Eye Opening Mascara vs 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown: which is safer?

Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown is the clear pick. Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara

Bobbi Brown

Eye Opening Mascara

PFAS grade

Poor 30/100

Overall grade

Bad 18/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Liquid pigment blend, waterproofing agents unspecified

Confidence

35%

PossibleUndisclosed waterproofing agents (possible PFAS or polymer residues)

PossibleBacterial or fungal contamination from liquid formula over time

PossibleEye irritation or allergic reaction from fragrance or essential oils

Our pick

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

Burt's Bees

100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 67/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base)

Confidence

78%

PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed sensitizers

PossibleBacterial growth and contamination in wax formula

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Undisclosed waterproofing agents (possible PFAS or polymer residues), Bacterial or fungal contamination from liquid formula over time and Eye irritation or allergic reaction from fragrance or essential oils on the Bobbi Brown and not on the Burt's Bees.
  • We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed sensitizers and Bacterial growth and contamination in wax formula on the Burt's Bees and not on the Bobbi Brown.
  • The Bobbi Brown is Liquid pigment blend, waterproofing agents unspecified where the Burt's Bees is Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base), which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Burt's Bees is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Bobbi Brown grade, at 35% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More waterproof mascara: see the full ranking