100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown vs Caviar Extravagant Mascara: which is safer?

Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown is the clear pick. Laura Mercier Caviar Extravagant 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

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

Laura Mercier Caviar Extravagant Mascara

Laura Mercier

Caviar Extravagant Mascara

PFAS grade

Poor 30/100

Overall grade

Bad 8/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Pigments, waxes, oils, waterproof film-forming resins

Confidence

45%

PossiblePFAS in waterproof film-forming resins

PossibleFragrance allergens or undisclosed fragrance components

ReportedPolymer film degradation and additive leaching over time

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 Laura Mercier.
  • We flag PFAS in waterproof film-forming resins, Fragrance allergens or undisclosed fragrance components, Polymer film degradation and additive leaching over time and Bacterial or fungal contamination in tube if cap seal fails on the Laura Mercier and not on the Burt's Bees.
  • The Burt's Bees is Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base) where the Laura Mercier is Pigments, waxes, oils, waterproof film-forming 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 Laura Mercier grade, at 45% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers 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