{"id":34172,"date":"2026-05-11T12:37:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T10:37:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/?p=34172"},"modified":"2026-05-18T12:30:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T10:30:30","slug":"what-is-mascara-made-of-and-how-do-you-find-sustainable-mascara","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/en\/waar-wordt-mascara-van-gemaakt-en-hoe-vind-je-duurzame-mascara\/","title":{"rendered":"What is mascara made of and how do you find sustainable mascara?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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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. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

So most mascara is not that durable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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!<\/a>), 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parabens in mascara<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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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...<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microplastics in mascara<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/a>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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mica in make-up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/a> 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 \u2018sparkling\u2019 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 \u2018red list\u2019. 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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PFAS, silicones and mineral oils in make-up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are also disadvantages to these substances. PFAS, for example, hardly breaks down in nature and is therefore also called a \u2018forever chemical\u2019. You can read more about PFAS here.<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vegan mascara versus cruelty-free mascara: what's the difference?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a> which means that, unfortunately, not all cosmetics sold in Europe are 100% cruelty-free. Do you think it\u2019s important to choose a brand that scores highly on animal welfare? If so, look out for certification labels such as The Vegan Society\u2019s sunflower logo, PETA-Approved and Leaping Bunny. Also on The website of Animal Rights Netherlands<\/a> Are you looking for helpful lists of brands that are completely vegan and cruelty-free?.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2018natural\u2019 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 \u2018natural\u2019 isn't always telling<\/a> In short, it remains a bit of a hunt if you're looking for a mascara that's a better choice on multiple fronts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing sustainable mascara: what to look out for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Right, by now you have a bit of an idea about which ingredients you\u2019d rather avoid. But what should you actually look out for if you\u2019re searching for a more sustainable mascara? Simply seeing \u2018vegan\u2019 or \u2018100% natural\u2019 on the packaging doesn\u2019t really tell you much. Some ingredients are still harmful to the environment or are sourced in anything but a sustainable way. That\u2019s why it\u2019s 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\u2019t recognise? You can always check it via the Label guide from Milieu Centraal<\/a>. Also useful: apps that decipher ingredients for you. We personally like to use INCI Beauty<\/a> or the app Think Dirty<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you want to avoid microplastics, then the free PlasticFree Future app<\/a> 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 \u2018ingredients\u2019 heading). Then you can check it in the app in a few seconds!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are there sustainable mascaras? Yes!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n