My Eyes Are Insanely Sensitive—These Are the 5 Mascaras I Swear By
Long lashes, without irritation.
It’s the annoyance felt around the world. You're about to finish your makeup, and you apply your mascara, ready to go about your day. Except your eyes start to water and run, get itchy, or generally start to feel extremely sensitive, forcing you to ditch all the work you just did to find some relief. It’s an irritating but not unique experience, and it’s something makeup artists run into all the time.
“Sensitive eyes isn’t really a medical diagnosis, but I think of it as an eye area that reacts easily, whether due to dryness, allergies, contact lenses, ingredient sensitivity, or irritated eyelids,” celebrity makeup artist Christian Briceno tells me. “A reaction might include burning, stinging, watering, redness, or a gritty feeling. On the eyelid, you may see itching, swelling, dryness, or flaking.”
Briceno says that it’s important to pay attention to timing if you think your eyes are sensitive to mascara, as different reactions may be due to other issues entirely. “Eyes that water almost immediately after mascara goes on tell me something different than eyelids that become itchy or swollen the next morning,” he says.
If you’ve done all of the above and have concluded that your eyes are, in fact, sensitive because of your mascara, ahead, I’m sharing some of my favorite formulas for easily irritated eyes. Plus, tips from makeup artists on what to do if your mascara keeps irritating your eyes.
Best Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
- Best Mascara for Sensitive Eyes Overall: Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara
- Best Waterproof Mascara for Sensitive Eyes: Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara
- Best Tubing Mascara for Sensitive Eyes: Sarah Creal Back Of The Cab Volumizing Longwear Tubing Mascara
- Best Lengthening Mascara for Sensitive Eyes: Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara
- Best Volumizing Mascara for Sensitive Eyes: Tower 28 Beauty Make Waves Mascara
I have raved about this mascara for a while now, but if you have sensitive eyes, it’s one of the best options on the market. Ethically sourced beeswax and organic shea butter condition and define the lashes, respectively, while Arginine and biotin help support the health of your natural lashes throughout the formula's wear.
Shade(s): Black; Brown
Key Ingredients: Shea butter (conditioning); Biotin (lash growth)
Wand Shape: Straight with tightly packed bristles on one side and a more spaced-out design on the other
What I Love: Provides fantastic volume and length depending on which side is used; Six-month expiration
What I Don't: Some find the brush a little rough; Formula is very wet
Review for MC: “I’ve loved this mascara for a long time, and it is fantastic for sensitive eyes. Not only does it have Sephora’s Clean seal (i.e., it’s free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and mineral oils), but it also feels like a two-in-one product, lengthening and volumizing with just the turn of the wand. It’s a little more pricey, but it’s well worth it.” — Ariel Wilson, Beauty Writer
I have back-ups for my back-ups of this mascara—it’s that good. Not only does the conical brush allow product to be applied to every single lash, but the waterproof formula ensures it doesn’t flake off or smudge under the eyes. It’s a fantastic option for anyone with oily lids who needs their mascara to last for hours.
Shade(s): Black
Key Ingredients: Coconut, argan, and moringa oils (nourishing); Kaolin (aids in waterproof / oil-slicking capabilities)
Wand Shape: Cone
What I Love: Perfect wand shape to get every single tiny lash; Fiber-infused formula helps to amplify volume
What I Don't: Waterproof mascara can be hard to take off at the end of the day
Review for MC: “This mascara is one of my favorites, especially when I want more volume. Not only does it give me the fanned-out look of my dreams, but it also holds up against my very oily eyelids, which my lashes can sometimes brush against, leaving behind dark marks that give me panda eyes.” — Ariel Wilson, Beauty Writer
I was introduced to this mascara by MC’s Senior Beauty Editor, Sam Holender, and it’s been in my makeup collection since. If you want lashes so long they reach the heavens, two coats of this formula will have you looking like you just got a fresh set of extensions. Tack on all the properties we know and love about tubing mascaras (easy to remove, makes lashes look thicker, etc.), and you have the magic of this incredible formula.
Shade(s): Black
Key Ingredients: Glycerin (keeps formula from drying out); Shea butter (conditioning)
Wand Shape: Hourglass
What I Love: Easily washes off; transfer-resistant
What I Don't: One of the more expensive options on this list
Review for MC: “If you want lashes so long that people regularly ask you for your routine, this is where the search for your next mascara should start. Not only does it make my lashes look like they've doubled in length, but the transfer-resistant formula also keeps them smudge-free. Even better, removal in the evenings is a piece of cake. Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Also yes.” — Ariel Wilson, Beauty Writer
If you know anything about me, then you know my love for the Hourglass powders is practically infinite. However, the brand’s Unlocked mascara is also fantastic for sensitive eyes. Minimal fragrance, a plethora of nourishing ingredients, and a conical brush that makes it easy to reach all those pesky inner-corner lashes and the lower lashes you—ahem, I—never bother with otherwise? It’s a yes from me.
Shade(s): Black; Brown
Key Ingredients: Glyceryl stearate (conditioning); Copernicia cerifera wax (volume and structure); Castor seed oil (moisturizing)
Wand Shape: Conical
What I Love: Luxe packaging; Minimal fragrance
What I Don't: Sometimes the stopper can become dislodged, causing too much mascara on the wand
Review for MC: “Hourglass is one of my holy grail beauty brands for a reason—the products are fantastic. Still, I feel like the mascara doesn’t get the love that it deserves, and I will be rectifying that. The tubing formula not only lengthens my lashes considerably, but it also comes off like a dream. If I wear it for an extended amount of time (I’m talking well over 10 hours), I do notice a flake or two under my eye, but nothing that would stop me from reaching for this mascara regularly.” — Ariel Wilson, Beauty Writer
I could write love letters to this mascara because it’s so good. The volume Tower 28’s Make Waves mascara instantly delivers is a thing of beauty, and the Aquaflex technology the brand boasts keeps the formula humidity-resistant (i.e., no mascara in your eyes causing irritation). This brand is generally fantastic for more sensitive skin, so while you’re picking up this mascara, add the foundation to your cart, too.
Shade(s): Black; Brown
Key Ingredients: Castor oil blend (conditioning)
Wand Shape: Curved
What I Love: Instant volume with one coat; Water-resistant
What I Don't: Packaging feels a little cheap
Review for MC: “This mascara volumizes and defines my lashes beautifully, and the formula is wonderfully lightweight. My lashes naturally point downward, and sometimes mascaras can cause them to droop throughout the day, especially if I don’t curl them first. With this formula, it doesn’t matter—my lashes stay lifted and at attention all day, and the separation from this wand makes them look extra perky and youthful.” — Ariel Wilson, Beauty Writer
What Does Sensitivity to Mascara Feel Like?
As with anything health-related, how sensitive eyes present for you may be completely different than how it shows up for someone else. “Some people may experience allergic reactions, manifesting as eyelid swelling, watery eyes, and itching, while continuous use can also lead to eye irritation and dryness,” board-certified optometrist Inna Lazar previously told Marie Claire. “These symptoms can range from mild to severe, including redness and inflammation, itching paired with a burning sensation, watery or teary eyes, swelling of the eyelids and the under-eye area, dryness and flakiness, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision.”
What Do I Do if I Am Sensitive to My Mascara?
If you find yourself reacting to your mascara, don’t freak out. First, you’ll want to stop using the formula that you currently have immediately. Once you’ve found a replacement, you’ll want to be mindful of how you use it. “If you find that irritation starts around the lash line, try not to apply the mascara too close to the roots,” makeup artist Isabel Y Rosado tells me. “Sometimes the texture of a fresh, wet mascara can feel irritating on the eye, so I recommend starting with just a few swipes and building gradually until you get the effect you want.”
When it’s time to remove your makeup, be gentle. “A cleansing balm or a dedicated eye makeup remover, such as Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover, can help break down the mascara before you cleanse the rest of your face,” Rosado says. “Avoid excessive rubbing.” One removal technique that makeup artist Tim Quinn swears by? “Place a soft cotton pad beneath the lashes, dip a cotton swab into the eye-makeup remover, and gently brush the mascara down over the lashes and onto the pad. It allows the product to lift away without rubbing the eye.” The auxiliaries you’re using with the makeup remover also matter. “I particularly love Shiseido Facial Cotton because the pads are incredibly soft and the fibers don't fluff or stick around the eye area,” Quinn adds.
How Should I Really Use Mascara?
You may think that using mascara means just swiping the product onto your lashes and being done, but what you do with your product outside of use is just as, if not more, important than the product itself.
“Mascara hygiene is incredibly important,” Quinn tells me. “This is a product that should never be shared, and I replace them approximately every three months, sooner if the formula changes in smell or texture, and I never add water to revive a dry tube.” Additionally, don't pump the wand in and out of the tube no matter how much you may want to get every last drop of product. This can introduce air to the formula, which can make it dry out (and thus, be less effective) more quickly.
Lastly, refrain from introducing several new eye products at once. “When you try one product at a time, if irritation occurs, you have a much better idea of what caused it,” Quinn says. “And if the eyes or surrounding skin are already irritated or inflamed, that is the day to skip eye makeup altogether.”
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Meet the Experts
Tim Quinn is a celebrity makeup artist nd co-founder of Halo42 Skincare.
Christian Briceno is a celebrity makeup artist.
Isabel Y Rosado is a New York City–based editorial and celebrity makeup artist known for her clean, polished approach to beauty. Her clients include Ashley Graham, Emmy Rossum, Kat Dennings, Brooklyn Decker, among others. Her work has appeared in POPSUGAR, ELLE Mexico, Tidal Mag, and more. She also shares her expertise and love of beauty on Instagram through mini tutorials, beauty tips, and behind-the-scenes content.
Dr. Inna Lazar, OD is a dry eye and myopia doctor.
