10 Cruelty-Free Mascaras That You Can Feel Good About Swiping

Every time you swipe on your favorite makeup product, it should make you feel good. One easy way to make sure your Holy Grail product doesn't lose its mood-changing magic is to make sure it's cruelty-free. While a large percentage of beauty brands are now committed to being cruelty-free, it's unfortunately not always a given. With mascara being such a staple beauty product, it's important that you check the brand's ethical standards before you make a purchase.  

To save you time in your search for the best cruelty-free mascara, we've highlighted 10 of our favorites below. Even better: all of these mascaras have been featured in past Glam Bags and approved by Ipsters.

1. TOO FACED Better Than Sex Mascara

There's a reason this is one of the most iconic mascara formulas out there. This richly pigmented, black mascara focuses on buildable length and volume while the unique hourglass wand helps to define and curl every lash. This formula is known for thick, dramatic lashes, but can be totally customizable based on how intense or natural you want your look to be. For a more subtle look, simply apply one quick coat. 

"The Better Than Sex mascara is hands down one of the best mascaras you’ll get your hands on," one Ipster writes. "A little goes a long way and a lot goes even farther."

For all you vegan makeup lovers out there, this cruelty-free mascara is also totally free of animal ingredients. (However, the waterproof version contains beeswax and is not considered vegan.)

2. THRIVE CAUSEMETICS Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara™

If you're looking for length, this lengthening mascara is where it's at. The award-winning formula relies on an innovative flake-free tubing technology to keep lashes from clumping, flaking, and smudging. With every swipe, you'll also be coating your lashes with nourishing ingredients like orchid stem cells, castor seed oil, shea butter, and vitamin B5. Together these ingredients will help you achieve longer, stronger lashes with or without mascara. 

Ipster JustPurrrrfect loves how easy this mascara is to take off with makeup remover. "It has a texture similar to liquid latex," she says. "It coats super well and when you wash it off it comes right off without smudging or pulling your lashes out. I’m obsessed!"

3. PÜR Big Look Mascara

For those in search of showstopping, dramatic lashes, turn to this volumizing mascara. One swipe will give you noticeably longer, fuller lashes, but to really see what it can do, apply multiple coats of this buildable formula. Even when layered, this mascara remains clump-free and won't smudge throughout the day. In addition to being cruelty-free, this product (and every product from PÜR) is gluten-free, petrolatum-free, mineral oil-free and SLS-free.

"I love how smooth and effortless this mascara is to apply while still getting glam lashes," writes Ipster r22christenson.

4. IL MAKIAGE Icon High Volume & Intense Curl Mascara

Volume? Check. Lift? Check. Curl? Check. This multitasking, cruelty-free mascara ticks all the boxes and is likely to become your new go-to. Even though you'll see a noticeable difference in your lashes, this formula never feels heavy. It's like false lashes without the extra weight. One standout feature of this beauty product is the unique football-shaped silicone brush. The bristles help to both provide extra lift and separate even the smallest of eyelashes. 

"AMAZING," writes one Ipster after trying the product. "It creates long and separated lashes and makes it look like you have so many more. I use this, let it dry, then gently add a darker, thicker mascara on top."

5. TARTE Maneater Voluptuous Mascara

This is a formula for those who like the blackest of black mascaras. Inky, glossy, and still totally smudge-proof, it offers the best of both worlds. This formula definitely lengthens, but volume is the name of the game here. The volumizing mascara also includes hydrating jojoba oil and strengthing carnauba wax to nourish and condition eyelashes with every use. 

TARTE is one of the leading companies offering animal-friendly products. Animal testing is never part of the production process at TARTE. Additionally, everything is paraben-free and made without mineral oil, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfates, and gluten. 

"My new favorite mascara," writes Ipster glamfan24, "I'm a mascara snob but when I got this from Ipsy and tried it and I was hooked! I highly recommend this mascara. It goes on without clumping and it gives the illusion of thicker, longer lashes and doesn't smudge."

6. WANDER BEAUTY Unlashed Volume & Curl Mascara

This travel-inspired, multitasking beauty line is cruelty-free, paraben-free, and committed to clean ingredients that work with your skin. For example, this volumizing mascara is infused with natural ingredients like peach leaf extract, walnut seed extract, and licorice root extract. Together these extracts fold in a skincare benefit, hydrating and moisturizing your lashes all day long.

Ipster Essex9 writes, "I absolutely love this mascara. It separates and lifts my lashes. It also washes off well without sticking to my lashes."

7. HOURGLASS COSMETICS Caution Extreme Lash Mascara 

If you tend to wake up with five minutes to do your makeup, you'll love this highly concentrated formula. In just a few swipes, this lash-transforming mascara lengthens, volumizes, lifts, and defines eyelashes. In addition to being cruelty-free, this formula is also vegan. 

One Ipster admits, "I have a hard time finding something that will give me both volume and length," But this potent formula won her over. "This does just that and doesn't flake after 24+ hours," she says.

8. MILK MAKEUP Kush Mascara 

This buzzy formula is packed to the brim with skin-loving ingredients. Hemp-derived cannabis oil and sunflower oil condition the lash hairs while poppy seed extract gives the mascara it's pure black color.  It even includes microscopic heart-shaped fibers that latch onto lash hairs to provide volume, length, and lift. 

"I’m in love with this mascara," writes runaroundsuzanne. "I don’t usually buy mascara because I don’t wear makeup every day and I always have samples to use. But this is so good! It's holy grail status."

9. TARTE Lights, Camera, Lashes™ 4-in-1 Mascara

This ophthalmologist-tested formula lengthens, curls, volumizes, and conditions lashes all in one fell swoop. The key ingredients in this formula include rice bran wax, which acts as a natural wax to lengthen each eyelash, as well as olive esters, carnauba wax, and provitamin B5, all of which work together to condition and hydrate lashes. In addition to being a cruelty-free and vegan makeup product, this formula is also made without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfates, or gluten, making it an ideal choice for anyone with sensitive eyes. 

Ipster Garmadisa writes, "This by far exceeded my expectations. I have heard that this was good but never gave in. I got this in my Glam Bag and it's good! It definitely gives my lashes length and volume at the same time."