13 DIY Mascara Recipes (Even for Sensitive Eyes!)

Creating your own mascara at home is a fantastic way to embrace natural beauty and ditch harsh chemicals.

These DIY recipes use simple, nourishing ingredients to give you lovely lashes.

Get ready to discover easy ways to make mascara that defines, lengthens, and conditions your lashes, all while being gentle on your eyes and the planet..

 

1. Activated Charcoal, Bentonite Clay, and Beeswax Mascara

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This DIY mascara is a smudge-free wonder, crafted with activated charcoal for deep color, bentonite clay for a lasting hold, and beeswax to make it wonderfully waterproof.

It nourishes your lashes while providing great definition and staying power, helping to keep them healthy with propolis from the beeswax..

Key Ingredients:

  • Beeswax
  • Vegetable Glycerin
  • Activated Charcoal
  • Bentonite Clay
  • Aloe Vera Gel
  • Rosemary Essential Oil
  • Lavender Essential Oil

Benefits:

  • Smudge-free
  • Waterproof
  • Nourishing
  • Deep color

 

Pro Tip: For a softer brown mascara, try swapping out half the activated charcoal for cocoa powder.

Get the Recipe: Activated Charcoal, Bentonite Clay, and Beeswax Mascara

2. Simple Charcoal and Bentonite Clay Mascara

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Looking for a quick and effective natural mascara? This recipe uses just a few simple ingredients like activated charcoal for a rich black hue, bentonite clay for texture, vegetable glycerin, and aloe vera gel for a smooth, conditioning feel.

It’s super easy to make and provides lovely, natural-looking lashes..

Key Ingredients:

  • Charcoal
  • Bentonite Clay
  • Vegetable Glycerin
  • Aloe Vera Gel

Benefits:

  • Gentle on lashes
  • Non-toxic
  • Easy to make
  • Effective

 

Pro Tip: If your mascara seems too thick, a tiny bit more glycerin or aloe vera gel can help achieve the perfect consistency.

Get the Recipe: Simple Charcoal and Bentonite Clay Mascara

3. Three-Ingredient Coconut Oil and Charcoal Mascara

This super simple, non-toxic mascara relies on just three key ingredients: coconut oil for its moisturizing properties, beeswax for structure, and activated charcoal for a deep, lash-defining color.

It’s incredibly easy to whip up and washes off with just soap and water, making it a gentle yet effective choice..

Key Ingredients:

  • Coconut Oil
  • Beeswax
  • Activated Charcoal

Benefits:

  • Non-toxic
  • Moisturizing
  • Easy to wash off
  • Simple ingredients

 

Pro Tip: Since this recipe is preservative-free, it’s best to make small batches and use them within a week.

Get the Recipe: Three-Ingredient Coconut Oil and Charcoal Mascara

4. Shea Butter, Beeswax, and Charcoal Mascara

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Achieve thicker, longer, and darker lashes with this natural mascara recipe that focuses on providing fullness.

It combines nourishing shea butter, firming beeswax, conditioning coconut oil, and rich activated charcoal for a blend that stays put and defines your lashes beautifully..

Key Ingredients:

  • Shea Butter
  • Bees Wax
  • Aloe Vera Gel
  • Coconut Oil
  • Activated Charcoal

Benefits:

  • Adds fullness
  • Conditions lashes
  • Long-lasting
  • Natural ingredients

 

Pro Tip: For a boost in lash fullness, try curling your lashes and then dusting them with cornstarch or arrowroot powder before applying mascara.

Get the Recipe: Shea Butter, Beeswax, and Charcoal Mascara

5. Zero-Waste Shea Butter, Clay, and Charcoal Mascara

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This zero-waste mascara recipe is a breeze to make with just four simple ingredients: activated charcoal for color, shea butter for a smooth base, bentonite clay as a binder, and a touch of oil for glide.

It delivers beautiful results without any running or flaking, making it a sustainable and effective beauty choice..

Key Ingredients:

  • Activated Charcoal
  • Shea Butter
  • Bentonite Clay
  • Sweet Almond Oil

Benefits:

  • Sustainable
  • Zero waste
  • No running or flaking
  • Easy to apply

 

Pro Tip: To prevent clumping, use a mortar and pestle to thoroughly blend the oils into the fine powders.

Get the Recipe: Zero-Waste Shea Butter, Clay, and Charcoal Mascara

6. All-Natural Mascara with Lavender Essential Oil

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Enjoy longer, stronger lashes with this easy, all-natural homemade mascara.

It melts down simple ingredients like beeswax and coconut oil, then incorporates activated charcoal and Vitamin E for a formula that truly performs like store-bought mascara, all while keeping your lashes chemical-free..

Key Ingredients:

  • Beeswax
  • Coconut Oil
  • Activated Charcoal
  • Vitamin E Oil
  • Lavender Essential Oil

Benefits:

  • Non-toxic
  • Inexpensive
  • Effective
  • Nourishing

 

Pro Tip: Add a few drops of lavender essential oil for a lovely scent and potential benefits for your lash follicles.

Get the Recipe: All-Natural Mascara with Lavender Essential Oil

7. Clay and Aloe Vera Mascara for Natural Lashes

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This recipe creates a natural mascara that’s fast and easy to make, perfect for daily use.

It uses bentonite clay for volume and hold, activated charcoal for color, and aloe vera liquid for a smooth finish that stays put all day without smudging or flaking..

Key Ingredients:

  • Bentonite clay
  • Activated charcoal powder
  • Aloe Vera Liquid
  • Palma rosa or patchouli essential oil

Benefits:

  • Dries well
  • Stays in place
  • Lasts all day
  • Healthy for lashes

 

Pro Tip: Make small, 1-2 week batches and store in a small tub, using a clean, wet mascara brush for application to maintain freshness.

Get the Recipe: Clay and Aloe Vera Mascara for Natural Lashes

8. Bentonite Clay, Beeswax, and Coconut Oil Mascara

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This simple, 6-step DIY mascara recipe combines bentonite clay for volume, beeswax for holding curl, and coconut oil for moisture.

Activated charcoal provides the intense color for beautifully defined lashes, offering a completely natural alternative to commercial mascaras..

Key Ingredients:

  • Bentonite Clay
  • Beeswax
  • Coconut Oil
  • Activated Charcoal

Benefits:

  • Adds volume
  • Helps retain curl
  • Moisturizes lashes
  • Intense color

 

Pro Tip: If you don’t have a small funnel, you can pour the mixture into a zip-top bag, cut off a small corner, and squeeze it into the mascara tube.

Get the Recipe: Bentonite Clay, Beeswax, and Coconut Oil Mascara

9. Natural Mascara with Jojoba Oil and Iron Oxide

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Create your own custom-colored mascara with this recipe featuring natural iron oxide pigments.

Jojoba oil provides a creamy texture and nourishes lashes, while waxes like candelilla and beeswax give it structure and adherence.

It’s a more involved recipe for those wanting to experiment with color and consistency..

Key Ingredients:

  • Iron oxide powder
  • Jojoba oil
  • Candelilla wax
  • Beeswax
  • Emulsifying wax
  • Stearic acid
  • Distilled water
  • Aloe vera gel
  • Glycerin
  • HEC
  • Preservative

Benefits:

  • Customizable color
  • Nourishes lashes
  • Good adherence
  • Creamy texture

 

Pro Tip: Experiment with different iron oxide colors like brown or a mix of brown and black to match your hair color.

Get the Recipe: Natural Mascara with Jojoba Oil and Iron Oxide

10. Volumizing Mascara with Rice Powder and Shea Butter

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This DIY mascara is designed to give your lashes great volume and a professional look, comparable to store-bought options.

It uses a blend of nourishing oils like sweet almond oil, waxes for hold, and rice powder for thickening, creating a mascara that lengthens and conditions for a beautiful finish..

Key Ingredients:

  • Sweet almond oil
  • Beeswax
  • Carnauba wax
  • Ceteareth
  • Stearic acid
  • Glycerine
  • D-panthenol
  • Aloe vera gel
  • Rice powder
  • Black oxide

Benefits:

  • Lengthens lashes
  • Conditions lashes
  • Provides volume
  • Long-lasting

 

Pro Tip: To help preserve your mascara and extend its shelf life to about a year, add a few drops of Vitamin E oil and slightly reduce the amount of coconut oil.

Get the Recipe: Volumizing Mascara with Rice Powder and Shea Butter

11. Vitamin E Enriched Charcoal Mascara

 

This easy homemade mascara recipe uses simple ingredients that are both non-toxic and inexpensive.

Melting together beeswax, coconut oil, and aloe vera gel, then adding activated charcoal and Vitamin E, results in a formula that works wonderfully to define and enhance your lashes naturally..

Key Ingredients:

  • Beeswax
  • Coconut oil
  • Aloe vera
  • Activated charcoal
  • Vitamin E

Benefits:

  • Longer lashes
  • Stronger lashes
  • Non-toxic
  • Inexpensive

 

Pro Tip: Always apply your homemade mascara as you would your regular mascara and then smile at your healthy lashes!

Get the Recipe: Vitamin E Enriched Charcoal Mascara

12. Aloe Vera and Cocoa Powder Brown Mascara

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Create a softer, brown-toned mascara with this simple clay-based recipe.

It combines bentonite clay for texture, cocoa powder for a gentle brown hue, and aloe vera liquid for a smooth application that stays put.

It’s perfect for those looking for a more subtle lash enhancement..

Key Ingredients:

  • Bentonite clay
  • Activated charcoal powder
  • Cocoa powder
  • Aloe Vera Liquid
  • Palma rosa or patchouli essential oil

Benefits:

  • Gentle brown tint
  • Stays in place
  • Fast to make
  • Healthy ingredients

 

Pro Tip: For a brown tint, use less activated charcoal and add cocoa powder. Remember to make small batches and store them in a cool place.

Get the Recipe: Aloe Vera and Cocoa Powder Brown Mascara

13. All-Natural Mascara with Beeswax and Charcoal

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This all-natural mascara recipe is easy to make and uses minimal ingredients for maximum impact.

Combining nourishing coconut oil, conditioning beeswax, and intensely pigmented activated charcoal, it creates a lash-defining mascara that feels great and looks even better..

Key Ingredients:

  • Coconut oil
  • Aloe vera gel
  • Bees wax pellet
  • Activated charcoal

Benefits:

  • Darkens lashes
  • Separates lashes
  • Conditions lashes
  • Chemical-free

 

Pro Tip: If it’s warm where you live or you want a more waterproof effect, consider adding a little extra beeswax.

Get the Recipe: All-Natural Mascara with Beeswax and Charcoal