100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown vs Caviar Extravagant Mascara Trio: which is safer?
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown is the clear pick. Laura Mercier Caviar Extravagant Mascara Trio 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
Laura Mercier
Caviar Extravagant Mascara Trio
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossiblePFAS (PFAS "forever chemicals") in waterproof film-formers
PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components
LikelyBacterial or fungal growth from improper storage or expired product
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 (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in waterproof film-formers, Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components, Bacterial or fungal growth from improper storage or expired product and Contact dermatitis from film-forming polymers or emollients 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, oils, waxes, waterproof film-forming agents, 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 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