The Best Non-Toxic Waterproof Mascara of 2026

The verdict
81 of the 82 waterproof mascara products PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 98.8% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 1 that passes. The highest graded is Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown at 75 out of 100.
Free to quote with attribution to PFAS Authority and a link to pfasauthority.com/best/waterproof-mascara. Grades are model-based estimates from published materials and disclosures, not lab tests. The rubric.

Every grade below is built from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and brand disclosures, scored on one public rubric and ranked best-graded first. Each score links to the full breakdown of what earned it, and the numbers across the whole dataset are published too.

Is waterproof mascara non-toxic?

1 of the 82 waterproof mascara products we graded clear our screen and 81 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on waterproof mascara products in this category are undisclosed fragrance, microplastics, formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, artificial dyes. The highest graded here is Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown at 75 out of 100.

Why Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara wins, and what it beats

Every grade on this page is one sum. A category starts from a baseline, each disclosed material or coating adds risk points, and each thing the brand or a third party has published takes them away. Below is that sum for the winner, then for 2 products it beats, so you can see exactly where the 45 points between the top and the bottom of this waterproof mascara ranking come from.

The winner

Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown
75Excellent
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown

Made of Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base).

  • +20Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
  • +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
  • -10Base material not linked to PFAS. The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.

25risk points in total, which is a grade of 75

What the grade does not fix. It still carries one risk factor, No PFAS disclosure, and our graders recorded 2 other hazards on it. See the full breakdown.

Check priceFull breakdown

What it beats, and why

Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara
65Good10 points behind the winner
Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara

What puts it behind. The winner earns -10 points for Base material not linked to PFAS. We found nothing comparable published for this product.

Made of pigments, waxes, polymers (unspecified).

  • +20Category baseline
  • +15No PFAS disclosure

35risk points, a grade of 65

Bobbi Brown Kajal Eyeliner & Mascara Duo
30Poor45 points behind the winner
Bobbi Brown Kajal Eyeliner & Mascara Duo

What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The winner carries no such factor.

Made of pigmented wax blend, waterproof formula.

  • +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
  • +20Category baseline
  • +15No PFAS disclosure

70risk points, a grade of 30

No product on this page was physically tested by us. Every number above comes from published materials, ingredient and coating disclosures, certifications and brand statements, scored on one public rubric. Formulations change without notice, so check the current product listing before buying.

What to watch for in waterproof mascara

Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 82 waterproof mascara products in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.

  • Undisclosed fragrance

    A single word on a label that can stand for dozens of undeclared ingredients, protected as trade secret.

    Found on 9 of these waterproof mascara products. Plausible but unconfirmed on 59 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA

  • Microplastics

    Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.

    Found on 3 of these waterproof mascara products. Plausible but unconfirmed on 8 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA

  • Formaldehyde

    A preservative and resin ingredient that is also released slowly by a group of chemicals used in its place.

    Found on 1 of these waterproof mascara products. Plausible but unconfirmed on 32 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. NCI

  • 1,4-dioxane

    A contaminant created during manufacturing rather than added, so it never appears on an ingredient list.

    Plausible but unconfirmed on 30 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA

  • Artificial dyes

    Synthetic colours added to food, cosmetics and textiles, most of them petroleum derived.

    Plausible but unconfirmed on 27 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA

The safest waterproof mascara we graded, lowest PFAS risk first

  1. 1

    Highest grade here

    Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown

    Burt's Bees

    100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown

    75ExcellentPFAS grade
    • Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base)
    • Fragrance allergens and undisclosed sensitizers

    2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.

    Full breakdownBuy

What the evidence says about PFAS in waterproof mascara

A 2021 University of Notre Dame study screened more than 200 cosmetics and found high fluorine, an indicator of PFAS use, in 56 percent of foundations and eye products, 48 percent of lip products and 47 percent of mascaras, and only one of the 29 products found to contain specific PFAS listed them on the label. The US FDA reported in December 2025 that eye shadows, leave-on face products, eyeliners, face powders and foundations make up about 56 percent of PFAS-containing cosmetics, and that toxicological data for most of the PFAS it evaluated are incomplete. Vermont has banned cosmetics with intentionally added PFAS since January 2026, and Oregon’s ban starts in January 2027.

  • StudyA University of Notre Dame study screened more than 200 cosmetics and found high fluorine, an indicator of PFAS use, in 56 percent of foundations and eye products, 48 percent of lip products and 47 percent of mascaras. University of Notre Dame ↗
  • StudyIn the same study, 29 high-fluorine products tested further contained between four and 13 specific PFAS, and only one of them listed PFAS as an ingredient on its label. University of Notre Dame ↗
  • Government sourceThe FDA’s December 2025 report says PFAS-containing products were 0.41 percent of cosmetics registered as of August 2024, and that eye shadows, leave-on face and neck products, eyeliners, face powders and foundations make up about 56 percent of them. US FDA report ↗
  • Government sourceThe FDA evaluated the 25 most frequently used PFAS in cosmetics, about 96 percent of those intentionally added, and found toxicological data for most of them incomplete or unavailable. US FDA ↗
  • Regulatory filingVermont’s attorney general says state law has barred selling cosmetic products with intentionally added PFAS in any amount since January 1, 2026. Vermont Office of the Attorney General ↗
  • Regulatory filingOregon’s SB 546 bars manufacturers from knowingly selling cosmetics with intentionally added PFAS above the practical quantification limit, from January 1, 2027. Oregon Legislature ↗

Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.

Questions people ask about waterproof mascara

The waterproof mascara we would skip

Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.

How to read these scores. PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Each grade is a model-based assessment built from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, brand disclosures, recalls and third-party lab results where they exist. Read the full rubric to see exactly what adds and removes points.

What we check on waterproof mascara

  • Heavy metals. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and others that accumulate in the body. FDA
  • Lead. A heavy metal with no safe exposure level, especially for children. ATSDR
  • Endocrine disruptors. Chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormone system. NIEHS
  • Parabens. Cosmetic preservatives studied for weak hormone activity. FDA

Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.

The waterproof mascara brands we found no PFAS statement from

We found no PFAS statement from 9 of the brands here. That is our research, not proof a brand has never said anything, and it is not evidence of harm. It is why none of them score well on disclosure.

CoverGirl, Dior, LancĂ´me, Laura Mercier, NYX, Rimmel, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Wet n Wild.

The brands that have published something, and what each of them actually said, are in our record of what every brand has said about PFAS.

Common questions about PFAS in waterproof mascara

Is waterproof mascara PFAS free?

81 of the 82 waterproof mascara products PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 98.8% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 1 that passes. The highest graded is Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown at 75 out of 100. The lowest graded is Bobbi Brown Kajal Eyeliner & Mascara Duo at 30 out of 100.

Is waterproof mascara non-toxic?

1 of the 82 waterproof mascara products we graded clear our screen and 81 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on waterproof mascara products in this category are undisclosed fragrance, microplastics, formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, artificial dyes. The highest graded here is Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown at 75 out of 100.

What is the safest waterproof mascara to buy?

On our grades, Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown at 75 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. These are model-based assessments from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and disclosures, not laboratory tests, so treat them as the lowest risk we can evidence rather than a safety guarantee.

Which waterproof mascara grades best for PFAS?

Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown, at 75 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base).

Which waterproof mascara should I avoid?

The three lowest scoring we hold are Bobbi Brown Kajal Eyeliner & Mascara Duo at 30, Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara at 30, Burt's Bees Natural Nourishing Mascara at 30. The problem with the first is that waterproof cosmetics carry PFAS risk; brand silent on composition.

How can you tell if waterproof mascara contains PFAS?

In this category we check for heavy metals, lead, endocrine disruptors, parabens. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and others that accumulate in the body. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.

Which waterproof mascara brands have not published a PFAS statement?

We found no PFAS statement from 9 of the brands we scored in this category, including CoverGirl, Dior, LancĂ´me, Laura Mercier, NYX, Rimmel. That is what our research turned up, not proof a brand has never said anything, and a missing statement is not evidence of harm. It is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.

Do you lab test waterproof mascara?

No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.

More food and water categories we have graded

Same rubric, same scale. These are the categories closest to waterproof mascara.

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Does a particular brand of waterproof mascara have PFAS?

Brands we grade across the catalogue

Everything we have scored from these brands, not just waterproof mascara.

We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Waterproof Mascara, and the One in Forty-Seven That Is Not

Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 82 waterproof mascara.