I Tried The “No Mascara” Makeup Trend & Surprisingly Loved It

A few weeks ago, I left my apartment without mascara on. No, I wasn’t aiming for a “no-makeup makeup” look — I went full glam for a date night with my boyfriend. But I accidentally forgot the most crucial step, and it wasn’t until an after-dinner bathroom trip that I noticed my lashes were bare. My initial reaction was to run to the nearest drugstore and buy my go-to mascara (L’Oreal Paris Telescopic, if you’re curious). However, the longer I looked in the mirror, the more I realized I was surprisingly into it. Turns out I’m not alone.

No-mascara makeup is one of the more unexpected trends to dominate BeautyTok. Makeup artists and content creators first made a case for mascara-less looks in summer 2023, when lifestyle influencer Kim Wolff became one of the first TikTokers to give it a try. Another beauty content creator, Caroline Sacks, showed off her no-mascara moment around the same time with the caption, “Bold lip no mascara will always give cool girl, I don’t care what anyone says.”

Since then, thousands of other creators have joined the conversation — the hashtag #nomascara has over 11,800 posts. The trend’s fan base ranges from minimalists to full-glam girlies alike. I needed to see what the hype was about, so I decided to bare it all (my lashes) in the name of research... on purpose this time.

How To Achieve The No-Mascara Makeup Look

Compared to other TikTok trends with clear and concise instructions, the scope of no-mascara makeup is quite broad. You could go the barely-there route, or full coverage if you want to be bolder.

My beauty routine is on the simpler side, so I decided to channel the model off-duty approach — as beauty content creator Halley Drew affectionately called it — with a few glamorous accents like sparkly eyelids and small cat-eyes. Primed with Wolff’s video, plus tutorials from makeup artists Schae Breezy and Melody Miles, I gave no-mascara makeup a go.

1. Start With The Base

While this look’s focal point is the eyelashes (duh), Wolff said to begin with the base. First, she started with a hydrating primer to create that “your skin but better” finish. Before blending, I took cues from Miles and Breezy and mixed it with bronzing drops. Miles used the viral Drunk Elephant version, but any glowy skin tint will do.

2. Dial Up Your Glow

To up the dewy ante, grab your favorite contour (preferably cream or liquid) and a stippling brush, and blend into the outer perimeters of your face, including your forehead, cheekbones, and under your chin. Continue the process with a liquid or cream blush of choice. Like Breezy, I applied a rose-colored liquid blush to the apples of my cheeks and the bridge of my nose for a sun-kissed appearance.

Per Miles’ suggestion, I added a light-coverage cream highlighter to the high points of my face, starting with the tip of my nose, brow bones, cheeks, and the center of my chin. Instead of a sponge or brush, I blended it with my fingers, creating an effortless glow.

Dealer’s choice, but you can also apply some faux freckles on all your blush spots. Tap them atop your nose and cheeks, then diffuse them with your finger.

3. Give Your Lashes Some TLC

Even though mascara is off-limits, you can (and should) still pay attention to your lashes. First, give them a good lift. Your everyday lash curler will do the trick. For a more emphasized look, run the curler under hot water and then crimp your lashes.

If you want to build up volume without adding any pigment, try a clear mascara. It’ll separate and define your lashes, minus the dark sultriness of black formula.

4. Add Dramatic Shadow

If you’re in the mood for a natural look, you can skip this step. However, for fans of a statement eye, don’t let the no-mascara precedent deter you from a little eyeshadow. Pick up the same liquid contour from earlier and blend it into your crease. Add some shimmer to the center with your cream highlighter or eyeshadow. I chose a bronzey glitter eyeshadow from my Juvia’s Place palette. Finally, I tapped a brighter cream shadow into my inner corner.

Once that’s complete, channel siren eyes with a brown eyeliner pencil in an itty bitty cat-eye shape. If you’d like, drag the wing to a point beyond your inner corner for that signature siren flick. Content creator Ava Shawty says this step is the “key” to no-mascara makeup. You can also line your lower waterline in brown.

Before moving on from the eyes, add a dot of concealer to your inner and outer lower eyelids.

5. Fluff Your Brows

On to the finishing touches. Fill in the eyebrows in your signature way, whether that’s with a clear brow glue, a tinted gel, or an eyebrow pencil. Since you likely won’t have foundation on, there’s no need to carve out your brows. (That’s stepping into unrecognizable makeup territory.)

6. Finish With A Glossy Lip

Last but certainly not least, lean into off-duty model energy with a glossy pink lip. If you’d like, you can line your lips first with a moody brown shade à la Lauryn Hill in the ‘90s. Spritz your face with a dewy setting spray and voilà: You’ve pulled off no-mascara makeup.

The Takeaway: Mascara? I Don’t Know Her

Going into this experiment, I thought nothing could change my mind about mascara. But much to my surprise, I’ve officially ended things with my tried-and-true L’Oreal Telescopic. (I’m sorry, L’Oréal — it’s not you, it’s me.) Don’t get me wrong, I love the smoky finish that mascara gives. However, I realized I don’t need it. I couldn’t be happier with the results, especially because removing mascara is one of my biggest beauty pet peeves. With a strong curler and a few swipes of clear mascara, I achieved voluminous lashes without any of the pigment.

The finished product reminded me of beauty icons like Alicia Keys, Keira Knightley, Jennifer Garner, and Julia Stiles (to name a few), who famously don’t wear a lot of eye makeup. Plus, the steps were surprisingly easy to follow, and it wasn’t too different from my everyday routine — I usually wear liquid contour, cream blush, and under-eye concealer. The entire process took just 20 minutes to complete.

I’m not totally ditching my Telescopic — I’ll keep it in my cosmetics bag for more elevated events, like my friend’s wedding this summer. But besides that, I don’t see myself reaching for mascara very often anymore. Why would I, when going without it looks so chic? Take it from me, a former mascara enthusiast — you should absolutely give this a go.