100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown vs High Impact Hi-Fi Full Volume Waterproof Mascara: which is safer?
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown is the clear pick. Clinique High Impact Hi-Fi Full Volume Waterproof 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
High Impact Hi-Fi Full Volume Waterproof Mascara
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possible1,4-dioxane (solvent contaminant)
ReportedFragrance allergens (undisclosed components)
PossibleHeavy metals in pigments (iron oxides, manganese)
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 1,4-dioxane (solvent contaminant), Fragrance allergens (undisclosed components), Heavy metals in pigments (iron oxides, manganese) and Formaldehyde releasers in preservatives 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 Waterproof mascara formula with undisclosed film-forming polymers and resins, 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