Hot Tip: These Clean Mascaras Trick People Into Thinking I Got a Lash Lift

Let me begin by saying that there's no one definition of "clean," and everyone has different standards of what they choose to put on their skin and hair. It's all up to personal preference, and, by the way, just because you may favor clean mascara doesn't mean your whole beauty routine must be totally 100% clean. Mine certainly isn't!

This all being said, I have found myself using clean mascaras, if only for the fact that the options are abundant as ever and truly just so good. I'm talking lift! Density! Long-lasting curl! Gone are the days of sacrificing performance for a natural-leaning ingredient list; today's clean mascaras truly deliver the same falsies-level result as their traditional counterparts. The only difficulty becomes choosing which gorgeous tube to add to your makeup bag—our list below is a very good place to start.

The Best Clean and Natural Mascaras, Listed

  1. Best Overall: Victoria Beckham Vast Lash Mascara
  2. Best Curling: Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara
  3. Best Lengthening: Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara
  4. Best for a Natural Look: Ami Colé Lash Amplifying Mascara
  5. Best Buildable: Kjaer Weis Im-possible Mascara
  6. Best Budget: Covergirl Lash Blast Cleantopia Mascara
  7. Best for Separation: Saie Mascara 101
  8. Best Tubing: Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara
  9. Best Volumizing: Kosas The Big Clean Mascara
  10. Best Splurge: Westman Atelier Eye Want You Mascara
  11. Best Waterproof: Ere Perez Avocado Waterproof Mascara

What Does Clean Mascara Mean?

If you do feel like making the mascara swap, you should have a few ingredients on your radar. Clean mascaras tend to skip plasticizers (which give the lashes a soft bend), mineral oil (which helps the formula glide), perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (also called PFAS, which make mascaras long-lasting), as well as synthetic dyes, aluminum powder, formaldehyde, sulfates, and parabens. Instead, they'll typically include beeswax or candelilla wax to encourage hold, plus shea butter, castor oil, and other plant-based emollients to secure a smooth glide and simultaneously moisturize the lashes.

But decoding ingredient lists can be quite the daunting task, which is why we created this handy list of clean mascaras below—each formula researched, vetted, and personally tested by our editors. Spoiler: Many of them rival the dramatic, brow-grazing results of our go-to tubes.

The Best Clean and Natural Mascaras

Best Overall: Victoria Beckham Vast Lash Mascara

Jamie testing victoria beckham natural mascara

Jamie wearing Victoria Beckham Beauty Vast Lash Mascara

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best Curling: Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara

Jamie testing tower 28 natural mascara

Jamie wearing Tower 28's MakeWaves Mascara

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best Lengthening: Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara

Best for a Natural Look: Ami Colé Lash Amplifying Mascara

Best Buildable: Kjaer Weis Im-possible Mascara

jamie testing kjaer weis natural mascara

Jamie wearing Kjaer Weis Im-possible Mascara

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best Budget: Covergirl Lash Blast Cleantopia Mascara

Jamie testing covergirl natural mascara

Jamie wearing Covergirl Lash Blast Cleantopia Mascara

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best for Separation: Saie Mascara 101

Jamie testing Saie mascara

Jamie wearing Saie's Mascara 101

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best Tubing: Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara

Jamie wearing Thrive Causemetics Mascara

Jamie wearing Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best Volumizing: Kosas The Big Clean Mascara

Best Splurge: Westman Atelier Eye Want You Mascara

Jamie testing westman atelier natural mascara

Jamie wearing Westman Atelier Eye Want You Mascara

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best Waterproof: Ere Perez Avocado Waterproof Mascara

FAQ

Is natural mascara better for your eyelashes?

It's true that many clean mascaras contain good-for-lash ingredients, like castor oil and vitamin E, but that doesn't mean every natural formula is safe. For example, if you're allergic to beeswax, you'll want to make sure your mascara skips it for a plant-based wax. Similarly, "if you have seasonal allergies (hay fever), you may be allergic to flower-derived ingredients like chamomile," ophthalmologist Diane Hilal-Campo, MD, says about mascaras for sensitive eyes.

Point being, you'll still want to make the most informed choice for your own set of lashes. That caveat being said, plenty of mascaras—natural ones and others!—contain serum-like ingredients to nourish your lash hairs. Those are your best bet!

Which mascara is best for a natural look?

If you're looking for a subtler slick of pigment, you'll love Saie's Mascara 101, Ami Colé's Lash-Amplifying Mascara, and Ere Perez's Avocado Waterproof Mascara. Each provides length and separation with a tapered brush for precise coats.

What can I use instead of mascara?

You have options! You could go the salon route with lash extensions, lash tints, or a lash lift to make those tiny hairs look extra curled and fluttery. Falsies are great in a pinch (here are the best ones, in our opinion), or you could use clear mascara for a subtle eye-opening effect on no-makeup days. If you're really against using any product on your lashes, don't underestimate the power of a touch of kohl pencil. Tightlined in your upper waterline, it can work wonders.

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Jamie Schneider
Senior Beauty Editor

Jamie Schneider isBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing ’s senior beauty editor based in New York City. She has a penchant for trend forecasting, covering everything from innovative skincare launches to celebrity profiles, and her work has appeared in mindbodygreen, Coveteur, and more. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English before moving to NYC, and she's been there ever since. When she’s not writing or testing Wholesale Replica Bag beauty finds, Jamie loves exploring vintage boutiques, reading mystery books (bonus points for an unexpected twist), and she’s always down for a park picnic in Brooklyn.