Finding a good clean mascara can be a challenge, especially when you're used to conventional formulas. I've tried several and been disappointed by most. But THIS is clean mascara I always come back to. Adding both length and volume and staying put with no flakes or smudges, ILIA's Limitless Lash Mascara is the best by far!
When switching to clean beauty products, a good mascara was one of the most difficult products to find. Most formulas either flaked, ran, made my eyes sting, or just didn't do much for my lashes. But I've found my absolute favorite mascara made with safe ingredients, and I'm never turning back!
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Why You Need a Clean Mascara
Swiping on a coat or two of mascara is an easy way to look more awake and make your eyes pop. But some ingredients found in regular mascara are not only irritants to your eyes, making them red and itchy, but could be harmful to your health. Since mascara is applied so close to your eyes, it can easily get into your eyes and absorbed into your system. Some ingredients in conventional mascara to avoid include:
- Parabens - Commonly used in many personal care products and easily absorbed by the body, parabens are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)1 linked to breast cancer,2 thyroid problems, obesity, reproductive problems in both males and females,3 and early onset of puberty in girls.4
- BHT or BHA -These chemical preservatives are linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, skin reactions, and can be harmful to reproductive function and the organ system.5
- Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives - These chemicals are eye and skin irritants, and at higher levels or with prolonged exposure have been linked to cancer.6
- Coal Tar Dyes- Used as dyes to give mascara it's black tint, these petroleum-derived dyes are known carcinogens and could be contaminated with heavy metals, such as aluminum, which are toxic to the brain. They are also linked to skin and eye irriation.7
- Synthetic Fragrance - Yes, even mascara has synthetic fragrance. "fragrance" can be any number of chemicals that companies are not required to disclose, and could cause allergies, skin irritation, and potentially even reproductive harm.8
The good news is that there are several clean alternatives to drugstore mascaras that perform beautifully without all the potentially harmful ingredients, including my all-time favorite - ILIA Limitless Lash!
This award-winning, buildable clean mascara does it all - lengthens, lifts, separates, and adds volume with no flakes, smudges, or stinging - even for the most sensitive eyes. It's the ONLY one I'll buy!
Meet the Product: ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara
What It Is: An award-winning, buildable, flake-free clean mascara that lifts, lengthens, and separates lashes with the perfect amount of volume.
What It Claims: "Boosted with Arginine and Organic Shea Butter, ILIA’s lightweight mascara nourishes and conditions lashes with each swipe. Use the dual-sided wand to customize your lash look—the shorter side curls and lifts, while the longer, comb-like side separates and lengthens with precision. Gentle enough for sensitive eyes, the 99% naturally derived formula rinses away easily with just warm water—no scrubbing or tugging needed." - Ilia Website
ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara: My Honest Review
Ingredients: 10/10
Free from harmful ingredients like parabens, BHT, and coal tar dyes, this mascara scores a 1 on the EWG skin deep list, which is as close to EWG verified as it gets. It also has organic, nourishing active ingredients like arginine, shea butter and beeswax.
Experience: 10/10
You know those days when you are in a hurry and the fullness of the mascara brush just causes you to make a mess all over your eyes and you have to start over? No, just me? Well, there's none of that here. The dual sided brush curls and lifts on a short side, and lengthens and separates with a comb-like side. No smudging or mess. It's truly the best mascara to apply. It also is great for sensitive eyes, with no stinging and super easy removal at the end of the day.
Performance: 10/10
I've been wearing this mascara for years now, and I can happily say that it does exactly what it says - lengthens my lashes, separates them so that they appear nice and full, and stays on all day with no flakes or smudges. It's substantial enough for a nice night out when you build up the coverage, but not too dramatic to swipe on for everyday wear.
Value: 9/10
This price is about in line with other clean and high-end mascaras. While not exactly inexpensive, one tube lasts a LONG time, and I love that they offer a mini size so that you can try it out before committing to the full size. I also like the mini size because I don't wear makeup every day - so I can use the full tube before it dries out.
Overall: 9.75/10
what other people say
As someone with shorter lashes, it can be difficult to find the right mascara that makes your lashes pop without the extra clumping. But then I came across this babe. She gives length, pigment, and a slight curl (due to the wand’s comb), all while being a clean, natural formula. I can finally see my lashes!
-reviewer Brianna G on the Ilia website
Overall Impressions
This is hands-down the absolute BEST mascara. Any time I stray, I instantly regret it. It's the most comfortable to wear, even for sensitive eyes, and truly out-performs all other clean mascaras in terms of length, volume, and staying power. No flakes, no smudges, no burning eyes, and it's extremely easy to remove at the end of the day. The wand is the MVP, making it incredibly easy to apply and get just the look you're going for.
And I'm not the only one who loves it - the mascara has won multiple beauty awards for years now, and has racked up almost 5,000 5-star reviews. If you're one the fence, try a mini - you won't regret it!
Buy It: ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara
- Reviewer Stats
- Age: 30s
- Hair Type: Oily + Color Treated
- Skin Type: Oily/Combo
- Concern: Breakouts + Preventing fine lines
Resources
- Paraben Esters: Review of Recent Studies of Endocrine Toxicity, Absorption, Esterase and Human Exposure, and Discussion of Potential Human Health Risks ↩︎
- Parabens Can Enable Hallmarks and Characteristics of Cancer in Human Breast Epithelial Cells: a Review of the Literature with Reference to New Exposure Data and Regulatory Status ↩︎
- Parabens and Their Effects on the Endocrine System ↩︎
- Association of Phthalates, Parabens and Phenols Found in Personal Care Products with Pubertal Timing in Girls and Boys ↩︎
- Butylated Compounds ↩︎
- Contact allergy to and allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers: A clinical review and update ↩︎
- The Dirty Dozen: Coal Tar Dyes ↩︎
- Fragrance ↩︎
