What Does Clear Mascara Do? (The Unspoken Truth!!)

The stereotype of clear Mascara as the alternative to actual Mascara, only to get around your high school’s strict no-makeup rule, is long gone.

Clear Mascara should always be at the top of your list when you want to wear a clean-girl-makeup, no-makeup makeup look, slicked-back hairstyles, or any look that enhances your natural features without making you look too made-up.

WHAT IS CLEAR MASCARA FOR?

In simple words, clear Mascara or transparent mascara is like hairspray for your unruly eyebrows or eyelashes. A couple of coats of it can give presto-groomed brows, lashes, and flyways! Also, unlike hairspray, clear Mascara on its own gives a more glazed and voluminous look.

WHAT DOES CLEAR MASCARA DO?

If you get your hands on the best clear mascara it can serve every purpose like your typical black mascara or brown Mascara without the drama. I just knew it served me right when I got the following benefits out of it.

• It’s not the kind you would notice from a distance, but up close, this makes my whole look so polished and lightweight.

• My lashes never look clumped up, or spider-legged, and make me look like I’m about to poke someone if not careful enough.

• The best feeling after using this is that now I can rub my eyes without looking like a raccoon.

There are a whole bunch of other benefits and factors as well. Which are written ahead; why not decide for yourself if it’s worth it for you or not!? 

INGREDIENTS OF CLEAR MASCARA

COMMERCIAL CLEAR MASCARA INGREDIENTS

1. PVP – Helps in holding the lashes in place.
2. Ethylhexylglycerin – It’s a synthetic agent that helps soften the skin.
3. Caprylyl Glycol – Helps in skin hydration.
4. Propylene Glycol – helps moisturize the skin.
5. PVM/MA Decadiene Crosspolymer – Works as a film-forming agent.
6. Tromethamine – works in softening and moisturizing.
7. Phenoxyethanol – a preservative that helps in increasing the shelf life.

HOMEMADE CLEAR MASCARA INGREDIENTS

We prefer preparing Clear Mascara using the following ingredients – 

1. Coconut Oil.
2. Grated Beeswax or Bentonite Clay.
3. Vitamin E oil.
4. Aloe Vera Gel.

By the way, we have a detailed step-by-step article on DIY How To Prepare Clear Mascara. You can check the article if you’re planning on making your own Homemade DIY mascara.

WHAT DOES CLEAR MASCARA LOOK LIKE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLEAR MASCARA VS. REGULAR MASCARA

CLEAR MASCARA	CRITERIA	REGULAR MASCARA
Clear lash mascara helps create voluminous lashes and gives an instant groomed and clean look without making it over the top.	VOLUME	Regular mascaras are usually black or brown tinted and can give an illusion of long dark lashes.
It’s super watery, thereby it might make you feel skeptical. But trust the process and let it dry for a few seconds.	CONSISTENCY	Regulars are thicker compared to clear ones so that your great lash can look thicker than it is.
It is much easier to wipe off without damaging the hair.	REMOVAL	If you’re using waterproof mascara or even regular mascaras, then you must be prepared to see chunks of lashes getting ripped off daily unless you use a good makeup remover or if you’re not patient and gentle with the process.
It’s always the best choice for people who wear contacts or have sensitive eyes.	EYE TYPE	As regular mascaras are tinted, not to mention the harmful chemicals, people with eye conditions better avoid them.
According to Maybelline makeup artist Erin Parsons, you can curl both before and after applying clear mascara to have a perfect natural eye opener.	CURLING	Avoid curling lashes after applying regular mascaras, as it hardens the lashes. So, curling them rips the lashes.
It usually never flakes.	FLAKING	Regular mascaras make your under-eye darker, making you look tired with fake dark circles.

CLEAR MASCARA BEFORE & AFTER

DOES CLEAR MASCARA HARM EYELASHES IN THE LONG RUN

At least, it doesn’t have harmful tinting ingredients such as Aluminum powder and coal tar dye, which are cancer-causing and threaten our cells and bodily functions. 

But the fact that other chemicals are the same as regular ones is concerning. So, the ideal solution is to either find a cruelty-free vegan clear mascara or other commercial best clear mascaras that have harmless ingredients and also nourishing properties in them. In fact, Consumer Reports wrote an entire article regarding how to deal safely with Mascara, you can read the article for a better understanding.

Mascara usage routine is a significant factor too. The more product you use, the more breakage it’ll cause. Over-applying makes your lashes too hard and thus prone to brittle lashes. Harsh removal will cause thinning of the lashes, and they can lose their natural tint too!

DOES CLEAR MASCARA HOLD EYELASH CURL?

If you get your hands on the best curling clear mascara, For example – CoverGirl’s Professional Clear Mascara, Honest Beauty’s honestly healthy lash tint, or maybe Zuzu Luxe’s Mascara in Clear, ERE Perez’s Lash + Brow Mascara. All of these clear mascaras are world-renowned when it comes to holding your eyelash curl.

Though you’ll see a lot of negative feedback like ‘waste of money or ‘it doesn’t do much, I’ll say it’s all about figuring out the proper products along with the techniques that work for you. From barely visible eyelashes to straight Asian lashes, clear Mascara can hold curls!

Now you can’t spend an hour or two in the windy hurricane season outdoors and then complain about how your flyaways are flying right back away. In that case, use gorilla glue instead! LOL!

“If my lashes are down, then honey, I’m down too.”

Bretman Rock

We all can connect with that. So, to keep your lashes high and mighty, here are some tips on How to use Clear Mascara for different lash types.

HOW TO USE CLEAR MASCARA? (STEP-BY-STEP)

1. An Eyelash Curler.
2. A Blow Drier or a lighter.
3. Your favorite Clear Mascara.

GENERAL STEPS –

1st STEP – First, you want a perfect lash curler according to your eye shape because how perfect your eyelashes are going to look depends on this step!

2nd STEP – Next, make sure to clean your lashes with a cleanser and a cotton bud to eliminate any oil, foundation, or dirt, or else lashes tend to appear shorter. 

3rd STEP – Finally, heat up the metal side of the curler with a blow dryer or a lighter to get a C-shaped curl. Don’t overheat; you’ll end up with J-shaped curls.

We have a pretty detailed article on How To Curl Eyelashes the right way. Hope you have read it if you haven’t yet you definitely should.

CLEAR MASCARA TIPS FOR STRAIGHT EYELASHES

• Never apply your clear Mascara at the base if you have straight lashes.
• Always start at the end/tip and go over to the other eye so it can dry.
• Then come back to the first eye and work yourself down until you come to the base.
• And when you come to the base, put a tiny amount there; otherwise, too much can cause breakage.  

CLEAR MASCARA TIPS FOR LONG EYELASHES

These are the essential tips to follow if you have long eyelashes, or else your lashes will go down.

• If you’re swift with your hands enough, I would suggest applying your clear Mascara while curling your lashes, both at the same time. As the lashes have a fair length, you’ll get access to the tips while curling them.
• This way, you’re correctly applying the product at the tip of your lashes and curling the lash roots, so it stays as curled up as possible.
• Curl your lashes, so it gets past your eye crease. Also, be careful to not apply much product in the middle and base.

CLEAR MASCARA TIPS FOR BLONDE EYELASHES

Regular black or brown mascaras on blonde lashes can look unnatural unless you do a complete makeup look. And I think blonde lash users can get the most creative with clear mascaras. Here is how-

• ADDITIONAL THINGS YOU NEED-

1. Either a Brown gel or a Brown Eyeshadow.
2. A Clear Mascara.

• STEPS YOU NEED TO FOLLOW-

1st STEP – First, Tightline your upper lid with brown gel or use a brown eyeshadow along the upper lashline, then apply the Mascara.

EXPERT TIP: It will help make your Mascara look more natural than usual if you’re using a tinted one. Using only clear Mascara would work great. Since the brown underneath your lashes will make them visible.

2nd STEP – Then, you can also use specific colors according to your eye color.

EXPERT TIP: If you have blue eyes, then use dark brown eyeshadow and brownish blue eye shadow for greyish eyes, and finally apply clear Mascara to your lashes.

3rd STEP – Next, you can get creative with your clear Mascara by adding colors too. 

EXPERT TIP: Use a little bit of brown powder and clear Mascara to create a lighter shade of brown, which can compliment your look. 

If you love attention, you can also go for rainbow colors too! But, remember to use another layer of clear Mascara afterward, or it gets flakey.

4th STEP – Lastly, you can draw an underwing with a brown shadow to create an illusion of a shadow from your eyelashes.

CLEAR MASCARA TIPS FOR TAMED EYEBROWS

• Simply brush your eyebrows with the clear brow mascara wand slowly.

• If you want fuller brows, then add a little brown eyeshadow with clear Mascara or directly draw your brows with an eyebrow pencil before applying Mascara. It gets tricky when it comes to applying it on bushy eyebrows. 
• While applying it on bushy eyebrows, pressing with the spatula and immediately holding the brows with fingers for a few seconds really works wonders.

CLEAR MASCARA: PROS & CONS

Clear Mascara is Awesome!! Because –	Clear Mascara is Pain!! Because –
It never gets clumped. Gives a whole look, a sheen, and a slick finish.	It may seem like it’s barely doing anything if not correctly and patiently applied.
It’s so lightweight! After a few minutes of applying, you won’t feel anything.	Because of its liquidness, people with heavy eyebrows get disappointed as it can’t hold the brows much longer.
It is the best option if you’re planning to do a statement lipstick. Because, it would define the lashes without too much depth, and the lips would get its attention.	It’s good to apply a coat of tinted mascara after using a clear one with a natural look; otherwise, the eyes look too bland. That is why most people skip using the clear ones.
It can be turned into any color!	DIYing clear mascara to colored mascara can be flaky.

WHY SHOULD YOU USE CLEAR MASCARA?

• FOR GLOSSY LASHES –

Has anyone ever passed you the mirror after you washed your face or got out of the pool? You can not appreciate how pretty the lashes make your eyes look, open-eyed and doll-like. That’s the wet-lash look you can wear every day with clear mascara. Or perhaps use a tinted one, too, if you have a thinner lash.

• FOR TAMING & SCULPTING BROWS –

Soap and glue are most preferred for taming the brow hair. They do work, definitely. But what about reapplying?

Glued brows flakes if you use your facial muscles. Not to mention how messy both can get if you sweat. Fixing the brows again with glue or soap is just too much; instead, have a clear mascara tube and a quick brush, and you’re good to go.

• FOR BABY HAIR –

Just a few light strokes of clear mascara along the hairline give away the vibe of well-styled, nourished hair. It would also be great for facial hair, a secret weapon for men especially. 

• AS A BROW GEL –

Clear mascara can be used on brows as clear brow gel mascara, on lashes as a lash gel, and on flyaways but not brow gels. Brow gel contains alcohol, so it’s unsafe to use on lashes. So, why not purchase a clear mascara to maintain your long lashes and save money at the same time?

• AS A HAIR GEL –

As previously stated, clear mascara also serves the purpose of hair gel. You can stay on a more glossy, natural side instead of the carbon-black side that hair gel products give. 

• AS A MASCARA PRIMER –  

Clear mascara can also be used as a mascara primer or eyelash primer to level up your regular mascara routine. Applying it before the regular ones makes the application smooth, and it’s easier to wipe off the regular mascaras later on.

• DIY CLEAR MASCARA –

You don’t have to spend extra money to get creative if you have clear mascara. Adding your own pigments and making new colors are fun but make sure that they are safe for the eye areas.  

• SEPARATED, DEFINED LASHES –

Clear mascara never clumps lashes, to begin with. Its water-like consistency helps brush through every lash without fearing messing with the eye makeup, thus giving you defined lashes.

• FOR FALSE LASH SETTING –

You need mascara to properly blend the falsies with the natural lash. Using black/brown mascaras can look over the top. Clear mascaras are the best option for this.

• FOR A FRESH LOOK THROUGHOUT THE DAY –

Regular mascara always casts shadows underneath the eyes, making fake dark circles. What’s the point of makeup if it makes you conscious and retouches your eye area from time to time? Trust me! clear mascara literally eliminates this extra headache. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ARE MASCARA INGREDIENTS SAFE FOR MY EYES?

ANSWER: Yes!! Absolutely!! Modern Mascara ingredients are completely safe for the eyes as long as you buy from a reputable brand, and there are various reasons behind this.

The reason number 1 is modern mascaras are made up of mainly two types of ingredients. The primary components are pigments, oils, preservatives, and emollients; the secondary elements are fibers, thickeners, and film-formers. None of these ingredients are harmful; instead, they are much more beneficial for your lashes than you think. We have a detailed article on this topic, “What is Mascara Made of and Debunking Bat Poop Myth,” and we encourage you to read the article to be confident about your mascara.

The second reason your mascara is not harmful is that every country, along with yours, has a regulatory body that monitors the production and the final product to ensure a safe cosmetic product. To know about the monitoring process, you can check this section, “Safety & Regulations in Mascara Production.“

HOW SHOULD YOU REMOVE MASCARA, WITHOUT HARMING YOUR LASHES?

ANSWER: You can use commercial makeup remover products like Baby wipes, micellar water, etc., or,
natural products like castor oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil to remove mascara. I suggest castor oil; the oil will help you not only remove mascara but also help grow your lashes.

As eyelash hairs are fragile, maintain extra caution in the entire process. We have an entire article regarding How you can remove mascara safely. You can check that article too!!

HOW LONG A MASCARA WAND or TUBE SHOULD BE USED?

ANSWER: The answer depends on numerous macro-environmental factors like weather, storage space, etc. However, we recommend you use neither the Mascara wand nor the mascara tube for more than five to six months. Using it for a long time makes air bubbles and encourages bacteria growth.

However, if you’re planning on reusing the mascara wand for maybe nail grooming or nail art or maybe removing cuticles you should properly clean the mascara wand and reuse it. Mascara tubes also can serve various other purposes all you have to do is just clean the mascara tube properly and start reusing it.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOUR LASHES STILL GO DOWN AFTER PUTTING CLEAR MASCARA ON?

ANSWER: The trick is to curl them as much as possible, so they go past the crease. Then, curl them in the middle and top for that natural curl.

Using too much product can be the reason too. You should barely put anything at the base/root. Focus on the top.

HOW DO YOU GET MORE PRODUCT OUT OF YOUR MASCARA TUBE? SHOULD YOU PUMP IT?

ANSWER: Never pump the mascara tube!!
Instead, swirl the wand around, as that is where the product tends to stick. Pumping can also damage the mascara wand and create air bubbles, leading to mascara drying fast.
Though there are several ways to fix dry mascara, still we recommend you not pump your mascara tube.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Clear Mascara used to be the unsung hero of makeup. New makeup trends changed the whole game. Now people should stop asking, “What’s the point of using clear mascara” Or maybe they should, or otherwise, what’s the point of this whole writing?