5 best clean mascaras of 2024 – tested and reviewed
Finding the perfect mascara is difficult. Finding the perfect mascara with clean ingredients makes it even more challenging.
But, the good news is that there are many great mascaras with clean ingredients to choose from – whether you want a natural, no-makeup look or thick, dramatic lashes we’ve got you covered.
We’ve tested and reviewed five of the best mascaras with clean ingredients so you don’t have to!
Why is it important to use mascara with clean ingredients?
Using products with clean ingredients is growing in popularity as people are becoming more aware of the ingredients in products and their potential harmful side effects.
If you have sensitive skin or find your eyes get irritated and sore after using traditional mascaras, you could benefit from using a mascara with clean ingredients.
Ingredients to watch out for:
Parabens are a group of preservatives often used in cosmetic products to make their shelf life longer. However, studies have shown that parabens can mimic estrogen in the body and cause hormonal issues.
Some common parabens to avoid are methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben.
Allergens
The FDA has a list of allergens that are found in beauty products including fragrances, preservatives, and dyes. The full list can be found here.
Did you know fragrances can be made up of around 3,500 chemicals? These ingredients do not have to be specified in ingredient lists and can lead to problems such as hormone disruption, heightened cancer risks, and allergic reactions.
Luckily, many clean beauty brands offer mascaras that are free from harmful ingredients. Let’s get into our top picks!
The clean mascara roundup
Here are five of the best clean mascaras, tested and reviewed, so you can find your new favorite!
We tested and reviewed:
- Ilia limitless lash mascara
- Honest Beauty extreme length mascara and lash primer
- Saie mascara 101
- One/Size fantasize lifting and lengthening mascara
- Honest Beauty tinted lash serum
Ilia limitless lash mascara
This mascara does it all. It’s buildable, lengthening, and clump-free – what more can you ask for?
Whether you’re going for a natural, “your lashes but better” look, or a bold, dramatic finish for an evening glam, this mascara can deliver both.
Key ingredients
This mascara is packed with nourishing ingredients like arginine, organic shea butter, and beeswax. These help to hydrate, nourish, and strengthen your lashes. As someone with sensitive eyes, I appreciate that it doesn’t irritate or cause discomfort.
Key features
The dual-sided brush is another highlight of this mascara. One side is best at putting the product onto the lashes, while the other side is great at combing through and separating the lashes.
It is no surprise that this mascara is an 11 (!) time award winner. From Cosmopolitan Readers’ Choice Beauty Awards (2024) to Best Clean Mascara in Allure’s Best of Beauty (2019), this mascara is a game changer.
Pros
This mascara is buildable, lengthening, and clump-free. It is easy to create both subtle and dramatic lash looks with this mascara. Plus, it’s also incredibly easy to remove, which is rare. Ilia claims that you can even remove it with warm water, no makeup remover needed!
Beyond the actual product, this mascara also stands out for being cruelty-free and having eco-friendly packaging. It is made from a material that lessens carbon emissions and waste.
Cons
Personally, I can’t think of any cons. It’s my go-to mascara that I constantly repurchase!
About the brand
Beyond the individual product, Ilia is an amazing brand with many clean beauty products! They focus on creating clean beauty products that work just as well, if not better than their conventional competitors.
Ilia products are cruelty free and free from gluten, parabens, phthalates, petroleum, mineral oil, talc and the list goes on! They strive to use sustainable packaging such as recycled aluminum, glass, and responsibly sourced paper. Choosing this mascara is a win for both your health, your lashes, and the planet!
Overall
This mascara is one of my favorite clean mascaras. From the buildability, the nourishing feeling, and how easy it is to remove, you can’t go wrong with it!
Honest Beauty extreme length mascara and lash primer
This product boasts not only a great performing mascara but also a quality eyelash primer too. This innovative design is great as you have both the primer and mascara in one place.
Key ingredients
This mascara from Honest Beauty contains jojoba esters which nourish and hydrate your lashes.
Key features
Unlike any other mascara listed here, this product contains both a lash primer and mascara all in one.
It works best if you use the primer and let it dry for a few minutes before applying the mascara. This mascara adds great length to your lashes and does not go on clumpy.
The brush is rigid plastic with short bristles which is helpful to distribute the product.
Both the primer and mascara are enjoyable to use and are also extremely effective. I enjoy using this product for a natural look, but when I want a product that gives more length and volume than a serum.
It is cruelty free and free from parabens, paraffins, synthetic fragrances, silicones, and mineral oils. The packaging of this mascara is made from 100% recycled material and is FSC-certified. This makes it a great choice for you and the planet!
It is no surprise that this mascara and lash primer won the Allure Readers’ choice for clean beauty in 2021
Cons
The only con of this product is that if you don’t wait a few minutes after applying the primer before using the mascara you don’t see the full benefits of the primer.
About the brand
Honest Beauty is a great, cruelty free company if you want to try cleaner and safer products. They have a list of over 3,500 ingredients that they do not allow in their products.
The Honest Company is also transparent about what goes into their products – the research that goes into the ingredients, assessing the ingredients for safety, and ultimately the list of ingredients in each product.
Overall
If you are looking for a company that values health and clean beauty, the Honest Company is a great place to check out!
Saie mascara 101
Mascara 101 is a great, buildable mascara. It holds a curl well and also lengthens the lashes nicely.
Key ingredients
This mascara contains organic beeswax, carnauba wax, shea butter, and arginine to nourish and moisturize the lashes.
Key features
The brush on this mascara is what sets it apart – it separates lashes so they are not left clumpy while also covering them equally with the product. The end of the brush also had bristles on which is extremely helpful to make sure your corner and bottom lashes are also coated with the mascara.
Mascara 101 has won best clean mascara for HelloGiggles Beauty Crush Awards, Women’s Health Beauty Awards and PopSugar’s Conscious Beauty Awards.
Pros
This mascara does an amazing job of coating all your lashes evenly while holding a curl. It also comes in black and brown to suit whatever makeup look you are going for.
Cons
As this brush is different to others, the first time using it can be a bit confusing. Once you figure it out though, it works great!
About the brand
As a brand, Saie has many great things to offer. They are climate neutral certified, certified plastic negative, leaping bunny certified, and they also donate 1% of their sales to environmental non-profits! Recently, they also launched the Saie climate initiative. This initiative covers aspects such as a partnership with rePurpose Global to tackle clearing plastic from the environment to aim for net zero emissions by 2039.
Overall
This is a great mascara option for those embracing a better future for not only their health, but the health of the planet too.
One/Size fantasize lifting & lengthening mascara
If you are looking for a clean but dramatic mascara, look no further!
Key ingredients
With ingredients such as coconut oil, argan oil, and castor seed oil your lashes are sure to feel hydrated and nourished.
Key features
The brush has 6 points, which claims to help definition and volume. The brush is efficient at layering the product as well as lengthening and lifting lashes.
This volumizing mascara delivers a thicker and slightly clumpy lashes, which is great if you are looking for a mascara that delivers full lashes and a less natural look.
Pros
This mascara promises 24 hours of wear. While I haven’t tested it for the full 24 hours, I can confidently say that once you put this mascara on, it isn’t going anywhere! It doesn’t flake off and stays on extremely well.
If you are in need of a mascara that has extremely long wear – this product stands out from all the others.
Cons
If you layer this mascara it can get clumpy, so just watch out if that isn’t the look you are going for! The long-lasting formula can make removal a bit challenging, so keep that in mind.
About the brand
One/Size isn’t generally considered a clean beauty brand. However, they have some products such as this mascara that do have clean ingredients. This vegan mascara is also cruelty free and paraben free!
One/Size focuses on inclusivity and beauty for everyone. The brand is owned by Patrick Starrr, who has over 4.3 million instagram followers. Their products are always popular!
Overall
If you are looking for a mascara that has clean ingredients and delivers a dramatic result, then this could be a great choice for you!
Honest Beauty lash serum
If you are on the search for a clean product with a more natural finish, then this could be perfect for you!
Key ingredients
This lash tint serum is packed full of ingredients to enhance your lashes and the health of them. It contains castor oil and jojoba esters so your lashes will feel nourished, hydrated, and conditioned.
Key features
This is a serum infused lash tint – it gives you more than your natural lashes, but not as much as a mascara.
This lightweight lash product is perfect for no makeup days when you want to wear a little something. You also get an added bonus of knowing that the ingredients actually help and condition your lashes!
This lash serum delivers natural-looking lashes. lt is lightweight and packed with nourishing ingredients such as castor oil and jojoba esters.
There are three colors to choose from – clear, brown, and black – so you can choose what look you want to go for.
Cons
I find that this product doesn’t hold a curl particularly well and it is also more difficult to remove than some of the other options. Make sure to use an eyelash curler if you want to extend the life of your lashes curls.
About the brand
As mentioned earlier, Honest Beauty is a great choice for clean skincare and makeup products.
Overall
I enjoy wearing this product on days with less makeup. It lengthens and defines your lashes without being clumpy or heavy.
- Best dramatic effect: One/Size Fantasize Mascara
- Most natural look: Honest Beauty Lash Serum
- Most unique brush: Saie Mascara 101
- Best buildable look: Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara
- Most innovative product: Honest Beauty extreme length mascara and lash primer
Choosing the best mascara for you is personal, but with so many mascaras with clean ingredients available you are sure to find one that fits what you are looking for!
Whether you are searching for the most natural looking lash product or want to find the mascara with the most dramatic effect to add to your makeup bag, one of these five mascaras with clean ingredients could be exactly what you’re looking for!
Next time you need a new mascara, don’t be afraid to try out different products and find your perfect match!
