Mascara is the product I get asked about the most from my clients and community. Especially in Summer. Everyone wants to know what the best mascara is to protect against sweat, water and tears. I bet you’re thinking I’m going to say that waterproof mascara is the answer. Well, actually I’m not! In this post, I’m going to tell you why I don’t recommend waterproof mascara. And I’ll also share what I DO recommend instead. So let’s get started.
WHY IS WATERPROOF MASCARA SO BAD?
Okay, yes, I agree. It’s fantastic that waterproof mascara protects against water, sweat and tears and stays put all day long. And I’ll be honest, that’s exactly what I want my mascara to do in Summer.
But when you look closer, it’s actually doing more harm than good! Here’s why:
1. It’s very harsh & causes damage!
The ingredients used in mainstream brand waterproof mascara are much stronger and even harsher than those in regular mascara. These ingredients damage your eyelashes and cause them to become very dry and very brittle. And this leads to fallout and loss of some of your beautiful eyelashes.
2. It’s very difficult to remove
Waterproof mascara is also notoriously hard to remove. As it’s designed to be just that, waterproof, this makes it extremely difficult to break down once you actually want to take it off.
Sure, a lot of brands will tell you that their mascara is waterproof, yet removes easily with eye makeup remover when you want it to. But let’s be honest, have you ever known this to be the case??
No matter whether you’re using the best eye makeup remover or not, mainstream brand waterproof mascara is still very hard to remove.
There are always traces of it left on your lashes. Sometimes even a day later if it’s particularly hard to remove. This isn’t doing your lashes any good at all. And in extreme cases, it could potentially lead to eye infections if the mascara hasn’t been fully removed.
3. It’s hard on your entire eye area
As it’s so hard to remove, it also means that you’re most likely being quite rough with your eyes in order to completely remove the mascara. It can lead to a lot of rubbing and pulling around the delicate eye area.
This not only causes even more damage to your eyelashes but also to the very delicate skin around your eye area which needs extra care and attention.
Lots of rubbing and pulling are not what it needs! And this can cause eye bags as well as fine lines and wrinkles and give the eye area a more aged look.
4. It’s NOT suitable for everyday wear
It’s really not a good idea to wear waterproof mascara on a regular basis. Some of my clients have even told me they wear mainstream brand waterproof mascara EVERY DAY! This is a big no-no. As it will lead to damage over time.
In fact, I’ve actually seen this on clients whose eyelashes have been damaged quite a lot due to wearing waterproof mascara every day. And they have a lot of fallout and very thin eyelashes as a result.
If you are going to wear waterproof mascara from mainstream beauty brands, please save it for one-off occasions only. It’s really not worth causing damage to your lovely eyelashes.
SO WHAT SHOULD I DO INSTEAD?
There are a couple of alternatives that are much better options. They’re better for your lashes and the delicate skin around your eye area. And they STILL do the exact same job as waterproof mascara. Let’s take a look at them now.
Water-resistant Mascara
They contain less harsh ingredients yet still do just as good a job as waterproof mascara. Both types of mascara are made to withstand moisture. So this means that water-resistant mascara is also resistant against sweat, tears and daily moisture.
For example, it protects against sweat in Summer, whilst working out at the gym, or if your eyes tend to water or tear up a lot throughout the day.
It’s also a lot gentler on the eyes as it’s much easier to remove than waterproof mascara. AND, it won’t damage or cause your eyelashes to become brittle or damaged. Which makes it suitable for everyday wear.
The main difference between the two lies in how much moisture it can withstand. What it’s not resistant to is a day of swimming at the pool or in the sea. But, this is only an issue if your face is going to be in water the whole time. For example, when you’re swimming.
So unless you’re going swimming or plan on having your face in water a lot throughout the day, water-resistant mascara does the job just fine.
Natural and Organic Water Resistant Mascara
There are some great options for healthy beauty versions here that are gentler and safer on your eyes and health.
The Ere Perez Almond Oil Mascara is water-resistant and protects against tears, sweat and everyday moisture. It also contains only the best natural ingredients that are good for your eyelashes and won’t damage them in any way. And it’s suitable for vegans.
Another one of my favourite natural water-resistant mascaras is the Jane Iredale Pure Lash Mineral Mascara. Again it only contains nourishing ingredients that care for your lashes. And yet it still protects against moisture and is easy to remove. It’s also suitable for vegans. It contains wheat, so it’s not gluten-free.
Natural and Organic Waterproof Mascara
If you really can’t bear to tear yourself away from waterproof mascara, then make sure you always choose a natural and/or organic waterproof mascara instead.
Even though it’s a waterproof mascara, it will still contain only the best ingredients and won’t damage your eyelashes like a mainstream brand waterproof mascara will.
The Ere Perez Volumising Avocado Waterproof Mascara is a great option and is the waterproof version of the one I mentioned above.
It contains beautiful nourishing oils such as avocado oil and sweet almond oil. These are great for moisturising the eyelashes and even stimulates lash growth.
Quite the opposite of what mainstream brand mascaras will do!
How to choose the best mascara for you
There are so many types of mascara. And it can be really hard to know which one is best for you. So make sure to read this post where I’ve explained how to easily choose the right type of mascara for your eyes.
Make sure to also check out this post where I talked about the best natural, organic and cruelty-free mascaras. These are some of my all-time absolute favourite mascaras.
They’re all amazing quality and are ones that I go back to time and time again. I know you’re going to find some new favourites in there too.
How to do your makeup in Summer
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I really hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful.
Now I’d love to hear from you. Do you use waterproof mascara? If so, do you use it on a regular basis? Or do you limit it to just special occasions, or in Summer?
Let me know in the comments below.
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I was pool manager and taught lessons for years so I used and still use water proof mascara. I use castor oil to remove and use it on my eye brows as well. Cleans and is a good treatment to promote hair health and growth. Blessings