Lush Just Dropped a Package-Free, Waterless Mascara

Obviously, I had to try it.

With so many new beauty products being launched every single day (seriously), it takes a lot to catch my attention. But on a recent trip to a Lush store—my first time visiting one of their IRL locations in years—I saw something that stopped me in my tracks: the brand's package-free Naked Mascara ($14). The name alone was enough to pique my interest, but when I got a good look at it, I was double intrigued. Add to the fact that the product has gone viral on TikTok, and I needed to know more.

Ahead is everything you need to know about Lush's Naked Mascara—plus, my honest review.

The Inspiration

The Naked Mascara is a solid, waterless mascara that's activated with a wet wand. It works similarly to vintage mascaras from the 1920s and '30s and looks almost like a cylindrical Play-Doh sculpture, with a hole in the middle for the brush. Part of Lush's signature Naked line of package-free products, it's worth noting that the product does technically come in an easily recyclable cardboard box, but it was thoughtfully developed with sustainability in mind.

The mascara, like the rest of the Naked line, was born from Lush's sustainability program. While some mascara packaging is technically recyclable, a huge amount of it ends up in landfills. So, Lush opted to remove the packaging completely.

"Turning liquids into solids can be quite powerful," Helen Ambrosen, one of Lush's co-founders, tells Byrdie. "It means you can create something very visual that doesn’t require conventional packaging, but [it] can be colorful, in interesting shapes and sizes, and can draw the customer's eye. You can also make them self-preserving." That being said, she notes that the brand's solid formulas have to perform as well—if not better—than their liquid counterparts.

"To me, mascara is a desert island product, one of those products you can’t live without," she continues. "That’s what the inspiration has always been—to be mindful of ending up with a product that when you do this work, you have something that is as good as, if not better than, what you’re trying to replace. It’s lovely to be able to invent something that can replace the trillions of mascara tubes that would end up in landfill."

Lush Naked Mascara ($14)

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The Formula

Ambrosen says that the formula for the Naked Mascara took over five years to get just right. Initially, Ambrosen and her co-founders were inspired by new technologies and tried creating the mascara by 3D printing hard waxes, but the process took too long, so they switched to molding them instead.

The development of the formula was also complicated. "I had to make a mixture that, when mixed with water, would apply well to the lashes and last," says Ambrosen. "We went through a lot of testing to make sure it worked well—that it applied to the lashes well, that it stays there and looks lovely. As well as being able to be molded and the process behind it, you have to make sure that it works properly." The result was a mix of waxes, butters, and oils, including fair trade organic cocoa butter and castor oil to moisturize and condition lashes, Japan wax for definition, and carnauba wax for lengthening.

The result is a Naked mascara that comes in four shades: Orca, an inky black; Ocean, a bright blue; Reef, a hot pink; and Earth, a warm brown. You get your choice of three wands—thickness and volume, definition, or separation—and each is made of 100% bio-based non-plastic material and can be fully recycled when you're done with them.

How to Use It

Like all new things, the Naked Mascara formula might take some getting used to. But Lush's in-house makeup artist, Jen Hunter, has some tips. "The Naked Mascara needs only a small drop of water on the wand before use in order to gather product to apply to the lashes," she tells us. "The wearer can control the consistency of the product before it’s applied to the lashes, great for those who want to decide how much or how little they like to apply."

Just add a drop or two of water to your wand, drop it inside the hole, and swirl it around until the wand is coated. Then, you're ready to apply. "I love to use a ‘zig zag’ method when applying mascara," says Hunter. "I apply a thin coat of mascara to the top of the lashes and then move underneath and use my wand in a zig-zag motion to give lift. Go in again with another coat in the same motion to help separate and add volume." When you're all done, simply place the mascara in the box to dry out until you're ready to use it again.

My Review

I'm someone who likes a lot of lashes, so I was worried I wasn't going to be able to get the volume I love with this mascara—and it turns out I was right, but I think it's still worth a try. The mascara was actually pretty simple to use, though I found it easier to add a few drops of water directly in the hole rather than on the brush. I also made sure it was thoroughly coated, as I knew I would want the most impact.

After wiggling the coated brush through my lashes, I was surprised at how inky black the formula was. I tried both the volume and definition wands, and both did a great job of giving me some subtle length and separation. In fact, it almost gave me too much definition, as I like my mascara nearly verging on clumpy. Since the formula is so wet and thin, it gives you a very natural look, whereas I like a formula with a little more heft. That being said, I was impressed with the staying power and the fact that it didn't hurt my eyes, so if you like a natural look, this is worth a try.

Plus, in an industry rife with greenwashing, it's refreshing to see a brand put its money where its mouth is and actually take real steps toward true sustainability.

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