For so long, clean mascara has been synonymous with a minimal, "no-makeup makeup" look. The association makes sense: natural ingredient profile, natural payoff, right? Perfect for an everyday swipe of pigment, but for mega doe eyes, you might reach for your conventional wand—typically it offered more impact, more drama. 

That is, until very recently—a time I now officially declare the Summer of Clean Mascara. As eye makeup remains top tier (masks, and all), one clean mascara after another kept popping up on the scene. But what's extra cool, my fellow ingredient followers, is that each has a specialty: We're talking formulas meant strictly for thickening, volume, lash length, definition, you name it. 

Let's back up for a minute: Mascaras need to have some sort of preservative system, given that you frequently pump the wand in and out and increase the chance for contamination. Mascara formulas are water-based, and thus a breeding ground for bacteria. (And let's remember here, folks: "safe" and "clean" beauty also means free from microbial contamination.) The problem is, it can be difficult for some brands to formulate effective preservatives without the use of parabens or phthalates.

It goes beyond that, too. From a wearability standpoint, even brands that do use safer preservatives still may find it difficult to achieve a dramatic, "look-at-me" formula without the use of plasticizers (which help the lashes appear soft and bendy). So you may wind up with a mascara that's clean but doesn't give you the same fluttery payoff as a traditional product—which is exactly how clean mascara earned its standing in a more minimal makeup routine.

And to get that smooth glide that many mascaras boast for an effortless application, many brands lean on mineral oils. Not only can these be irritating and sensitizing for the delicate eye area (for some people, not all—we should say), but they are byproducts of petrochemicals—making a less-than-ideal situation for those who are trying to be more eco-friendly.

Last but certainly not least: A hallmark of a good mascara in the traditional world is smudge-proof, long-lasting, and often waterproof. But some traditional makeup companies will use PFAS, sometimes called "forever chemicals," to get that look—but these ingredients cannot deteriorate when absorbed in the body nor when washed down the sink at night. (In fact: The House just passed a bill demanding the EPA regulate this class of ingredient—there's also several states with legislation in the work, too. This is all to say: This isn't just a "clean beauty" issue.)

But we'll get off our soapbox and back to the point: "Lash volume, thickening, lash separation, non-clumping, long wear, smudge-proof are all (now) staples of a good mascara," seconds clean cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline. "It is extremely hard to achieve these characteristics with a clean ingredient selection.""

Just as clean lipsticks are only getting bolder, clean eyeshadows are far from basic, clean mascaras are becoming more sophisticated. No longer do natural-leaning formulas compromise performance, and according to Koestline, we have ourselves to thank for the recent boom: "Because of consumer demand, there has been a big innovation push toward a cleaner ingredient list," she says. (Your dollar speaks volumes, after all.) "There are many more clean film formers, gelling agents, and plasticizers available on the market now than before." 

Quick anecdote: Koestline, years ago, was able to seek maybe a few hundred clean ingredients to use when formulating color cosmetics. Now? She has over 10,000 available to help her land a more complex formula—which just goes to show how far the industry has expanded. 

Brands are also getting more creative with naturally derived ingredients to achieve the same dramatic payoff as a conventional mascara. For example: "Beeswax is known to be a softer wax that gives volume and carnauba is a harder wax that assists with lengthening and curl," Kirsten Kjaer Weis, founder of her namesake clean beauty brand Kjaer Weis, tells mbg. When creating the new Im-Possible mascara, they played around with a ratio of these two waxes and introduced certified organic acacia gum into the formula—an ingredient responsible for what Weis can only describe as "va-va-voom" volume. 

Beauty fans are also more educated than ever before—so when they, say, vocalize concerns about the eye area absorbing the chemicals it comes into contact with1, the industry quickly catches on with safer product offerings. And when they subsequently crave safer options that also put in the work? Enter, the wave of complex, high-performing numbers. It reinforces the point: If we're hungry for it, manufacturers will ultimately make it happen, even for a notoriously finicky product, like clean mascara.