Beauty
According To TikTok, Wearing Mascara Is *So* Over
Making the case for bare lashes.
This year, the winter makeup trends were all things dark and vampy, with sultry “espresso makeup” and smoky eyes total mainstays. Come springtime, however, all signs point to lighter and brighter glam moments, with naturally flushed peach blush, minimally covered skin, and soft girl brown mascara all major wins for the months ahead.
While chocolatey mascara shades are very much on the rise, there’s also an entirely new lash trend taking off on TikTok — namely, a wave of girlies who are obsessed with “no mascara” makeup looks.
“No Mascara” Makeup Is Trending
If you scroll through BeautyTok, you’ll see plenty of folks declaring that they’re over mascara.
Melody Miles, a beauty and lifestyle creator on the platform, claimed in a recent mascara-less video that “maturing is realizing makeup looks better without mascara.” And while the comment section seemed to be divided — one TikToker wrote “my blonde lashes disagree” — plenty of beauty lovers are on board with the hot take.
User Hailey Drew Polk similarly recommended doing full glam but leaving out the mascara. “I know it feels like something’s missing, but really, it’s chic, it’s giving high fashion, it’s giving effortless,” she said in a video. One commenter wrote, “I always do no mascara look,” while another said, “I love it, haven’t worn mascara in 3 years and NO REGRETS.”
Years ago, the “clean girl” aesthetic ran rampant on beauty lovers’ FYPs. For those who still prefer the look of natural, dewy complexions, fluffy brows, and low-key “gym lips,” it seems leaving out mascara is the latest green flag for those minimal beats.
Some A-listers co-sign the trend. Kylie Jenner, for one, has recently sported a handful of “no mascara” makeup looks, opting for an altogether more natural beat than she has in the past. Billie Eilish, too, has been spotted on the red carpet sans any product on her lashes.
The Trend Is Linked To Lash Care
Despite leaving their mascaras in their makeup bags, many beauty aficionados are still putting something on their lashes.
In lieu of mascara, some folks on BeautyTok have adopted an “Aquaphor lash lift” hack that uses the cult-fave ointment as an eyelash serum.
Typically paired with minimal makeup looks or glam-free days, the trick is to apply a dollop of the Aquaphor Lip Repair ($5.99) on a clean spoolie before brushing through your lashes (as you would with mascara). The end result? A subtle lift and plenty of moisture.
