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Is Waterproof Mascara Bad For Your Lashes? A Pro Weighs In

Hannah Frye
Author:
May 06, 2023
Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
By Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Beauty & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including beauty, women’s health, mental health, sustainability, social media trends, and more. She previously worked for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends and innovations, women’s health research, brain health news, and plenty more.
woman up close with long eyelashes
Image by JAMIE GRILL ATLAS / Stocksy
May 06, 2023
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Who doesn't want long, healthy lashes? This common desire has inspired the creation of all sorts of products, from lash growth serums to good-for-you mascaras and more. But your lashes are sensitive little hairs, so you'll want to treat them with gentle care, and sometimes the most unassuming habits can be the biggest culprits for lash loss.

On a recent episode of Clean Beauty School, lash specialist Jasmine Imani, founder of her namesake salon Jasmine Imani Beauty, shares one bad habit you'll want to ditch for your longest, softest lashes yet. 

Is waterproof mascara bad for your lashes?

The unfortunate truth: Waterproof mascara can damage your lashes. As Imani explains, "In order for waterproof mascara to stick on your lashes, it dehydrates and strips the hair." 

This function is what makes waterproof mascara so stiff and difficult to remove (for better or for worse). "The harder a mascara is to get off, the worse it probably is for your hair," she notes. 

But that's not all: "In the process, it's also breaking off your lashes and chipping them at the tips," she says, since all that scrubbing during the removal process can be quite harsh on those hairs. This only encourages more mascara use in the future to help your lashes appear longer and stronger than they really are. 

"People will then keep using this type of mascara because they feel they have no lashes [and need a product that will build]. Eventually, you find yourself with very thin lashes," she explains. And the cycle continues from there.

You may be wondering: What about non-waterproof mascara? When it comes to hydrating, clean mascara formulas (like these noteworthy options), you should be in the clear. Sure, the pigment may not stay for days, but that's actually a good thing for the health of your lashes.

Keep up this healthy habit, and you may not even need mascara on a day-to-day basis. Still, treating your lashes with care is the way to go—so don't give up that lash growth serum quite yet.

The takeaway

This may be hard to hear, but most waterproof mascaras dry out your eyelashes. Over time, these formulas may even cause breakage, resulting in shorter, more brittle lashes over time. For more info on how to care for your lashes, listen to the full episode of Clean Beauty School—or check out our full eye care beauty breakdown (which includes lash growth tips!).

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