Does MAC waterproof mascara have PFAS?
MAC waterproof mascara averages 35 out of 100 on PFAS Authority's PFAS and toxin screen across the 7 MAC waterproof mascara products graded as of October 2026, above the 30 out of 100 median for the 18 other waterproof mascara brands graded alongside it.
MAC waterproof mascara averages Poor on our four-band scale. None of them clear our buy threshold. That is above 61% of the waterproof mascara brands we grade.
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
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What MAC says and does about PFAS
In November 2023 CBC Marketplace lab testing found PFAS in two MAC products, Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 foundation and Stack Waterproof Mascara, including two PFAS that Canada restricts when used intentionally, found in two of the three MAC foundation samples. MAC told Marketplace it does not intentionally add PFAS as an ingredient to any of its makeup. MAC is also covered by the Center for Environmental Health’s 2022 court-enforceable settlement on intentionally added PFOA, and Ulta’s ingredient list for one MAC mascara includes PTFE.
- Independent testCBC Marketplace’s 2023 lab testing named MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 in NC5 and MAC Stack Waterproof Mascara in black among five makeup products found to contain PFAS. CBC News ↗
- Independent testTwo fluorotelomer alcohols that Canada restricts when used intentionally were found in two of the three MAC foundation samples. CBC News ↗
- Brand statementMAC told Marketplace it does not intentionally add PFAS as an ingredient to any of its makeup, and that it constantly reviews the latest safety and environmental data on its products. CBC News ↗
- Legal caseThe Center for Environmental Health’s March 2022 court-enforceable settlement with Estée Lauder names MAC among the brands whose foundations and concealers will not contain intentionally added PFOA or ingredients known to degrade to it. Center for Environmental Health (archived page) ↗
- MaterialsUlta’s ingredient list for MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Volumizing Black Lash Mascara includes PTFE. Ulta Beauty ↗
- Regulatory filingA Proposition 65 notice of violation filed with the California Attorney General named MAC Mineralize Concealer in NC42, by UPC, as an example of a product alleged to expose consumers to perfluorooctanoic acid. A 60-day notice is an allegation by the filing group, not a finding. Center for Environmental Health, notice filed with the California Attorney General ↗
- Regulatory filingAn earlier notice over makeup foundation and concealer listed Make-Up Art Cosmetics Inc. among the responsible parties. Center for Environmental Health, notice filed with the California Attorney General ↗
- Regulatory filingIn January 2026 Estee Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. was fined $750,000 at the Ontario Court of Justice over eyeliner products that listed perfluorononyl dimethicone as an ingredient, which Environment and Climate Change Canada describes as a PFAS. The release names the Canadian company, not MAC specifically. Environment and Climate Change Canada ↗
Sources checked October 1, 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.
Which MAC waterproof mascara contains PFAS? Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
- pigments, waxes, film-formers in mascara base
- Fragrance allergens and sensitizers. Mascara formulas often contain fragrance or essential oils for scent…
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- liquid mascara with waterproof film-forming polymers
- 1,4-dioxane (potential impurity in polymers). Liquid film-forming polymers used in waterproof mascaras can…
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- proprietary waterproof formula with wax, silicones, and film-forming polymers
- PFAS. Waterproof mascaras require fluorinated compounds to function; MAC does not disclose whether this…
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- wax, film-forming polymers, waterproofing agent unspecified
- PFAS. Waterproofing chemistry unspecified; PFAS graded Poor (30/100). Waterproof mascara formulas commonly…
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- Waterproof film/coating (unspecified polymer)
- Formaldehyde / VOCs. Waterproof mascara formulations typically require formaldehyde-releasing agents (e.g.…
5 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- proprietary waterproof formula, coating unspecified
- PFAS. The formula mechanism for water resistance is proprietary and not disclosed; PFAS compounds are common…
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- wax, film-forming polymers, waterproofing agents (unspecified)
- PFAS, MAC Stack's waterproofing chemistry is not disclosed. Industry data shows waterproof mascaras…
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on AmazonBetter waterproof mascara from other brands
Graded higher than the MAC average of 35.
- Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base)
- Fragrance allergens and undisclosed sensitizers
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- pigments, waxes, polymers (unspecified)
- Lead
5 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on Amazon
- pigments, waxes, film-formers in liquid mascara
- Heavy metals
5 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on AmazonThe same question, asked of the other waterproof mascara brands
Best average grade first. MAC averages 35.
See every MAC product we grade on the MAC brand page, or the full waterproof mascara ranking.