This return to minimalism is a social trend that we're also feeling in the beauty world. Forgoing mascara helps us save time. Make-up enthusiasts now focus on quick routines, which often look much better than time-intensive, full-face looks.
“Wearing no mascara is trending for a few reasons, primarily for a shift towards more authenticity, natural beauty, and embracing minimal makeup,” Charlie Riddle, Stila's global beauty director and the makeup artist behind Cynthia Rowley's spring/summer 2025 runway, told Allure.
“Skipping mascara eliminates the risks of smudging, flaking, or clumping, while showing a willingness to edit your look,” Riner says. “Not every makeup style needs the added dimension mascara provides. In fact, lashes can sometimes detract from the vibe you're trying to achieve.”
The no-mascara movement aligns with beauty's sustainability push. Fewer tubes of mascara mean less waste—and the rise of multipurpose, clean beauty products ties into a growing demand for mindful consumption. The cultural impact is undeniable.
Extended use of mascara can lead to natural lash stiffness, which doesn't just contribute to more lash fall out but it can also increase risk of scratching the corneas. Better lashes are also not worth worse skin around the delicate eye area.
Mascara is what women are most likely to say they wear on a regular basis; about half — 46% — say they do.
But if you just don't have the patience to stay friends with an attention-seeking product, I'm here to tell you that it's OK to end it. Kick it to the curb. You can have the same lashes, sans the eye soot.
The #mascaratrend is a coded way for people on TikTok to talk about their past and present romantic relationships. Some have even used the word “mascara” to describe their sexual experiences, without the risk of being censored by the app.
Many people also wrote in the comments that the younger generation does indeed wear eyeshadow — they just wear more neutral tones and make it more subtle than older generations do.
“Emotionally and psychologically, not wearing a bra can be a statement about how you want to present yourself to the world, and also how you want to cover up very normal body parts,” she said. Dober said many women feel “liberated” by not wearing a bra, which is a sign of young women wanting to reclaim their “agency.”
Leading cosmetics brands among Gen Z in the U.S. 2024
According to data from a survey conducted in 2024 in the United States, the leading cosmetics brand among Gen Z Americans in that year was e.l.f, with about 35 percent of consumers choosing this brand.
The criticism aimed at Mikayla accusing her of using false lashes and being misleading — at worst, a symptom of mistrust in beauty influencing everywhere — was swift. The so-called "mascara gate" even brought disgraced beauty influencer and alleged abuser Jeffree Star out of retirement.
Generation X – born 1965-1979. Millennials – born 1980-1994. Generation Z – born 1995-2012. Gen Alpha – born 2013 – 2025.
In 1834, Eugène Rimmel, a French perfumer working in London, created one of the first commercial mascaras. Rimmel's formula was a mix of petroleum jelly and coal dust, which was applied with a brush.
Like Millennial Pink, Gen Z colors favor the eye-popping Cyber Lime (forecasted to be big in 2024) and Digital Lavender, also aligned with inclusivity. “[Cyber Lime] can speak to all, which Gen Z is very sensitive to,” said Guilbert.
This suggests that Gen Z treats make-up more as an option for special moments rather than an everyday necessity. Only 6% of Gen Z wears make-up every day, the lowest among all age groups, showing a more relaxed attitude compared to Millennials or Gen X.
In: Colored Mascara
For lashes, fun colors are the new black. Multicolored eye looks with blue, green, pink, and even burgundy mascara are trending right now. Get the look: If you're interested in colored mascara and how to wear it like a pro, choose a shade that complements your eye color or outfit.
“Mascara” refers to someone's romantic partner and is being used with the hashtag #MascaraTrend as code to describe relationships. As an example, one TikToker joked: “My mascara stuck its wand in another tube.”
'Mascara' is being used as a code word on TikTok by young women to talk about their experiences of sex and sexual abuse.
In fact, the Full Face, No Mascara trend has been gaining momentum since early last year, with standout moments like Riley Keough's striking natural-yet-bold look at the 2024 Met Gala. Beauty trendsetter Hailey Bieber has also been a major influence, often going viral for her own take on this makeup style.
Vaseline can help moisturize eyelashes and the skin around the eye. It won't help eyelashes grow. Vaseline is generally safe when used in small amounts. But risks of using Vaseline on eyelashes include infection and blurry vision.