Hot Tip: These Clean Mascaras Trick People Into Thinking I Got a Lash Lift

Shades: Black

Pros: Has the fluffiest brush that doesn't cause clumps, provides dramatic volume

Cons: Formula is a bit "wet"

I've truly never come across a brush this fluffy and thick that doesn't automatically lead to clumps. It's a rarity, especially when you filter for clean and natural formulas, but Vast Lash ticks every single box. Volumizing? Yep. Lengthening? You bet. Smudge-free? Believe it or not, this creamy formula does not budge. The first time I tried it, I was a bit hesitant of how "wet" the formula felt on my lashes (it's one of the creamiest options I've tried), but I can attest that it actually stayed put—no "raccoon eyes" for me midday.

Shades: Black, brown

Pros: Holds curl all day long

Cons: More difficult to remove than other options

No lie, I haven't touched my lash curler since using this mascara. It features a sophisticated Aquaflex technology that memorizes the specific wave pattern of your lashes to hold their shape (like a memory foam mattress for your lashes) while keeping them soft and fluttery. It defies humidity (read: no droopy lashes) and keeps the lash hairs lifted all day long.

It's not technically waterproof, but it is one of the most water-resistant clean mascaras I've tried. This formula does not dare smudge! That being said, I do find it takes a minute longer to remove at the end of the day compared to other options on this list. Those extra seconds at the sink are worth it, though, for the all-day wear!

Shades: Black

Pros: Has a dual-sided brush for volume and length

Cons: Pricey, one shade

Ilia's Limitless Lash is the clean mascara that made me believe in clean mascaras. I always thought "clean" was synonymous with "subtle" and "natural-looking," but believe me, this formula delivers on fluttery, doe-eyed drama. The dual-sided wand allows you to evenly coat and define each lash from root to tip. "I don't know if any other mascara has made my lashes look longer," Who What Wear Beauty Director Erin Jahns once said about the formula.

Shades: Black

Pros: Tapered wand is fabulous for precision, contains 87% naturally derived ingredients

Cons: May need more layers for bolder glam

The tapered wand is great for coating lashes at the inner and outer corners, making sure every last lash receives sky-high length. It's certainly buildable if you prefer more dramatic volume, whereas one coat is perfect for a subtler, everyday beat. WWW associate editor Natalie Gray Herder concurs. "This mascara is a great option for flake-free everyday wear, especially if you already have long lashes," she once raved about the formula.

Shades: Black, brown

Pros: Doesn't clump as you layer on coats, certified organic and refillable

Cons: Expensive

Makeup artist and brand founder Kirsten Kjaer Weis once told me she created this mascara to fix her number one pet peeve: clumpy lashes. You know when a formula feels too "wet" so you wipe the brush on the top of the tube before applying to your lashes? She hates that extra step, so she created a buildable mascara that grabs the perfect amount of product every time. I concur: This mascara truly does not clump, even when I apply coat after coat for fluttery volume.

Shades: Extreme black, black, black-brown, brown, navy

Pros: Smooth, creamy formula that feels lightweight on the lashes, contains 72% natural origin ingredients

Cons: Can smudge throughout the day

Covergirl has always been a nostalgic brand for me. An image of the original orange tube of Lash Blast Volume Mascara lives rent-free in my mind, and now the brand has a clean version. It's the same volumizing formula I know and love, just without parabens, mineral oil, talc, sulfates, and fragrance. I especially love the navy shade named "Ultramarine Black," which I'm wearing in the photo above. It adds a little something extra to my eye looks that's resulted in more than a few compliments!

Shades: Black, brown

Pros: Great for a natural, everyday look

Cons: Those looking for bold volume might want something fluffier

Saie's mascara brush has separated bristles (as opposed to ones that are densely packed), which helps you grab every last lash—even those stubbornly straight flutters at the inner and outer corners. It also has some tiny bristles on top that are superb for coating bottom lashes without clumps. In other words, you'll love it if you typically gravitate toward a subtler, everyday lash look. As Gray Herder says about the formula, "it wasn't the most volumizing but didn't flake, smudge, or transfer."

Shades: Black, brown, pink, blue, purple, green

Pros: Provides intense length without clumping thanks to its Flake-Free Tubing Technology

Cons: Not as volumizing

You'd be hard-pressed to find a beauty editor who doesn't have magnificent things to say about this mascara. It's a tubing formula, meaning it creates tiny, tube-like coats around each lash to provide water-resistant, long wear sans smudging. This one in particular makes lashes so fluttery it rivals the look of extensions—no exaggeration.

Who What Wear associate beauty editor Shawna Hudson agrees. "It's truly a miracle in a tube," she once shared about the tubing formula. "Many mascaras claim to be smudge-proof and non-clumpy, but this one really holds up to those claims, with or without primer."

Shades: Black

Pros: Noticeably thickens lashes with just one coat

Cons: Can clump with extra coats

If you're craving dramatic, va-va-voom volume, allow me to introduce you to your new clean go-to. The fluffy, densely packed bristles grab onto your lashes as the curved brush lifts them all the way up, making the tiny hairs appear impossibly thicker. I personally have light, thin lashes, and every time I use this mascara, it transforms my entire look with one swipe.

Shades: Black, brown

Pros: Provides soft volume without clumping

Cons: Expensive

The luxe packaging alone is reason enough to buy this mascara. Sure, $45 is a steep price point, but the chic, sturdy red tube truly doubles as an art piece. The formula itself, infused with organic shea butter to condition the lashes, is endlessly buildable. In the picture above, I layered three coats one after the other and experienced zero clumps. It has a pretty volumizing effect, but the result definitely reads softer—just something to know if you're gunning for bold glam. Still, I noticed my lashes looking full and fluttery all day long.

Shades: Black

Pros: Great for sensitive eyes, too

Cons: More for an everyday look, if you're hoping for bold glam

If natural mascaras are important to you, you likely have had trouble finding waterproof options. You see, many waterproof mascaras contain PFAS (which are sometimes called "forever chemicals") in order to secure a smudge-proof formula. Natural-leaning options tend to forgo the PFAS, but that means they also don't typically have that same staying power. This Ere Perez number, however, totally delivers on its water-resistant claims. It's super long-lasting thanks to the unique dry-style formula, yet it's not a pain to remove at the end of the day. After all, there's nothing more frustrating than scrubbing aggressively at your delicate lash hairs to remove lingering mascara residue.