What is mascara made of and how do you find sustainable mascara?

Cleopatra wore it. And it's still incredibly popular: mascara! Even if you don't wear much make-up, a swipe of mascara instantly gives you a fresher look. But what substances actually give those wonderfully long and voluminous lashes? How is it that waterproof mascara stays put so well? And is sustainable mascara just as good? We investigated.

So most mascara is not that durable

Mascara is for many women a staple of their beauty routine. Just a quick coat and you instantly look a bit more awake. But, as with many other beauty products, mascara sometimes contains substances that don't make us too happy. Think of PFAS (really!), microplastics and parabens. Substances that you'd rather not apply near your eyes daily or eventually end up seeing in the environment. When we first read about this, we were honestly a little shocked. It turns out that this is quite an issue, especially with waterproof mascara. Fortunately, we also discovered that there are now plenty of better and more environmentally friendly alternatives available. And we're happy to share them with you, of course.

A fun fact for you: in ancient Egypt, women made mascara from animal fat and soot. They then applied this to their eyelashes with small sticks. It's quite a comforting thought that we now have a handy brush. However, that doesn't automatically mean modern mascara is entirely worry-free. Many mascaras still contain ingredients you might prefer to avoid. That's why we've investigated which substances frequently appear, why they're criticised, and which mascara brands are doing things a bit better. That saves you a lot of research work too.

Parabens in mascara

Parabens are chemical preservatives that help mascara last longer. They inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi, which is naturally useful in a product that you use very close to your eyes. Nevertheless, these substances also face criticism. Some parabens are suspected of disrupting hormones and being harmful to the environment. Butylparaben, in particular, is under scrutiny; this variant has already been shown to affect hormone balance. And yes, you can still find this substance in some mascaras. Unfortunately...

Microplastics in mascara

As with many other beauty products, mascara often contains microplastics. These ensure that the mascara spreads smoothly and stays in place well. Sounds handy, but they are much less pleasant for the environment. Microplastics hardly break down and are now found really everywhere: from the North Pole to oceans, drinking water, and even the human body. Not exactly a pleasant thought for something you use daily. You can read more about microplastics in beauty products here. Fortunately, there are now enough mascara brands that show it can be done perfectly well without microplastics. And let's go for those so that no more microplastics are added!

From 15 October 2023, the European Commission has banned microplastics in cosmetics. A good step, although it will still take some time before all cosmetics containing microplastics have disappeared from shelves, as there is a transitional arrangement of four to twelve years.

Mica in make-up

Then there's also mica. There's a high chance you've seen that name before on an ingredients list. Mica is a shimmering mineral that's found in a lot of beauty products, including mascara. You can read more about mica here. In itself, mica is a natural ingredient, but its extraction has been under fire for years due to child labour and poor working conditions in some mines. Not really the ‘sparkling’ beauty ingredient it seems at first glance, then. What makes it even more confusing: in many apps that check ingredients (we'll get to that), mica doesn't necessarily get a warning. After all, it's a natural mineral and therefore often doesn't appear on the ‘red list’. Would you prefer to avoid mica or only use certified mica? Then you'll have to do a bit of digging through the ingredient list yourself after all. A bit of old-fashioned detective work, but clear nonetheless.

PFAS, silicones and mineral oils in make-up

And then there are ingredients such as PFAS, silicones, and mineral oils. Substances you regularly find in mascara, especially in waterproof varieties. Manufacturers use them because they make mascara smoother, help it adhere better, and ensure your lashes stay in place perfectly for hours. Handy during a downpour or a tearjerker, we admit that.

However, there are also disadvantages to these substances. PFAS, for example, hardly breaks down in nature and is therefore also called a ‘forever chemical’. You can read more about PFAS here. These substances have now been found everywhere: in water, animals, and even our bodies. Silicones and mineral oils, in turn, are derived from petroleum, making them hardly the most environmentally friendly choice. Fortunately, more and more brands are showing that mascara can be made well without these ingredients. So yes, you really don't need to welcome those panda eyes back straight away.

Vegan mascara versus cruelty-free mascara: what's the difference?

Vegan or cruelty-free mascara sounds pretty sustainable, right? Unfortunately, these terms don't tell the whole story. A vegan mascara contains no animal-derived ingredients. Cruelty-free means a product hasn't been tested on animals, but it can still contain animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax or lanolin. So, if you live a vegan lifestyle, it's best to pay attention to both and opt for a mascara that is both vegan and cruelty-free.

But animal testing is banned anyway, isn't it? We're reading your mind... That's right, but it's a bit more complicated. In Europe, it's not allowed to sell cosmetics or personal care products that have been tested on animals. However, it's possible that a beauty brand sells products here that haven't been tested on animals in Europe, but have been tested outside of Europe, for example, because legislation requires it. In this way, a beauty brand still participates in it. To make things even more complicated, there also exist number of exceptions to European regulations which means that, unfortunately, not all cosmetics sold in Europe are 100% cruelty-free. Do you think it’s important to choose a brand that scores highly on animal welfare? If so, look out for certification labels such as The Vegan Society’s sunflower logo, PETA-Approved and Leaping Bunny. Also on The website of Animal Rights Netherlands Are you looking for helpful lists of brands that are completely vegan and cruelty-free?.

Well, good to know: vegan and cruelty-free don't say anything about how environmentally friendly a mascara is. A mascara can still contain microplastics, PFAS, or other questionable ingredients. And ‘natural’ sounds nice, but it's not automatically sustainable either. Some natural ingredients can actually lead to a lot of land use or pollution. You can read more about this in the article: Why the term ‘natural’ isn't always telling In short, it remains a bit of a hunt if you're looking for a mascara that's a better choice on multiple fronts.

Choosing sustainable mascara: what to look out for?

Right, by now you have a bit of an idea about which ingredients you’d rather avoid. But what should you actually look out for if you’re searching for a more sustainable mascara? Simply seeing ‘vegan’ or ‘100% natural’ on the packaging doesn’t really tell you much. Some ingredients are still harmful to the environment or are sourced in anything but a sustainable way. That’s why it’s wise to look out for reputable certification labels too. When it comes to mascara, Natrue, Ecocert and Cosmos are particularly good labels to look out for. They set stricter requirements for ingredients and production. See a certification label you don’t recognise? You can always check it via the Label guide from Milieu Centraal. Also useful: apps that decipher ingredients for you. We personally like to use INCI Beauty or the app Think Dirty To quickly see exactly what's in a product. You take a photo of the ingredients list and the app does the rest for you.

And if you want to avoid microplastics, then the free PlasticFree Future app highly recommended from the Plastic Soup Foundation (formerly Beat the Microbead). A tip for online shoppers: make a screenshot of the ingredients list of the mascara you want to buy (often listed in the webshop under the ‘ingredients’ heading). Then you can check it in the app in a few seconds!

Are there sustainable mascaras? Yes!

Let's start with the good news: there are an increasing number of sustainable beauty brands bringing sustainable mascara to market. In our search for better, more sustainable mascaras, we actually found so many brands that it's impossible to create a complete guide. But we wouldn't be the greener list if we didn't give you a few tips!

• Benecos - Natural Mascara Vegan Volume: vegan, animal-tested, microplastic-free, BDIH-labelled and budget-friendly too.
• Madara Cosmetics Mascaravegan, cruelty-free, no nasties, made with green energy, and COSMOS NATURAL certified.
• Inika - Long Lash Vegan Mascara: vegan, animal-tested, microplastic-free and COSMOS NATURAL certified.
• Dr Hauschka: Natrue certified, vegetarian and mess-free. Dr Hauschka is a wonderful anthroposophical brand that sources ingredients from biodynamic agriculture.
• PHB Ethical - Beauty Mesmerise Mascara: vegan, animal-tested and microplastic-free. Has no seal of approval, but is free of harmful substances according to INCI Beauty.
• Avril - Volume Mascara Black: this one is not vegan but is animal-tested, microplastic-free, budget-friendly and carries the Ecocert seal of approval.
  
  

Are you looking for more better beauty brands for both make-up and daily care? We previously compiled a rather complete list. Handy though, take advantage of it!

Like many other beauty products, mascara often contains microplastics. Fortunately, you can easily check this with Plastic Soup Foundation's Beat the Microbead app.

Is long-lasting mascara as good as ‘regular’ mascara?

Fortunately, for many beauty products, the more sustainable version often works just as well as the ‘regular’ one. skin care to lipstick and from sunburn to nail polishwe have had thegreenlist.nl have already discovered quite a few good alternatives. Only mascara turned out to be a bit of a trickier search. Sustainable versions tended to run, clump, or disappear halfway through the day. The mascaras we’re recommending in this article have therefore been tested by ourselves or frequently recommended by followers. And yes, waterproof mascara remains a thing for many people, we completely understand. If you like using it, it can already make a difference if you use it a little more consciously, for example, only on rainy days or for a special occasion. Ultimately, it doesn't all have to be perfect either.

You can also choose more sustainable mascara by looking at the ingredients and by using it sparingly. Always screw the lid on tightly when you're finished!

More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl

• Looking for tips on how best to store mascara and other beauty products? Then quickly read this article.
• Looking for long-lasting foundation or concealer? We figured that out for you too.
• Or wondering what's wrong with shampoo? Read all about it.
  
  

Sources: Niks Nieuws, from here, Dr Jetke Ultee, WHERE IS IT.nl, Vogue, The Washington Post, it may well, European Commission. Photo credits: Main image: Bru nO (Pixabay), blue mascara: Karolina Grabowska (Pexels), make-up: Jessica Johnston (Unsplash), bamboo mascara: Vie Studio (Pexels), white mascara: Bru nO (Pixabay).