9 Best Natural Mascara Brands To Open Your Eyes To
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Are you looking for natural mascara? Here are nine of the best brands available right now, including the organic and vegan-friendly formulations, and the zero-waste or refillable mascara brands.
A few years ago, finding natural makeup used to be quite a challenge, and the outcomes often fell short of expectations. Thankfully times have changed. The makeup industry has had a shake-up, and now you can find a plethora of natural makeup brands, offering high-performance products at various price points.
As well as makeup staples such as foundation and lipstick, mascara has undergone a green makeover. Plastic-free and zero-waste options, alongside certified organic, refillable, cruelty-free, and vegan varieties are now readily available. But with so many choices, it can be overwhelming knowing where to begin.
To help you out, I’ve rounded up my favourite sustainable mascaras that tick many ethical boxes, without compromising on performance.
The Best Natural Mascara Brands To Know
To help you get started, use the quick links below to jump to a particular brand, or keep scrolling for the full guide:
- Ere Perez Natural Waterproof Mascara
- Green People Organic Mascara
- Ilia Natural Mascara
- Kosas Big Clean Mascara
- Kjaer Weis Refillable Organic Mascara
- Lily Lolo Vegan Mascara
- Odylique Organic Mascara
- RMS Beauty Natural Mascara
- Zao Refillable Mascara
Ere Perez Natural Waterproof Mascara
Ere Perez natural mascara is the only sustainable waterproof mascara I have come across in my searches. There is a bit of compromise here though. I wouldn’t say it’s as waterproof as some conventional brands – perhaps water-resistant might be a better choice of phrasing as I’ve found it can smudge or run in damp conditions – whether that’s rain or if you’re watching a sad movie!
Whilst it isn’t as waterproof as you might need it to be, I think this mascara is still a good choice. Formulated with organic avocado and mamey oils, this mascara not only beautifies lashes with its rich pigments but also nourishes and conditions them. Plus, it’s fragrance-free, making it an excellent option for those with sensitive eyes.
Beyond its performance, Ere Perez mascara boasts a host of ethical credentials. It’s both vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. What’s more, it’s free from harsh chemicals like parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, and synthetic fragrances, for that clean beauty experience.
Buy Ere Perez mascara from Naturisimo for £28. Get 15% off your first order when you sign up for the Naturisimo mailing list.
Green People Organic Mascara
I’ve been a big fan of Green People for years and years – using many of its sustainable cosmetics and health and beauty products – from moisturiser to sunscreen and toothpaste. As a fan of the brand, I wasn’t surprised that its mascara didn’t let me down. Available in both brown and black hues, Green People’s certified organic mascara effortlessly volumises, conditions, and elongates lashes, while maintaining a weightless feel throughout the day.
Don’t just take my word for it though – the glowing reviews speak volumes.
With an impressive 98% of its ingredients sourced from nature and sustainably harvested, this mascara not only cares for your eyes but also treads lightly on the planet. Infused with vitamin E, sunflower oil, and organic beeswax, it provides moisture and nourishment with every application.
The one drawback is that this mascara contains beeswax, so isn’t vegan-friendly.
Buy Green People mascara directly from Green People for £21.50. Sign up for Green People’s mailing list and get 20% off your first order.
Ilia Natural Mascara
Green beauty brand Ilia has a few mascaras in their collection, but my favourite is the Limitless Mascara.
With a remarkable 99% of its ingredients sourced from nature, this mascara offers a cruelty-free and flake-free formula that lifts, curls, lengthens, and volumises your lashes. It’s also formulated with organic shea butter and fortifying keratin, which work together to nourish and strengthen your lashes without weighing them down.
Despite its impressive performance, this mascara is gentle enough for sensitive eyes and safe for contact lens wearers. However, the one downside is that this formula contains beeswax, so isn’t vegan-friendly.
Buy Ilia Limitless mascara from Content Beauty for £28.00.
Kosas Big Clean Mascara
Kosas Big Clean Mascara is a great natural mascara that promotes length, volume, and curls to your lashes. Enriched with castor oil, it naturally keeps lashes hydrated and healthy. Plus, with the added benefits of Provitamin B5 and Biotinyl Tripeptide-1, it can help to repair and strengthen your lashes over time.
What I also love is that plant-based sugars ensure long-lasting coverage without the use of microplastics.
Although not waterproof, its long-wearing formula ensures up to 12 hours of wear, keeping your lashes looking lovely throughout the day. What’s more, it’s formulated without parabens, sulfates, or phthalates, and it’s certified cruelty-free. However, like many other brands, it does contain beeswax so isn’t vegan-friendly.
Buy Kosas Big Clean Mascara from Sephora for £22.00.
Kjaer Weis Refillable Organic Mascara
Refillable beauty brand Kjaer Weis has a few different mascaras, however, the one I would recommend is the certified organic and refillable Im-Possible Mascara. Made in Italy, it is certified organic by Ecocert and is cruelty-free and gluten-free. However, it’s important to note that it does contain beeswax, so isn’t suitable for vegans.
Formulated with a blend of natural ingredients such as organic beeswax, carnauba wax, acacia gum, sunflower seed oil, and raspberry fruit water, this mascara boasts a creamy texture that effortlessly lifts and volumises lashes without clumping, making it ideal for creating nighttime looks. Meanwhile, the specially designed brush features two distinct sides, enabling precise application for voluminous, defined, and separated lashes.
What I love is that this mascara also handily doubles as a lash conditioner. This helps to repair damage, prevent breakage, and promote healthy lash growth. Plus it means you don’t have to buy a separate lash product.
When it comes to sustainability, Kjaer Weis goes above and beyond. The case of this refillable mascara is made from 50% recycled plastic and recyclable aluminium. Even the mascara brush bristles are made from recycled nylon, proving that you don’t have to compromise on performance.
Buy Kjaer Weiss Im-Possible mascara from Naturisimo for £30.00. Refills are available for £24.
Lily Lolo Vegan Mascara
New to Lily Lolo? This British natural mineral makeup brand is dedicated to producing the highest quality makeup which is free from harsh chemicals, parabens, perfumes, or dyes.
Lily Lolo’s vegan mascara is fantastic for those with sensitive skin and eyes. With a formula that’s free from fragrance, silicone, and alcohol, it’s gentle yet effective. Just two coats are all it takes to achieve full lashes without clumping or clogging.
In addition to being vegan-friendly, Lily Lolo proudly holds the Leaping Bunny accreditation from the BUAV, certifying that their products are cruelty-free. So, you can feel good about both the quality of your makeup and the ethical standards upheld by Lily Lolo.
Buy Lily Lolo mascara from Content Beauty for £14.50.
Odylique Organic Mascara
Odylique’s organic mascara was the first mascara to be certified organic by the Soil Association’s COSMOS accreditation. With an impressive 88% organic content, including nourishing ingredients like certified organic aloe vera juice, shea butter, calendula, sea buckthorn fruit, and pure mineral colour, this mascara offers a 100% natural solution that’s gentle on the eyes and conditioning for lashes.
As well as its impressive sustainability credentials, Odylique doesn’t compromise on performance. With its smooth, fast-drying application and long-lasting definition, this mascara ensures your lashes remain flake-free and clump-free throughout the day.
Reassuringly, Odylique doesn’t use synthetic polymers, solvents, or silicones in its formulations. Its mascara does contain beeswax though, so is not vegan-friendly.
Buy Odylique mascara from Big Green Smile for £17.50, where it’s available in black and brown shades.
RMS Beauty Natural Mascara
RMS Beauty’s mascara is free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and talc, as well as nano and synthetic fragrances.
Despite its clean formulation, RMS mascara delivers on performance. It not only enhances the appearance of lashes, making them look thicker and longer but also provides nourishment and strength to each hair. Formulated to resist clumping, flaking, and smudging – this mascara is designed to withstand it all. This helps to ensure you won’t end up with dreaded panda eyes by the end of the day.
While many RMS products are packaged in recyclable glass or metal, mascara poses a unique challenge. While glass or metal are impractical for mascara, RMS has instead opted for plastic packaging made from at least 80% recycled materials.
Buy RMS mascara from Naturisimo from £15.00.
Zao Refillable Mascara
Finally, Zao’s refillable mascara comes in a stylish bamboo tube that will look great on your dressing table or on your bathroom shelf.
The ingenious refill system allows you to keep the bamboo case for life, with refill cartridges that effortlessly slot into place. I absolutely love Zao’s approach to refills. Here all mascaras, regardless of colour or type, come in a standard size. This allows you to switch between shades or formulas without the need for a new case each time.
While the refill cartridges are made of plastic, Zao’s refill concept still significantly reduces the plastic waste associated with makeup. While it may not be entirely plastic-free or zero-waste, it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
In terms of ingredients, Zao’s mascara ticks all the ethical boxes. It’s vegan-friendly, using carnauba wax instead of beeswax, and cruelty-free. Plus, it’s gluten-free and enriched with aloe vera and shea butter, providing natural moisturising and nourishing properties for your lashes.
Buy Zao’s refillable mascara in four different shades from Ethical Superstore for £21.50. You can also pick up refills for £14.50 here.
If you are looking for more makeup inspiration, then try my post on the best zero-waste and plastic-free makeup. Do also check out my guide to the best affordable eco-friendly beauty brands for more top cosmetic recommendations.
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