Zero waste looks good on everyone, just like long lashes! Lucky for us, the two aren’t mutually exclusive. But unlike other plastic-free beauty products, zero waste mascara is a notoriously tricky product to make, proving difficult to properly store and apply without making a mess.
Natural mascara brands need to tick two key boxes: have effective and ideally long-lasting performance plus a low-to-zero-waste environmental footprint. So the best natural mascara brands that have worked it out make us bat our lashes in their direction.
As we spruce up and revamp our articles in the coming months, we’ll be employing a new Brand Rating System to find the most beautiful brands across 22 different criteria points. You can read about these new ratings here.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Bat Your Lashes For The Best Natural Mascara
We love using Dab Herb’s unusual but effective powdered sustainable mascara made with all-natural ingredients.
For environmentally friendly mascara that contains only five super simple and safe ingredients, you’ll be buzzing about Bee You Organics.
Index: Zero Waste Mascara Brands
- Besame Cosmetics Jump to brand
- Dab Herb Make-Up Jump to brand
- River Organics Jump to brand
- Bee You Organics Jump to brand
- Blinking Owl Acres Jump to brand
- Elate Cosmetics Jump to brand
- Aussie Organics Co. Jump to brand
Besame Cosmetics
About Bésame’s Mascara
Bésame makes two different kinds of affordable mascara aimed at capturing a vintage aesthetic: the 1920 refillable cake mascara and 1940 cream.
The 1920 Cake is a vegan mascara that comes in an elegant refillable metal case (refills come in paper envelopes) while the 1940 cream mascara comes in a plastic tube (and contains beeswax).
Inspired by the femme fatale look of the 1920s, both give dark, defined lashes through a cruelty-free and paraben-free formula.
Since leading ladies of old needed their makeup to withstand the long days under movie set lights, you know this is some smudge-resistant mascara that works. It’s designed for multi-use as eyebrow filler and eyeliner as well. Just add an extra drop of water to the cake for these uses.
About Bésame
Bésame makes “modern reproduction of classic luxury makeup […] designed to make women feel elegant, inspired, and empowered by their beauty”.
Based in Southern California, products are made in the USA, zero-waste mascara included. All products are gluten-free, PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies-certified cruelty-free, and many are vegan.
Bésame uses a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients. These include: Mica (natural, cosmetic grade, ethically sourced), squalane (plant-derived – not to be confused with squalene which is the one that comes from sharks), talc (cosmetic grade and not to be confused with asbestos) and a variety of pigments (food grade dyes).
They also commonly use Ethylhexyl Palmitate, a palm oil derivative. Their packing materials are made from recycled paper (though on occasion, they use bubble wrap).
Dab Herb Make-Up
Dab Herb’s Mascara
Dab Herb’s take on clean mascara takes a little bit more time for the prep and application process because it requires mixing together the coconut-activated charcoal mascara powder and lash serum.
They recommend first priming your lashes with just the serum and then mixing the serum with the powder to make it into a paste (which can then also be used as eyeliner and brow filler).
They’ll send all the zero-waste mascara tools (a bamboo wand and reusable silicone-mixing dish) if you need them.
The powder and the serum are both free from parabens, heavy metals, glycols, alcohol, and silicones. You can choose either full or sample size, as they both come in glass tubes with tin lids. Once you use it, just clean it and send it back for a refill.
This brand also offers two other refillable mascaras: Organic Herb Mascara Black and Organic Henna Mascara, both of which come in glass refillable packaging.
About Dab Herb Makeup
Dab Herb is a “Nature to Nurture” zero-waste beauty brand that believes “beauty and self-care are inseparable from sustainability, transparency, and wellness”.
From natural foundation and beyond, every product uses only food-grade, certified organic, cruelty-free, and vegan ingredients. They’re also palm oil free (including free from palm oil derivatives).
Ingredients are sourced from fair trade certified farmers and suppliers making them one of the best zero-waste mascara brands.
Dab Herb ships their products plastic-free, and they reuse their own suppliers’ shipping materials for larger orders. Back in the office, any printing they do is on recycled materials.
They support Made in the Free World which focuses on developing and implementing high-impact solutions to human trafficking by working with the most effective partners to rescue and care for victims worldwide.
My Personal Review of Dab Herb’s Powder Mascara Set:
“I’m a big fan of Dab Herb’s Powder Mascara Set! It gives my lashes a perfect natural definition without any annoying clumping or irritation. Plus, it’s made with organic, non-toxic ingredients, so I feel good about putting it on my lashes. The unique powder formula is easy to use, but the blending part can be a little messy, so I wouldn’t recommend doing that when you’re pressed for time.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
River Organics
River Organics’ Mascara
River Organics is one of the best naturalmascara brands without any unnecessary frills or fluff. The Long Lash Mascara is 100% vegan and cruelty-free certified, providing vegan color that stands up to a full day and hugs onto lashes without clumping or smudging.
The formula uses minimal ingredients, including organic coconut oil, bentonite clay, rhassoul clay, organic arrowroot powder, castor oil, rosemary leaf, iron oxides, and organic shea butter. The castor oil helps prevent chunkiness and helps to condition your lashes for future applications.
The mascara is shipped in eco-friendly paper packaging with a biodegradable sugarcane label.
About River Organics
River Organics is run by Corinne and Fabien, an independent husband and wife team based in Wilmington, NC. They produce eco-friendly makeup utilizing plant-based, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients without any palm oil.
River Organics works to minimize its impact every step of the way, with many products shipped in environmentally friendly paper packaging, recycled envelopes, and sugarcane labels.
They also support charities and organizations, like local animal rescue centers.
Bee You Organics
Bee You Organics’ Mascara
Bee You Organics’ mascara ifor long lashes is super simple (only five ingredients) and promotes lash growth, especially when primed with their minerals setting powders.
The brown shade is 100% organic and the black (while not certified organic activated charcoal) is mostly organic and 100% natural. Both are free from parabens, phthalates, and oxides.
While they are cruelty-free, Bee You is not strictly vegan as their mascaras contain USDA-certified organic beeswax. However, they make a vegan mascara option upon request, which substitutes beeswax with Carnauba Wax.
Since you probably already have zero-waste mascara brushes on hand, they’ll leave one out on request. All you’ll get are glass tubes with aluminum caps.
About Bee You Organics
Based in the Pacific Northwest, Bee You was started by Larissa, who was raised holistically but rebelled against the lifestyle until a car accident left her face scarred and sensitive.
She returned to her humble holistic beginnings and now creates soothing products—like zero waste lotion—designed to heal on every level, right down to each ethically sourced, non-GMO, cruelty-free ingredient. Most are certified organic and ALL are 100% natural, alcohol-free, palm oil-free, and preservative-free.
While not vegan as a company (look out for beeswax and emu oil) they have many vegan options available. Plus, they source from local Pacific Northwest beekeepers and donate to local bee research projects through WSU.
Bee You Organics supports local and small businesses when possible and also supports various charities in their community.
Blinking Owl Acres
Blinking Owl Acres
Blinking Owl Acres takes a different approach by amping up the natural health of your lashes with its natural mascara pomade.
Packaged in a reusable glass jar and shipped with a bamboo mascara wand, this fragrance-free pomade does not have any pigment or coloring as it acts as more of a lash serum and conditioner.
With only seven natural ingredients, the castor oil and silk fibers work together as the perfect duo to create absorption and thickness with regular use.
This mascara does contain beeswax and silk, so it’s not vegan. Their silk consists of textile industry byproducts, meaning it’s using already-harvested silk that would otherwise go to waste rather than creating new demand for it.
About Blinking Owl Acres
Founded on the principles of holistic living, Blinking Owl Acres has skincare and makeup collections that are minimalist and nourishing.
Created on a homestead, their products avoid preservatives and toxic chemicals that can have a negative impact on the skin’s protective layer and environment. They’re made with the skin’s microbiome in mind.
Ingredients consist of the cleanest, most options available, sourced organically and from local American businesses wherever possible. All item packaging and shipping comes in compostable, biodegradable, or reusable materials, keeping consistent with their eco-friendly, holistic values.
Elate Cosmetics
Elate Cosmetics’ Mascara
Elate Cosmetics is a popular choice for those seeking smudge-resistant waterproof mascara—thanks to vegan carnauba wax. However, it’s not (strictly speaking) zero waste.
They come in compostable bamboo tubes with recyclable plastic liner tubes and silicone mascara wands. For proper disposal, crush the bamboo shell to remove the inner plastic, wash it, and recycle it separately.
They may be more low waste than zero waste, but at least that waste is put to good use. They’re also gluten-free, Cruelty-Free International certified, and PETA-certified vegan. They do use Phenoxyethanol as a preservative (meaning they’re not 100% natural) and RSPO palm-derived Stearic Acid.
About Elate Cosmetics
Certified B Corp Elate strives to make “products that don’t compromise the health of any person, animal or the planet”.
Currently utilizing 90% certified organic ingredients in their eco-friendly toiletries, they still sometimes choose fair trade over organic.
Most products are packaged in self-regenerative, non-chemically treated bamboo, with powder refills offered in seed paper pouches. For shipping, you’ll get all plastic-free packaging.
This Canadian cosmetics company uses Bullfrog Power to offset all emissions, and they donate to a variety of charities, like sponsoring elephants through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Aussie Organics Co.
Aussie Organics Co.’s Mascara
We definitely see eye-to-eye with Aussie Organics Co. as they tick every box on our ethical criteria list, making them one of the best cake mascaras.
Both colors (brown and black) come in reusable metal tins complete with mascara wands made from bamboo. The natural mascara is plastic-free, vegan, cruelty-free, all-natural, and 98% organic.
With ingredients such as activated charcoal, coconut oil, jojoba oil, zinc oxide, and vitamin E, this product is extremely nourishing but not waterproof. The application is simple: just roll the mascara wand over the cake and reapply if necessary later in the day.
About Aussie Organics Co.
An Australian small business, they have a product range that focuses mainly on body goods such as face oils, shampoo and conditioner bars, bath bombs, and perfumes.
All ingredients are ethically sourced and finished products are minimally packaged in reusable or compostable materials. Everything is fragrance-free, as well as free from other toxins like parabens and propylene glycol.
I agree. Often its actually long process to find info on that so that could be so awesome
Hi,
This article is great, however, when looking at the ingredients in some of these products, the information is misleading. Some are listed as ‘vegan’, when they actually contain beeswax, which is not considered vegan. Also, one of them contains aluminium, which is an irritant. Others contain carnauba wax, which is made solely from palm, so labeling it palm oil free is misleading because it is palm wax. I want to encourage consumers to research the ingredients that are going in to their cosmetics because when we scratch the surface, it’s not always pretty.
Hi G, thanks for fact checking our work, we always appreciated our readers telling us if we’ve made a mistake as we do absolutely want our articles to be accurate. On the beeswax point, I assume you mean Besame? You’re right it should have been an orange box for vegan, meaning that there is a vegan option but not all the products are vegan. I have fixed that now so thank you for pointing that out – all the others I believe are correctly labelled as either orange or red if they are not 100% vegan but please let me know if you found another discrepancy? For the point about palm oil, carnauba wax comes from the carnauba palm which is quite different to the palm we’re concerned about. Please read more on our palm oil stance here and here. Many thanks again!
The easiest DIY mascara on earth:
* a sliver a soap that you can wash your face with without worrying about getting it in your eyes
* that dark eyeshadow you never seem to use up no matter how often you go smokey with it
* an eyedropper or spray bottle
* water
* a brush that works (Could be a sponge tip applicator, a pencil brush, a spoolie, or a flat brow brush. Experiment. For me, the pencil brush works best because I have crepey eyelids.)
* a covered tin or pill box to put the soap sliver in. (A pill box or sugarfree Altoids tin would work well. Or maybe a travel jar…)
Dip the brush into the eyeshadow. Get a good amount on the bristles. With practice, you’ll know how much you need.
Sprintz or drop a small amount of water on to the soap sliver. Work the eyeshadow into the soap with the brush until it turns into mascara. Again, practice will let you know how and when.
Curl your lashes. Apply. Let dry while you do your brows. Apply another layer, remoistening the brush/soap if needed. Let dry. Curl your lashes again. <==VERY IMPORTANT! Be amazed at how well this hack works.
This sounds amazing, thanks so much for sharing Kell!
Would be good to talk about locations that these companies are based as for those of us trying to have less of an impact on the earth, we would prefer to use as close/local as possible to minimize shipping emissions! Or better yet – mention if they are available in a store.
Thanks for the suggestion Alessanda, very useful feedback. We have started dabbling with this idea but we weren’t sure whether readers actually find it useful so this is great to know. Where are you based? I might be able to recommend the best option closest to you off the top of my head?
Cheers,
Joy
It’s worth noting that Etsy offsets the carbon emissions from shipping.
https://www.etsy.com/impact
Yes! Great point, we love that about Etsy!
What do you think about Sweet Leilani? https://sweetleilani.com/collections/mascara/products/mudshark-mascara
Haven’t come across them before! We’ll take a look next time we do a refresh of this page. Thanks so much for the tip!