The 8 Best Vegan Mascaras
I get asked about vegan & cruelty-free mascaras more than any other type of cosmetics, so I thought I’d share my my top 8! I’d love to know which vegan mascaras are your faves, too. 🙂
8 Must-Have Vegan Mascaras
- Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (Too Faced has since been acquired by Estee Lauder; they remain cruelty-free but their parent company is not), $23 – OMG, this is the absolute best vegan mascara IMHO (if you’re lookin’ for mega va va vommitude). From their website: “One coat and lashes are full, defined and stretched to unbelievable lengths. Two coats and they’re reaching unbelievable heights of drama. Three coats and you’ll believe in magic.” I believe!! 😀
- Gabriel Color Mascara, $15 – This is a great option for a natural, daytime look.
- Beauty Without Cruelty Mascara, $24.95 – This formula provides long-lasting, smudge-resistant color, and they have a waterproof version, too.
- Pacifica Stellar Gaze Mascara, $14 – This formula is infused with coconut oil and vitamin B to hydrate lashes as it lengthens, strengthens and adds volume. Available at Target.
- e.l.f. Volumizing Mascara, $2 – This affordable, Vitamin E-enriched mascara volumizes lashes and boosts curls for a dramatic look. Add extra coats for a more dramatic effect. Available at drugstores and Target.
- Arbonne It’s a Long Story Mascara, $36 – This formula is lengthening, non-clumping, and smells like flowers. It has an angled brush for easy application, which is really nice. Only downside is that it’s a bit on the pricier side.
- Milani Grandissimo Lashes Mascara, $4.99 -This affordable volumizing formula is smear-proof, non-clumping, and long-lasting. Available at drugstores and Target.
- Ecco Bella Flower Color Mascara, $19.95 – This super pure formula is excellent for sensitive eyes.
What’s your all-time fave vegan mascara?
About Sunny (Sunny's Profile)
Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there's something in particular you'd like me to review, drop me a line at Sunny@VeganBeautyReview.com. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.Filed in: vegan makeup
My favorite right now is from 100% Pure, it works great, comes in brown (Dark Chocolate), and smells delicious (like chocolate!). I just ordered again, and added a purple to try, which upped my order to get free shipping, AND got me a free product of their Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream, which I also love.
I’m an Arbonne fanatic, but their mascara doesn’t come in brown, oh well.
Thanks for this! Been having trouble finding something to replace my Physicians Formula that has beeswax. I’ll be heading to Target to find Pacifica!
Hi owning an organic makuep company I am always looking at ingredients and just wanted you to know that Two faced is not vegan – it contains beeswax — I did not check into the others as did not have time but just wanted you to know. cheers:)
Their “Better Than Sex Mascara” actually contains synthetic beeswax, so it’s indeed vegan. 🙂
I am looking for vegan mascara that washes off easily with just soap and water. Tried e.l.f. wasn’t happy. I would really appreciate some suggestions. Thanks!
Is the too faced one definitely vegan? It says it is enriched with collagen which is usually from animal sources.
I got the better than sex sample size mascara for free at Ulta and I am in love with it. I use it almost every day and my eyelashes look beautiful. I defiantly recommend this to anyone looking for a fabulous mascara. It is quite pricey but it is completely worth it when you get the end results.
You list the Arbonne mascara as being waterproof but it’s not. Washes off really nicely using their RE9 face cleanser
Thanks heps for this wonderful list of Vegan mascaras. Its good to know!
Renee x
Hi Sunny! I absolutely hate using makeup removers and prefer mascaras that come off easily with water. Which non-waterproof (“washable”) mascara would you recommend?
I really like the one from Arbonne – it smells like flowers and it washes off super easily. 🙂
When I was at ulta I checked the taste and it had beeswax making it not vegan 🙁
Not all of their cosmetics are vegan, just these: http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-shop-vegan-cosmetics
tarte’s parent company tests on animals 🙁
Yes, unfortunately that’s true. 🙁
Hi Sunny! Thanks for such a helpful list! I am in the market for a new vegan mascara to use at an upcoming friend’s wedding (I am a bridesmaid and am using all my own vegan makeup). If you have time, I was wondering which of these (or others not listed :)) would you say is the most smudge-resistant? With oily eyelids and face, that is BY FAR my biggest worry! I’d also like something that can be more dramatic, but that is secondary to non-raccoon eyes after a long day and night of pictures, dancing, and fun!
I’d recommend the one from Manic Panic Collection. It’s dramatic, waterproof, and smudge proof! 🙂
My absolute favourite vegan mascara is LUSH’s “Eye’s Right” wheatgrass mascara. It goes on so smooth, never clumps, and doesn’t smudge. I am curious about TheBalm’s Whats Your Type mascaras.
I love your site AND this list and have been searching for a new mascara! I like Tarte but am interested to try some other options. Love Beauty Without Cruelty’s other products and may go with their mascara next. Thanks!
I can guarantee Arbonne’s products are worth looking at. Not only are they botanically based, 100% vegan and cruelty free but they are also formulated without Gluten, Mineral oil and other harmful toxic chemicals. If anyone is interested in trying Arbonne’s “Its a long story Mascara” or any other of Arbonne’s beautiful products please feel free to take a look at my website. I can guarantee these products are incredible and are worth looking at. Conatct me for an incredible discount… You have nothing to lose as all Arbonne’s products are backed by a 45 day money back guarantee!!
Aww, thank you for the kind words!I think I’ll have to post a part 2 because there are even MORE awesome vegan mascaras I’d like to share with y’all! 🙂 xx
Dude. Wet n Wild. Cheap and good.
Sa-WEET! 🙂
Love the elf and the manic panic ones that you mentioned, but I was a little surprised that Too Faced’s new “Better Than Sex” (I promise that that’s it’s real name!) wasn’t on the list.
GlamNatural’s mascara is also pretty amazing 🙂
I know, I need to do a top 15… there are SO many good ones. 🙂
Actually I hope you can do a round up of good Top 15 best vegan mascaras…or the items you can’t do without as of right now.. love those types of entries.. it helps me pin point what I should try out first. I am new to this vegan products now.
I love ZuZu mascara! Plus it comes off really easily with makeup remover.
Herbanluxe on etsy has a good vegan mascara “BLACK Vegan Mineral Mascara” both in waterproof and non-waterproof. Its pretty fantastic. It’s voluminous. You may like it. It’s not a major brand. It’s a indie. But you may enjoy it.
It’s almost impossible to get hold of in the US, sadly, but when I lived in the UK, I loved Barry M’s Black 3-in-1 mascara. It was pretty cheap (only about $10) and it thickened *and* gave an excellent curl that held all day with no smearing. I like the ELF mascara, but it doesn’t really do much that I can tell, other than add a bit of colour, even after a couple of layers.
I only wear mascara for special occasions and I love e.l.f. mineral infused mascara. It’s the first mascara I’ve tried that doesn’t turn into a horribly clumpy disaster or make my eyes sting. The price is great too!
I need a mascara that doesn’t leave my lashes feeling hard & stiff. Physicians Formula makes great mascara that leave your lashes natural looking and soft.
Physician’s Formula tests on animals and therefore is not vegan.
Shelly, why do you say that Physicians Formula tests on animals? They are on all current cruelty-free lists that I know of, including the Logical Harmony list.
I *love* Beauty Without Cruelty’s mascara. Actually, all of their products are great: affordable, natural, and vegan.
Some of their shit has horse hair in it! I was totally shocked they could support the slaughter of horses and still call themselves cruelty free o.O
I found their mascaras to be the worst ever.
I use Tarte, but you might want to add LUSH to this list. They make a really nice mascara. It doesn’t do anything other than tint the lashes (i.e. no curling/plumping/lengthening), but it’s a very natural product with good results that lasts about 3 months (and then you MUST toss it because it only has one preservative and can irritate the skin after 3 months). Even though I prefer the oomph from the Tarte and that’s what I use now, I find it dries out in less than 2 months of daily use. xoxo
Yeah, LUSH has a great mascara – you’re the one who first told me about it! 🙂 I’ll have to write a follow-up post, because there are just too many good vegan mascaras out there. xoxo
I personally fell in love with the $1 elf mascaras there super affordable and work pretty good. What I like best is I can buy 20 of them for the average of one high end mascara, its a win win for me lol
I’m using the vegan mascara from Urban Decay, and I love it.