I’ve tried dozens of non toxic mascara over the last decade and I’m sharing what’s actually worth getting. Why should you trust me? I have almost zero lashes, so most clean mascaras don’t work for me unless they’re superior.

The absolute best non toxic mascara for short lashes are INIKA Organic Long Lash Mascara, Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara, and ILIA Fullest Volumizing Mascara.

Ingredients to Avoid in Mascara

Conventional mascara. can contain sulfates, SLS and SLES, parabens, formaldehydes, formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, and hydroquinone. If you have sensitive eyes, you want to make sure to avoid harsh and harmful ingredients that can irritate.

I tried Merit Beauty Clean Volume Mascara

Merit Beauty’s Clean Volume Mascara is specifically made for short lashes and has a Japanese-made tubing formula that lifts, separates and volumizes. The brush head is smaller and shorter than most other mascaras which allows for more precise application. I also find that it has a grippy “drier” formula that adheres to my lashes well and makes them look so much longer and fuller. The trick for me is using just the tip to focus on each precious lash I have, which transfers a TON of product over. This mascara stays put, lasts all day for me, comes off easily with cleanser and doesn’t flake or smudge. Once it sets and dries, I don’t find it buildable. The formula is low-tox but not all natural and is sensitive eyes-friendly. Here’s how it looks on my barely there, stick short lashes!

Price: $28
Key ingredients: Rice bran wax, shea butter
✔ Vegan ✔ Cruelty-free

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I tried Inika Long Lash Mascara

INIKA Organic is one of the highest quality, truly clean makeup brands on the market and their non-toxic mascara is an industry standout in my opinion. With every tube I’ve purchased over the years, I’ve found the performance to be consistently stellar across all categories – it lifts, lengthens and adds crazy volume to my tiny lashes without smudging. I appreciate that their formula is super clean and completely non-toxic with botanicals like magnolia bark extract to strengthen lashes over time. This would be my go-to if I weren’t constantly testing new mascaras.

Price: $35
Key ingredients: Castor seed oil, Magnolia Bark extract, Sunflower Seed Oil
Varietals available: Long Lash Mascara, Bold Lash Mascara, Curvy Lash Mascara, Purity Lash Mascara
✔ Made with certified organic ingredients ✔ Vegan ✔ Leaping Bunny Cruelty-free

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use OBL for -15%

I tried Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer (budget!)

I’ve used Honest Beauty’s mascara for so many years now and I still find it to be the best option under $20 for those who want a safer mascara that actually works. This is a dual-sided mascara that both primes and lengthens, much like the Maybelline mascaras I used to use. First I use the primer side, which is a creamy white formula, to help prep my lashes. Then I go in with the mascara which clings onto the primer super well and helps boost the volume, thickness and length of my lashes. It wears pretty well throughout the day with very minimal smudging.

Price: $19.99
Purity level: 4/5
Key ingredients: jojoba esters
Varietals available: Extreme Volume Mascara + Bold Lash
✔ Vegan

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I tried ILIA Fullest Volumizing Mascara

I’ve used Ilia’s mascaras for a few years and find it to be a great mid-range priced option that actually performs. My only complaint is that there’s nothing actually natural in it that helps nourish my lashes compared to other organic mascaras. It’s got a violin shaped brush with different sized bristles to give the most volume possible. I’ve also used their Limitless Lash Mascara which has thin straight bristles and I find it excellent at lengthening. Both work great for me honestly. But for volume, I definitely reach for their Fullest Volumizing Mascara. I find it to have minimal to zero smudging. It doesn’t irritate my eyes at all.

Price: $28
Purity level: 4/5
Key ingredients: Arginine, Panthenol
Varietals available: Limitless Lash Mascara
✔ Vegan

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I tried Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara (sensitive friendly!)

It was love at first swipe with Tower 28. And I can actually tell that it does separate and lengthen with one side and build volume with the other. It’s got a Triple-Wave Wand with three flexible suspended bands that lengthen and define lashes + build boldness. It’s also specially formulated for sensitive eyes. The formula is slick and dense and transfers effortlessly onto my lashes. Just check out the difference between the left side (with mascara) and the right side (without)!

Price: $20
Purity level: 4/5
Key ingredients: Castor seed oil, Sunflower seed wax
✔ Vegan ✔ Sensitive eyes-safe

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I tried SWEED Beauty Cloud Mascara

SWEED Cloud Mascara totally wins for best newcomer clean mascara in clean beauty for performance but does lack in ingredient purity. It transforms my lashes with very little to no effort and the formula instantly transfers over, volumizing and lengthening my lashes immediately. It does make a dramatic difference for me that’s super noticeable. My only complaint is that it’s low on the ingredient purity level compared to actually non toxic mascaras as there are some ingredients I prefer to avoid if possible.

Price: $30
Purity level: 3/5
Key ingredients: Panthenol, Rice Bran Wax
Varietals available: Cloud Mascara, Pro Lash Lift Mascara
✔ Vegan

I tried Lily Lolo Black Vegan Natural Mascara

Lily Lolo’s affordable mascara is 100% natural and silicone free, alcohol free, vegan, gluten free, GMO free, and cruelty free. I find it does an excellent job at lengthening the lashes but only for my longer lashes at the outer edge and did little for my short stubborn lashes in the center and inner corner. If all my lashes were as long as the ones on the outer edge I’m sure this would be super impressive to me. Instead of toxins, Lily Lolo uses Myrica Pubescens Fruit Wax, Acacia Senegal Gum, carnauba wax, Rice Bran wax and sunflower seed wax along with rosehip oil and Argan oil to nourish lashes. I think this would be perfectly suitable for someone who already has a lot of lashes and doesn’t need a mascara that does it all.  

Price: $19.50
Purity level: 5/5
Key ingredients: Castor seed oil,
✔ 100% natural ✔ Vegan ✔ Leaping Bunny Cruelty-free

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use OBL for -15%

I tried Fitglow Beauty Good Lash Mascara

Fitglow has one of the healthiest mascara formulas using certified organic ingredients in clean beauty! It’s as much lash care as it is makeup and contains collagen, Horsetail Extract, and Plant Protein for stronger, healthier lashes. I find that it adds instant volume and length and seems to even feel super nourishing! The downside is that it’s one of the more expensive clean mascara on the market.

Price: $38
Purity level: 5/5
Key ingredients: Castor seed oil, Magnolia Bark extract, Sunflower Seed Oil
✔ 100% natural ✔ Vegan ✔ Made with certified organic ingredients

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use OBL15 for -15%

I tried Caliray come hell or high water tubing mascara

Caliray’s mascara impressed me right away. I find that it gives a good amount of volume and even has decent hold power. The formula isn’t the cleanest as there are a few iffy ingredients like phenoxyethanol, but it has a higher number of lash-nourishing ingredients compared to other clean mascaras. There’s coffee seed oi, avocado oil and even peptides and ceramides to build stronger, healthier lashes. The tube itself is extremely light and very easy to handle.

Price: $24
Purity level: 4/5
Key ingredients: Coffee Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, peptides, ceramide
✔ Vegan