Bright, bold eye makeup became all the rage during last year's lockdowns. Unlike boring black mascara and neutral eyeshadow, colorful mascaras and eyeshadows stand out on-screen and look equally good IRL— even with a mask on.
Now throughout 2021, one colored makeup trend has dominated Tik-Tok feeds, runway shows, and beauty blogs: blue lashes. Blue mascaras (which come in everything from navy to cobalt blue to neon teal and every shade in-between) bring a pop of color to your face and compliment your natural eye color without feeling too overpowering. Plus, unlike many colorful makeup looks, blue mascara is incredibly easy to apply.
But when it comes to blue mascara, you'll want to pick your makeup product wisely. Many drugstore brand mascaras contain dangerous chemicals, artificial coloring, and synthetic ingredients that can irritate sensitive eyes and be potentially hazardous to your health. So to help you find the perfect natural product, we've rounded up the best blue mascaras without artificial coloring below.
But first, let's look at what makeup ingredients to avoid in blue mascaras:
What are the bad ingredients in colored mascara?
Because the cosmetics industry remains largely unregulated, many mainstream mascaras contain chemicals and synthetic ingredients that can irritate your eyes and potentially be bad for your health. Here are a few bad ingredients to avoid in mascaras:
- Parabens— While these preservatives prevent microbial, fungal, and bacterial growth and extend a product's shelf life, they've been linked to skin irritation, endocrine disruption, and other health problems. You should replace your mascara every three months anyway, so there's no need for parabens like butylparaben, propylparaben, or ethylparaben.
- Propylene glycol— Despite being a strong skin irritant, this petroleum derivative is frequently used as a conditioning ingredient in blue mascaras. Additionally, it enhances absorption, helping other harmful ingredients penetrate deeper beneath the skin's surface.
- Formaldehyde— This carcinogenic is released by a number of common cosmetic preservatives. In addition to causing cancer, it's also known to cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis. You'll also see it labeled as DMDM, imidazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15, methenamine, or diazolidinyl urea.
- Artificial Coloring— Most drugstore-colored mascaras use synthetic dyes, which many health experts consider to be toxic and carcinogenic—to create the product's intense color. Avoid ingredients labeled as D&C or FD&C, followed by a color and number.
- Coal Tar Dyes— These synthetic colorants (sometimes labeled as aminophenol, diaminobenzene, and phenylenediamine) contain carcinogenic heavy metals that can be toxic to the body. FD&C Blue 1 and FD&C Blue 1 are two common coal tar dyes found in blue mascaras.
- Synthetic Fragrances— Similarly, you'll want to avoid products that contain synthetic fragrances made from unlisted ingredients and harmful chemicals. Steer clear of any products with a vague "fragrance" on their ingredient label.
Additionally, you may want to consider looking for an all-natural, vegan, or cruelty-free product. The best way to know you're getting a good product is to check for certifications and read through the ingredient list.
Check Out the Best Blue Mascaras Without Artificial Coloring While Getting Blue Lashes Below
With these best-selling natural mascaras, you can say goodbye to artificial colors and harmful chemicals and say hello to big, beautiful lashes!
100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening Mascara
100% Pure's Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening Mascara is made with natural ingredients and fruit pigments instead of artificial ingredients and synthetic dyes. Its rich 'blueberry' blue color is derived from all-natural ingredients like black tea, berries, and cocoa. The vegan, cruelty-free blue mascara is made in the USA with conditioning ingredients that lengthen and separate lashes without clumps or flakes.
This eye-catching Aquarian Gaze Water-Resistant Long Lask Mineral Colored Mascara from Pacifica Beauty is the perfect colored mascara for summer 2021. The vibrant shade of royal blue is made with a waterproof formula that's ideal for beach days and pool parties. Plus, Pacifica Beauty's blue mascara is made with Vitamin B and coconut oil (and without phthalates or silicone) to hydrate lashes as it lengthens.
But it isn't just the clump-free formula that makes this Aquarian Gaze Colored Mascara great! The molded vegan wand helps to separate, lengthen, and enhance lashes with every swipe.
Ditch basic black mascara and make your lashes pop with this all-natural, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic Volumizing Blue Mascara from Mineral Fusion! The luxurious midnight blue color compliments every eye color and skin tone without overpowering your natural beauty. Plus, it's packed with botanical ingredients like white tea and aloe that nourish and condition lashes to improve lash health with every wear. Consider it the perfect colored mascara for subtle, everyday makeup looks.
Zuii Organic's Flora Vegan Colored Mascara coats each lash with a certified organic formula that creates thicker, fuller lashes without flaking or clumping. Thanks to ingredients like nettle lead, orange oil, rose oil, and carnauba wax, the all-natural formula is gentle on sensitive eyes and helps promote natural lash regeneration. In addition to this gorgeous lapiz electric blue, the vegan-colored mascara comes in five other colors: black, emerald, amethyst, earth, and ash grey.
Zero-waste makeup lovers rejoice! Reducing your plastic usage no longer requires cutting out your favorite products and daring makeup looks. Instead of a traditional tube, Birch Babe's All-Natural Blue Mascara comes in a plastic-free metal tin. To reduce waste even further, the eco-friendly makeup brand offers two options: the mascara tin only and the mascara tin with a wand. Plus, it's made with all-natural, plant-based ingredients that are sustainably sourced and toxin-free.
How to Wear Blue Mascara
Unlike many of the vibrant makeup looks from your social media feeds and beauty magazines, it's incredibly easy to create a bold makeup look with blue mascaras. While the application is pretty straightforward, here are a few tips on how to wear blue mascara:
- Curl your lashes first— It's important to curl your eyelashes before using blue mascara. Curled lashes help to add volume and make your eyes appear big and bright.
- Start with a lash primer— Just like the primer you use on your face or eyelids, lash primer helps to keep your mascara in place, ensuring it won't smudge or flake off onto your cheeks.
- Single coat vs. multiple coats— Use a single coat for a subtle look or layer on two to three coats of your blue mascara for a more dramatic look.
- Keep things balanced— To make your eyes look bigger and brighter, apply the blue mascara to both your top and bottom lashes (including the small lashes towards the inner corners) so that all your eyelashes are the same color.
- Avoid going overboard— To avoid looking tacky, keep the rest of your makeup simple. Steer clear of bright lipsticks, bold brows, and other attention-grabbing beauty products that distract from your lashes.
- Compliment your natural beauty— Blue mascaras come in a wide range of shades to complement every eye color and skin tone. Dark blues like navy and cobalt blue look super flattering on light eyes, while light blue or electric blue pops beautifully against dark eyes.
- Add eyeliner— To make your lashes pop even more, layer on a flick of eyeliner in a coordinating blue shade.
