Eco-friendly Mascara Tips

The bigger the eyelashes, the better, right? Well, have you ever thought about the chemicals that might be seeping into your eyes from the mascara? Or how would you feel if you knew that your favorite mascara was tested on innocent bunnies? Mascara is an essential to have in a girl’s makeup bag, but you don’t have to risk your health or the environment simply to have skyscraper lashes.

There are so many mascara brands fighting for your attention. Some have tiny bristle wands while others have fuller ones, but almost every one promises longer, thicker and flake free lashes. While these may be the results you want from high quality mascara, you don’t have to settle for the chemicals, inhumane product development or wasteful packaging.

Bare Escentuals makes several types of mascaras (even waterproof ones) that are made from natural ingredients, which makes them safer for contact lens wearers. Also, the company doesn’t test on animals. Tarte Lash Hugger eco-friendly natural mascara is packaged in a post-consumer recycled aluminum tube, so excess waste and the clear cutting of trees are reduced.

When purchasing natural mascara, make sure the product doesn’t contain the following ingredients: synthetic dyes and fragrances, petro-chemicals, parabens, sulfates and phthalates. Anything that goes near your eye should be free of chemicals.

Removing waterproof mascara from your eyelashes can be frustrating and challenging, but it’s beneficial to completely rid your lashes of makeup to prevent an invasion of eyelash bugs (Demodex Folliculorum), which live on all of our eyelashes but can cause problems such as eye infections, thin eyelashes and belpharitis.

If you use eye makeup remover and cotton balls every day, you need to give a more efficient and less wasteful option a try. Plus, rubbing too hard with a cotton ball can make your skin raw and even encourage wrinkles. Instead, use straight olive oil. Cover your eyelashes with the olive oil and hold your fingers over your lashes or use a washcloth. This will give the olive oil time to break up the mascara, which should easily slide off of your lashes. Next, you will need to use your facial cleanser to clear away any left over mascara.

Long, full lashes are the perfect accessories to any outfit, so try these eco-friendly options, which can give you the same look in a safer way.