100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown vs Mini Notorious Mascara: which is safer?
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown is the clear pick. NARS Mini Notorious 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
NARS
Mini Notorious Mascara
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possible1,4-dioxane contamination in polymers or emulsifiers
PossibleBacterial or fungal growth if applicator or product oxidizes
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 NARS.
- We flag 1,4-dioxane contamination in polymers or emulsifiers and Bacterial or fungal growth if applicator or product oxidizes on the NARS and not on the Burt's Bees.
- The Burt's Bees is Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base) where the NARS is mascara wax, pigments, film-forming polymers, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- We are less certain about the NARS 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