Finding the right mascara for your lash type and goals is difficult as it is, but throw contact lenses, allergies and easily irritated eyes into the mix, and the task can feel nearly impossible. If you’re looking for a fuller flutter without the fear of itchy, watery eyes, look no further than this stellar roundup of products specifically formulated with gentle ingredients. The best mascaras for sensitive eyes give the length, volume and curling powers that rival those of magnetic lashes without sacrificing your peepers in the process.
Since everyone suffers from different sensitivities, there’s no one-size-fits-all mascara to cure your itchy-eye woes. However, you can begin narrowing down your search by starting with hypoallergenic and ophthalmologist-tested formulas. Below, we’ve rounded up the best gentle formulas that give you the look you want, minus the inflamed, teary aftermath.
- Best Mascara For Sensitive Eyes Overall: Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-In-1 Mascara
- Best Value Mascara For Sensitive Eyes: Essence Cosmetics Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
- Best Luxury Mascara For Sensitive Eyes: Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara
- Best Volumizing Mascara For Sensitive Eyes: Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara
- Best Lengthening Mascara For Sensitive Eyes: Saie Mascara 101
- Best Curling Mascara For Sensitive Eyes: Kosas The Big Clean Mascara
- Best Brown Mascara For Sensitive Eyes: Eyeko Colored Lash Alert Mascara
- Best Colored Mascara For Sensitive Eyes: PYT Beauty Swipe Right Mascara
Best Mascara For Sensitive Eyes Overall
A Best-Selling Vegan Mascara
Vegan
A favorite among beauty junkies (sensitive or not), Tarte’s best-selling mascara feels just as good as it looks. This vegan, dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested formula goes on smooth and conditions (thanks to olive esters, vitamin B5 and carnauba wax), while curling, lengthening and volumizing lashes. You won’t find parabens, mineral oils or gluten in this tube, so you can be sure it’ll be gentle enough for contact wearers and allergy-prone alike.
Best Value Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
An Affordable Pick That Stays Put All Day
Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
Essence is known for having some of the best affordable mascaras on the market—we’re talking performance products without a single item over $5. Don’t just take it from us; this one in particular has over 200,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Ophthalmologist tested and formulated without alcohol, oil, parabens, fragrance or animal byproducts, this formula goes on gentle and won’t flake or fade as the day goes on.
Best Luxury Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
A Tubing Mascara That’s Guaranteed Not To Smudge
Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara
Allow us to introduce you to the wonder that is a tubing mascara. Made with polymers that wrap around each individual lash, tubing mascaras don’t just paint your lashes—they coat them to create a tube around each hair. This means all-day waterproof wear, no smudging or flaking. Hypoallergenic, free of fragrance and common allergens like coconut, gluten and copper, this formula separates, thickens and lengthens lashes without weighing down your natural curl.
Best Volumizing Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
A Contact Lens-Safe Formula That Boosts Lash Volume
Editor’s Pick
Tower 28 MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara
Tower 28 is a brand known for its sensitive skin-friendly products, and this mascara is no exception. Ophthalmologist-tested, contact lens-safe, clean and vegan, it’s packed with panthenol vitamin B5 and castor oil to promote healthier, stronger and more conditioned lashes with every use. The formula is clump-free and buildable, and works to volumize, curl and lengthen lashes with each swipe. It also boasts a super flexible wand to evenly coat every lash from root to tip and even get into those tough-to-reach areas.
Best Lengthening Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
An All-Natural Mascara That Lengthens Your Lashes
Saie Mascara 101
This popular mascara is formulated with 100% natural or naturally-derived ingredients, including responsibly-sourced Australian beeswax (to prevent dryness and flaking) and organic, non-GMO shea butter from Ghana (to moisturize lashes). The formula is buildable and lengthens your increasingly with each coat without the clumps.
Best Curling Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
A Serum-Infused Formula That Strengthens While It Curls
Just when you thought you’ve heard it all, this clean mascara by Kosas is powered by a haircare serum that supports stronger, healthier lashes with each wear. Two coats from this curve-shaped wand will give you a curl that rivals the fullest falsies and holds all day long. The use of moisturizing castor oil, strengthening vitamins and volumizing botanical waxes ensures you won’t have flakes falling in your contact lenses.
Best Brown Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
A Coffee-Toned Formula With A Shot Of Caffeine
Eyeko Colored Lash Alert Mascara
When you want to highlight your lashes but a dark black formula feels too stark, a brown hue is the way to go. This subtle coffee-toned mascara darkens your flutter without going overboard—and makes for a perfect pick for an au naturel look, blonde lashes and fairer skin tones. Longwearing but still gentle enough for sensitive eyes, this formula is packed with biotin, castor oil, arginine and a shot of caffeine for added nourishment.
Best Colored Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
A Bright Blue Mascara With Good-For-You Ingredients
PYT Beauty Swipe Right Mascara
Give your eyes a pop of color when you swipe on this bright blue shade. Quick-drying, water resistant and easy to remove, this 12-hour mascara is made with pro vitamin B (to condition and hydrate), antioxidant-packed vitamin E (to protect from UV-induced free radical damage) and olive leaf extract (to moisturize and promote stronger, shinier lashes). It’s also cruelty-free, vegan, hypoallergenic and formulated without parabens, synthetic fragrances and silicones, which can be hard to find when shopping for colored mascaras.
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What To Look For In A Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
If you’re dealing with sensitive, itchy eyes or are a regular contact lens wearer, a good place to start is with hypoallergenic and ophthalmologist-tested formulas. Clump- and flake-free formulas are another place to narrow down your search. Flip makeup artist Deanna Paley says, “Mascaras with natural oils that add moisture to the lashes are great; formulas that dry out or flake often cause irritation.”
Ingredients
Paley says some common irritants in mascaras include parabens, sodium benzoate, fragrance and nickel. Instead, she says, “Look for mascaras actually labeled for sensitive skin, including hypoallergenic formulas, paraben-free, fragrance-free or ophthalmologist-tested.” She particularly favors vitamin E in mascaras for sensitive eyes because it helps to condition lashes and avoid smearing, which can be irritating.
Formula
As the market has expanded, mascaras for sensitive eyes come in just as many formulas as their not-so-gentle counterparts. You can opt for lengthening, thickening, curling and volumizing, depending on your personal needs.
Wand
Aside from the formula, the wand is the most important aspect of a mascara. Some mascaras feature spoolie-like bristles, while others have plastic or rubber wands. As a rule of thumb, try long, skinny wands to coat and grip shorter lashes and opt for bigger wands for a dramatic finish.
Color
While black mascara is the classic choice, you have options when it comes to colors, even with sensitive formulas. Brown mascaras will give you a more subtle look, and when you’re feeling creative you can find formulas in all colors of the rainbow.
What’s The Best Kind Of Mascara For Sensitive Eyes?
Hypoallergenic and ophthalmologist-tested formulas are always a good idea if your eyes are easily irritated. Anything that won’t clump and flake is a great option as even the slightest fallout can disturb sensitive eyes and contact-lens wearers. Also, tubing mascaras are great for ensuring you won’t get caught with flakes falling in your eyes.
How Do You Safely Remove Mascara?
When you have sensitive eyes, the way you remove your mascara can be just as crucial as the formula you apply. A cleansing oil melts away even the most stubborn mascaras without tugging or pulling. Paley says you can also use a makeup remover-soaked cotton pad, but recommends “wiping from top to bottom as opposed to rubbing side to side to avoid irritating the eye area.”
How Often Should You Replace Your Mascara?
Paley says, “It’s important to replace your mascara every 3 months, especially if you have sensitive eyes.” Using old tubes of mascara can make a breeding ground for bacteria and lead to irritation.
