100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown vs Lights Camera Splashes Waterproof Mascara: which is safer?

Burt's Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown is the clear pick. Tarte Lights Camera Splashes 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

Tarte Lights Camera Splashes Waterproof Mascara

Tarte

Lights Camera Splashes Waterproof Mascara

PFAS grade

Poor 30/100

Overall grade

Bad 8/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

mascara base with unspecified waterproof coating

Confidence

35%

ReportedUndisclosed waterproof additives / proprietary formula opacity

PossibleHeavy metals in colorants (iron oxides, manganese violet)

PossibleFragrance allergens / undisclosed fragrance compounds

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 Tarte.
  • We flag Undisclosed waterproof additives / proprietary formula opacity, Heavy metals in colorants (iron oxides, manganese violet), Fragrance allergens / undisclosed fragrance compounds and Eye irritation or sensitization from waterproof film residue on the Tarte and not on the Burt's Bees.
  • The Burt's Bees is Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base) where the Tarte is mascara base with unspecified waterproof coating, 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 Tarte grade, at 35% 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 →

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