6 best cruelty-free mascaras from certified brands, compared

6 cruelty-free mascaras compared by formula and price

The 6 cruelty-free mascaras compared below cost $4.99 to $29.00 and come from brands that a certifier lists today. Four are drugstore mascaras under $15, and two are prestige mascaras at $28 and $29.

1. essence Lash Princess: the best cruelty-free mascara under $5

essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara is the best cruelty-free mascara under $5, at $4.99 at Ulta Beauty on October 2, 2026. Ulta describes a conically shaped fiber brush that builds length, dramatic volume and a false-lash effect, and Ulta shoppers rate it 4.2 out of 5 across 7,272 reviews. PETA lists essence as cruelty-free. Ulta shows two ingredient lists for this mascara, one with beeswax and one without it, so the vegan status depends on the label of the tube you buy.

2. e.l.f. Lash ’N Roll: the best cruelty-free mascara for curl

e.l.f. Lash ’N Roll Mascara is the best cruelty-free mascara for curl, at $7.00 at Ulta Beauty. Its curved, double-sided silicone brush lifts and separates each lash, Ulta lists the formula as smudge-resistant and flake-resistant, and shoppers rate it 4.5 out of 5 across 5,006 reviews. e.l.f. holds the Leaping Bunny certification and appears on PETA’s list with the vegan designation, and e.l.f. states that its products are 100% vegan.

3. CoverGirl Lash Blast: the best cruelty-free mascara for volume

CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara is the best cruelty-free mascara for volume, at $12.99 at Ulta Beauty. CoverGirl claims ten times more volume instantly with no clumps or flakes, and Ulta shoppers rate it 4.2 out of 5 across 11,553 reviews. Cruelty Free International approves CoverGirl under its Approval Programme, the international version of the Leaping Bunny criteria.

4. Milani Highly Rated Lash Extensions: the best cruelty-free tubing mascara

Milani Highly Rated Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara is the best cruelty-free tubing mascara, at $14.99 at Ulta Beauty. A tubing mascara wraps each lash in tube-like polymers instead of painting it, which imitates lash extensions and adds length and lift. Ulta shoppers rate it 4.0 out of 5 across 1,626 reviews. PETA lists Milani as cruelty-free, and Milani states that PETA certifies it.

5. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes: the best vegan cruelty-free mascara

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara is the best vegan cruelty-free mascara, at $28.00 at Ulta Beauty. The formula volumizes, lengthens, curls and conditions lashes, Ulta labels it vegan, and shoppers rate it 4.5 out of 5 across 13,388 reviews, the most reviewed mascara on this list. PETA lists Tarte as cruelty-free.

6. Benefit They’re Real!: the best cruelty-free mascara for length

Benefit They’re Real! Lifting & Lengthening Mascara is the best cruelty-free mascara for length, at $29.00 on benefitcosmetics.com. A brush with a domed detailer tip reaches the smallest lashes, Benefit claims 36 hours of wear, and 95% of the participants in a Benefit consumer study said they saw visible lift. Benefit states that Cruelty Free International approves it, while PETA has not listed Benefit as cruelty-free.

Which cruelty-free mascaras are vegan?

The cruelty-free mascaras in this list that are vegan are e.l.f. Lash ’N Roll and Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes. essence Lash Princess sells a vegan and a non-vegan version, and CoverGirl, Milani and Benefit do not state a vegan status for these mascaras.

What is the price of cruelty-free mascara?

The price of cruelty-free mascara is $4.99 to $29.00 across these 6 picks, in two tiers. The drugstore picks cost $4.99 to $14.99, and the prestige picks cost $28.00 to $29.00. The cheapest certified mascara, essence Lash Princess, costs $24.01 less than Benefit They’re Real!, the most expensive one. Prices are the Ulta Beauty and Benefit prices on October 2, 2026.

How do you check that a mascara is cruelty-free?

You check that a mascara is cruelty-free by looking up the brand, not the product, on a certifier’s list. A certification covers the whole brand and its suppliers, and the word “cruelty-free” on a tube is an unregulated claim in the US.

• Three of the six brands, e.l.f., CoverGirl and Benefit, hold the Leaping Bunny certification or its international version, which requires supplier monitoring and independent audits.
• The other three, essence, Milani and Tarte, appear on PETA's Ultimate Cruelty-Free List, which rests on a signed statement of assurance from the brand and its suppliers.

Is there cruelty-free drugstore mascara?

Yes, there is cruelty-free drugstore mascara from essence, e.l.f., CoverGirl and Milani, all certified and priced at $14.99 or less. Maybelline and L’Oréal Paris are not cruelty-free, because PETA lists both among the companies that test on animals.

Does cruelty-free mascara mean vegan?

No, cruelty-free mascara does not mean vegan mascara. Cruelty-free refers to animal testing, and vegan refers to animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax. Leaping Bunny states that its list does not cover the composition of ingredients.