100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown vs Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara: which is safer?

Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown is the clear pick. Maybelline Lash Sensational 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

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

Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara

Maybelline

Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara

PFAS grade

Poor 30/100

Overall grade

Bad 8/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

film-forming polymers, pigments, water-resistant film

Confidence

45%

PossibleFormaldehyde releasers (preservative system)

PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components

PossibleBacterial or fungal growth if formula is contaminated or stored improperly

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 Maybelline.
  • We flag Formaldehyde releasers (preservative system), Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components, Bacterial or fungal growth if formula is contaminated or stored improperly and Contact dermatitis or eye irritation from polymer film or preservatives on the Maybelline and not on the Burt's Bees.
  • The Burt's Bees is Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base) where the Maybelline is film-forming polymers, pigments, water-resistant film, 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 Maybelline 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