100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown vs Bottom Lash Mascara: which is safer?
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown is the clear pick. Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
Burt's Bees
100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed sensitizers
PossibleBacterial growth and contamination in wax formula
Clinique
Bottom Lash Mascara
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyUndisclosed waterproofing agents (likely fluorochemicals or silicones)
PossibleFragrance allergens and sensitizers
PossibleMicrofiber shedding and eye irritation
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed sensitizers and Bacterial growth and contamination in wax formula on the Burt's Bees and not on the Clinique.
- We flag Undisclosed waterproofing agents (likely fluorochemicals or silicones), Fragrance allergens and sensitizers and Microfiber shedding and eye irritation on the Clinique and not on the Burt's Bees.
- The Burt's Bees is Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base) where the Clinique is Wax, film-forming polymers, waterproofing agents (unspecified), 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 Clinique grade, at 45% 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