I Tested 5 Clean Mascaras & Saie's 101 Is The Only Falsies-Level Formula

My lash saga is long and not all that unique. To keep it simple: I wanted longer lashes, tried lash extensions, loved the extensions, overdid it with the extensions, and then my real lashes fell out. And while my story could have ended there, I was inspired to learn how to take better care of my lashes (once they grew back) and set out to find a way to truly make my eyes pop without gluing mink hair to my eyelids.

The first step was finding a clean mascara. I strive to keep up a clean beauty routine, but mascara was one area where I hadn't made the transition. My previous experience with cleaner formulas had left me unimpressed. But once all your lashes fall out, you're a bit more resistant to swiping those delicate hairs with harsh chemicals every day.

At mindbodygreen, we have a few core standards when it comes to clean beauty. Clean mascaras are made without certain harmful preservatives, such as mineral oils, PFAS, and plasticizers. And, sure, skipping these ingredients sounds great in theory, but without plasticizers to keep your lashes looking soft and bendy, mineral oils to help the formula go on smooth, and PFAS for that long-lasting seal, clean mascaras don't always perform as well as their not-so-natural counterparts.

In my hunt for the best mascara, I tried five clean brands: Saie, Milk, ILIA, Caliray, and ITEM Beauty. I won't go into my full review of each, but I will say some were good, others were great, and one left a lot to be desired—and Saie undoubtedly landed on top. If we're measuring success in compliments, it's the only one that led someone to stop me in line at my local coffee shop to ask what mascara I use.

Where other blends left my lashes clumpy or lackluster, Saie's Mascara 101 went on smoothly, instantly adding length. Below, you'll see what it looks like applied to one eye versus no makeup on the other.

Saie's mascara is made without BHAs, chemical sunscreens, GMOs, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, talc, or synthetic fragrances. But let's talk about a few ingredients it does include: non-GMO shea butter to create a silky-smooth texture, natural beeswax to keep your lashes in place, plant-derived glycerin to add moisture, fermented non-GMO radish roots to keep it fresh, and a blend of sustainably sourced coconut palm oils to condition.

The mascara also acts as an eyelash growth serum thanks to the addition of arginine, an amino acid that stimulates blood flow to promote hair growth, and agropyron repens root extract (also known as "quack grass"), which strengthens your lashes. As someone who has spent years bringing my lashes back to life, this is music to my ears.