I think most of us would argue our most important makeup product is mascara.
Most days I can’t leave the house without mascara. (I mean unless it’s like a Sunday, grocery-shopping, cleaning, no makeup kind of day.) As we’ve been slowly but surely switching out our makeup for clean alternatives, finding a clean mascara was at the top of our priority list.
So far, we’ve tried:
- Glossier
- Thrive Causemetics
- Honest Beauty
- W3LL People
- ILIA
And we’re ready to share our thoughts to help you decide which ones you should try! We’ll give you our pros and cons of each, whether we think it’s worth it or not and bonus – what type of makeup day it’s best for!
Let’s get those lashes looking luscious!
Glossier Lash Slick
- Price: $16
- Where to buy: Glossier website or our Shop Page! For 10% off your first Glossier purchase, use this link.
- Perks: Cruelty Free | Paraben Free | Fragrance Free | Hypoallergenic | Allergy Tested | Dermatologist Tested | Ophthalmologist Tested | Suitable for Sensitive Eyes and Contact Lens Wearers | Non-Irritating
- Read the full review here.
It’s hard for me to resist any Glossier products, and Glossier Lash Slick is right up there in the list of best Glossier products (IMO). I love this mascara for day-to-day use…especially if I’m doing a natural look with no other eye makeup.
Pros
- No clumping
- No smudging or flaking
- Easy to apply
- Balanced consistency
- Lasts all day
- Enhances your natural lashes
Cons
- Run out of product quickly
- Hard to remove with micellar water, but removes easily with warm water
- Can only order online (unless you live by a Glossier store)
Worth it? Worth it.
Best for? Best for natural-looking makeup days.
Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara
- Price: $24
- Where to buy: Thrive Causemetics website! Get $10 off your purchase of $50 or more and free shipping with our link.
- Perks: Cruelty Free | No Parabens | Vegan | No Sulfates
- Read the full review here.
If you want va-va-VOOM lashes, this is for you. This mascara packs more of a punch than any mascara (clean or dirty) that I’ve ever used. I love to use this one if I’m getting dressed up or going out. It’s a little too much for my day-to-day preferences.
Pros
- No clumping
- No smudging or flaking
- Lasts all day
- Adds serious volume
- One tube lasts for a long time
Cons
- Hard to apply (there’s a lot of product on the brush no matter how hard you try to get it off…at least at first)
- Only order online
- Hard to remove fully
- Higher price point
Worth it? Worth it.
Best for? Best for special occasions (unless you like heavier makeup day-to-day!).
W3LL People Expressionist Mascara
- Price: $21.99
- Shop: Amazon
- Perks: Non-GMO | 100% Cruelty-Free | Petroleum-Free | Paraben-Free | Gluten-Free | Coal Tar-Free | Aluminum-Free| Fiber-Free
To be honest, I’m throwing this one in here because it’s a really popular one. Unfortunately, it just didn’t cut it for me and I’m truly wondering how it has won all of these awards?!
Pros:
- Smooth application
- Can buy online or in-store (Whole Foods)
- Easy to remove
- Gives good volume
- No clumps
Cons:
- Doesn’t last all day (it barely lasted more than a couple of hours for me)
- Smudges
- Flakes (leaving you with dark circles)
Worth it? Not worth it.
Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara
- Price: $14.99
- Shop: Amazon
- Perks: No Parabens | No Paraffins | No Synthetic Fragrances | No Silicones | No Mineral Oil
So many lovely ladies were raving to us about the Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara and now I fully understand why. It’s hard to believe a clean product, at such an amazing pricepoint, can work so well. This one is my new go-to!
Pros:
- Smooth application
- Dual-ended with a primer
- Lasts all day
- No flaking
- No smudging
- Perfect amount of volume and length
- Can buy online or in-store (Target)
Cons:
- Minor clumping
Worth it? Worth it.
Best for? Best for everyday use.
ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara
- Price: $28
- Shop: Sephora
- Perks: Cruelty-Free | Made with 99% Natural Ingredients | No Nano-Particles | No Synthetic Fragrances | No Soy | No Gluten.
Omg guys, I can’t even begin to tell you how obsessed I am with this mascara! The brush has two types of bristles – one side for volume and the other for lash separation. And the color is perfectly black so it really helps define your lashes. Not to mention, it doesn’t clump and lasts ALL DAY LONG. Seriously, my lashes look the same in the morning as they do at night! Regardless of it’s magnificent staying power, it does come off easily with a cleansing balm.
Pros:
- Gives volume and definition
- No clumping
- Lasts all day
- No flaking
- No smudging
- Easy application
Cons:
- Not waterproof
Worth it? Worth it.
Best for? Best for everyday and special occasions.
Our clean mascara reviews were pretty successful, right?!
With the exception of W3LL People, every one of our experiements has been really successful in one way or another. The good news is it just got THAT much easier for you to make a clean swap to a new mascara (that actually works).
Have you tried any others?! Even if they were total failures, share your thoughts below so we all can learn from each other’s successes and failures!
Xoxo,
