to take off at the end of the day.

I like the comb-style 2-sided brush, which basically makes it easier to create volume with shorter bristles and add definition with longer bristles.

There aren’t any ingredients that are concerning to me.

It’s not vegan, as it contains beeswax.

Sweat-resistance: Pretty good. I’ve noticed it will start to rub off onto my lids after a while, but only every once in a while.

Would I buy it again? Probably not… The main reason I would be hesitant to re-buy this mascara is the price point. Since I’m not a Shaklee member, I paid $50 plus shipping for one tube! It did last me a long time, but that’s still pretty expensive!

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RMS Beauty

I tried: Straight Up™ Volumizing Peptide Mascara
Price: $29
Certifications: None
Colors: Black

Honestly, this is definitely not my favorite one in terms of performance & application.

Ingredient-wise, it’s good. They use ingredients like candelilla wax, shea butter, peptides, and white tea leaf extracts to keep your lashes healthy. There’s nothing of concern to me.

It has a soft bristle type brush as opposed to a comb. And the brush is so fat that it’s really easy to get mascara on my eyelids as I’m applying it.

It also just doesn’t go on as thick and doesn’t lift, lengthen, and build as well as some of the other brands above.

But if you’re going for more of a feathery-soft, less dramatic look, then you might like this one! More of a ‘no makeup makeup’ look.

This one isn’t explicitly vegan/cruelty-free, but as far as I can tell, it doesn’t contain any animal-derived ingredients.

Sweat/water-resistance: Good. There are some minor flakes post-workout, but nothing major at all. Overall, it holds up well.

Would I buy it again? Probably not. I’d go for one of the other brands above first.

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Well People

I tried: Expressionist Pro Mascara
Price: $20
Certifications: EWG Verified, PETA Cruelty Free and Leaping Bunny certified (and their new formula is vegan, too!)
Colors: Black, Brown

Like the Honest one, this mascara is also available at Target and is one of the most affordable ones on this list. I definitely like that aspect of it!

But unfortunately, it’s not my favorite in terms of texture and application. It’s a little clumpy and the texture almost seems like the mascara is kind of old (even though it’s not). It makes for more of a light and feathery look though, if you like that.

There’s nothing concerning in the ingredients, though. This, the Shaklee one, and the Crunchi one (below) are the only ones on this list that are EWG Verified.

Sweat/water-resistance: Good. It holds up pretty well when sweating. Just a few flakes, nothing major. 

Would I buy it again? Probably not. Unless I needed to grab something at the store and this was the only option.

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River Organics

Lauren P tried: Black Zero Waste Mascara
Price: $18 (without brush) – $27.99 (with brush)
Certifications: Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Colors: Black

Lauren’s Review: 

Here’s the thing, I want to love this soo bad. I’m always looking for ways to kick plastic, especially in makeup. It is so hard to find an effective plastic-free mascara but this River Organics mascara is not doing it for me. I am not impressed with anything other than the fact that it’s plastic-free and I cannot recommend it unless you’re willing to gamble.

Ingredients: Great. It is 100% vegan, cruelty-free certified, and has a total of 10 (ish) ingredients. Plus it comes in a 100% plastic-free container.

Application: It comes in a solid cake instead of in a tube like traditional mascara but surprisingly the learning curve isn’t difficult. Application is super easy. 

Formula: The mascara is smoothe, the color is nice, and it applies very nice but it isn’t thickening, lengthening, or volumizing (FYI). 

Sweat/water resistant: Nope. If you even think about moisture while wearing this it will smudge. I only had it on for about 2 hours, which, in defense of the mascara I forgot I was wearing it, until I walked past a mirror and freaked out for a second because my eyes were black!

Fortunately it wipes off easily so I just had to run my fingers under my eyes and we were good to go. I also think it’s worth mentioning that I must have greasy eyes because this is a common occurrence with me and mascara. 

Would I buy it again? Sadly, no probably not. I wouldn’t even wear this around the house and I definitely wouldn’t want to pass it along to anyone else.

That said, if you DO decide to purchase anything else from River Organics, you can use the code THEFILTERY for 15% off.

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Crunchi

Lauren A tried: Shattered Mascara
Price: $30
Certifications: EWG Verified, Leaping Bunny Cruelty-Free
Colors: Black

Lauren’s Review:

Here’s the lowdown on Crunchi’s mascara: the packaging is lovely and I love how the hefty glass container feels in my hands, but overall I’m not wowed by the formula, the application, or the wear. 

The application has a bit of a learning curve when you first open the tube because the wand doesn’t separate lashes well and it takes a few pumps to get the formula onto the wand. At first, I thought the formula was dry, but the second time I tested it out, I realized the wand just wasn’t coated enough that first time! Oops. (They actually do give some “Pro Tips” on using the mascara for the first time on the website… I probably should have read that!)

However, the formula does dry quickly on your lashes, so it’s difficult to layer it if you like a thicker-lashed look. And as it is, the formula is not thickening or volumizing.

Sweat/water-resistance: Not good. I found that after about 5 hours of wear, the mascara started wearing off and left flakes all over my face, which was irritating for my eyes and just not a cute look. 

Would I buy it again? No. All in all, this is one I won’t be using again.

Fortunately, they do have a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you still want to try it, there’s little risk involved.

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Juice Beauty

I tried: Phyto-Pigments Ultra-Natural Mascara
Price: $25
Certifications: Leaping Bunny Cruelty-Free
Colors: Black

This is the most natural mascara on this list. Most of the ingredients are plant-derived, and many of them are certified organic.

Unfortunately though, when it comes to performance, this is my least favorite one I’ve tried.

It doesn’t go on very thick, and it doesn’t lengthen or build.

Sweat/water-resistance: It’s definitely not sweat-proof, either. There was a lot of mascara around my eyes after my sweaty cardio class.

Would I buy it again? Sadly, no.

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I hope this guide has helped you clean up your makeup bag a little bit!

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