Getting a dramatic eye, be it more volume, curl, or length, can be hard if you do not want to use traditional mascaras. Luckily, there are a growing number of vegan mascaras that will help you make a statement while being ethical too.
Best vegan mascara picks
For thousands of years, eyes have been enhanced using mascara, kohl, or eyeliner. And throughout these years, predominantly animal-based ingredients have been used. But, if you’re looking for an ethical, cruelty-free mascara for your eyes, you’re in luck.
These days, there are more and more vegan mascara options out there for you. Better yet, there is the same range of options as there are for animal-based mascaras. Yes, you can now volumize, lengthen, curl, and more, all with a guilt-free conscience.
To help you out, we’ve listed our top vegan mascara options covering all the main features. There’s even a great vegan mascara for conditioning your eyelashes!
Taking a more detailed look into these vegan mascaras
Add layer upon layer with this mascara to build up to that super high volume look you’re searching for. It creates impressively dramatic long lashes. They also look fuller as well. Better still, this mascara is specially formulated to give your eyelashes a little bit of extra care. After use, the lashes feel soft and even look healthier. It comes with a fluffy brush with criss-cross bristles. These are designed to catch and coat each individual lash properly and thus create that really lengthening look from root to tip.
This vegan mascara uses a range of natural nourishing oils and waxes to keep your eyelashes in tip-top condition. The formula in this mascara is a unique one. It is a dry-style formula, which means that you’re guaranteed long-lasting, water-resistant mascara. The use of oils such as avocado, mamey, and sweet almond, means that your eyelashes are cared for too, helping them to regenerate and regrow. It’s also super black for a really effective look and is smudge-resistant. It is a little more expensive than some of the other mascaras, but it’s worth it if you have sensitive eyes.
This is an extreme-volume vegan mascara. All the ingredients are plant-based fats and this is designed to look after your lashes. It’s great for long-wearing too and has a smooth texture. This means that the formula glides onto the lashes easily. The result — a big, blow-out of volume. It really helps to enlarge the eye. Better still, this is a non-smudge formula that lasts all day long.
The mascara uses a fluff brush for application, which means that the wavy nature of the bristles coats each lash to perfection. Instead of beeswax, it uses an olive and sunflower oils blend. However, you will need to swirl the brush to make sure it’s fully coated with mascara before applying. Layer up to add more volume.
This is a thickening mascara that helps to improve the appearance of your eyelashes. It also helps to strengthen them. It’s made with a specific formula designed to take care of your eyelashes, and it even nourishes and conditions them. In fact, it is so good it can make your eyelashes fuller-looking and stronger simply by repeated application of the mascara. It is one of the more expensive vegan mascara options out there though.
This vegan mascara has a formula that’s designed to not only thicken but also lengthen and curl the eyelashes. It only takes one coat too, so you won’t have to layer up much — a little goes a long way here. The brush itself is a beautiful design, inspired by the female body. This hourglass brush is made with super stiff bristles in order to maximize the effectiveness of the mascara applied. And, it’s got a collagen-infused formula to give your eyelashes a little extra boost. However, while Too Faced is cruelty-free, it’s owned by Estee Lauder, which is not. The mascara can tend to clump too.
If you’re looking for waterproof mascara, then this is a good option. Not only is it waterproof, but it also has excellent volume, lift, and curl (as the name suggests!). It has a fat to flat brush, which means that the fat side gets a full load of mascara that coats the lashes fully. The flat side of the brush is there to define each lash and to add the curl. It’s also a long-wearing formula, which means it’s going to stay in place all day long without smudging. Fenty itself is cruelty-free, but the parent companies — LVMH and Kendo are not.
Fully vegan and cruelty-free, this mascara is great if you want natural ingredients. There are no parabens in this mascara at all. Better still, it’s got an intense black pigment (two in fact) so that you can get a dramatic look that also helps to increase the sensation of volume. The mascara is made of a vitamin E and hollow silica mix to help protect your lashes as well as boost their volume in a lightweight way. It coats each lash and separates them for a curly, fan effect. It’s only available in black though, and it is not waterproof.
This is a great vegan mascara for those of you looking to increase length. It uses rose wax to condition each lash, but it also means that there is a lot of volume to be had as well. The mascara is made with a very black pigment so that your lashes actually appear to be darker and thicker too. However, this super dark look is not for everyone, which means those with fairer hair might be overwhelmed by the color of the mascara.
If you want length, curl, and volume all from a 100% vegan brand, this mascara is the one for you. With a single stroke, you can coat your lashes to get that extra length. It’s made from a specific formula designed to care for and repair your lashes. Plus, it helps to boost elasticity. The brush grabs each lash individually for a long-lasting look that doesn’t clump or flake.
For a cheaper, budget option, look no further than e.l.f. This brand has a range of mascaras each catering to a different look. This one is volumizing and lengthening to give a very bold look. It’s only available in deep black though. However, the waterproof formula ensures smudge-resistant mascara throughout the day even when swimming. It comes with an ergonomic brush to give you full control when applying. This means that you can carefully define, coat, and separate each lash. It’s quick-drying and clump-free too.
What to look for in a vegan mascara
As many mascaras still contain animal products, or are tested on animals, the first thing to look for is to check if it is vegan. Generally, to make it easier on yourself, only pick mascaras from brands that you know are vegan. Or, check for the vegan-certified logo before you buy.
If you want to check out the ingredients for yourself, then make sure that you look out for beeswax, honey, stearic acid, glycerin, elastin, and keratin. These are the main animal-based ingredients found in mascara. If you see these listed, then the mascara is not vegan.
However, to make mascara, it’s not necessary to use animal products. Other ingredients can be substituted with great effect. For instance, you should look for mascaras that use fruit or rose wax, carnauba wax, shea butter, or castor oil.
What is the difference between vegan mascara and regular mascara?
The difference between vegan mascara and regular mascara is all in the ingredients and the testing. Vegan mascara does not contain any animal products nor are they tested on animals.
In contrast, regular mascara might contain animal products as part of its ingredients. Additionally, while some products might still be cruelty-free even if they contain animal products, others are not if the brand tests its mascaras on animals.
To be truly vegan, mascara can’t contain animal products or be tested on animals.
What is the best vegan mascara?
The best vegan mascara really depends on what you’re looking for. If you want waterproof, volumizing, curl-enhancing, or lengthening, there’s something for everyone. However, the best vegan mascaras will contain natural, sustainable ingredients. And, they will offer recyclable or eco-friendly packaging as well.
What are the best vegan mascara brands?
There are a number of top vegan mascara brands out there. These include e.l.f, KVD, and Urban Decay. However, many more brands now offer vegan mascara and other vegan beauty products. You can take a look at the full list of vegan brands here.
How is cruelty-free makeup tested?
In the past, mascaras were tested on small animals such as rats and mice. Actually, there are still some brands that do this. Usually, the mascara is rubbed on the skin around the eyes as well as into the eyes. But there are cruelty-free options too.
Brands that don’t test on animals test their mascaras on human volunteers instead. Additionally, they will simply create products through intensive research or by safety testing the raw materials first.
Where to buy vegan mascara?
Nowadays, vegan mascara is very accessible. Most drug stores will have an array of makeup brands making it very easy for you to find a vegan mascara. Better still, drug stores will have a selection of different products so that you can choose between high or low-priced mascaras. Additionally, you can choose from waterproof, volumizing, curl-enhancing, and so on.
Summary
Currently, many of the big-name mascara brands are not vegan nor are they cruelty-free. But this doesn’t mean your eyes can’t look their best. There are a number of vegan mascaras out there ready and waiting to give you length, curl, and volume.
Take a look at our top vegan mascaras and get that bold, dramatic look in an ethical way.