03.Things to consider
Keeping the bugs at bay
Most mascaras contain preservatives to stop them going off. While a test conducted in 2005 by our German counterpart Test found two brands (not sold in Australia) that didn’t contain adequate preservative, in a search of medical literature we found very little about recent reports of eye infections caused by mascara.
The microbiologist we consulted said to avoid infection:
- Don’t leave your mascara in a really hot place (for example, the glovebox of your car)
- Don't share your make-up with anyone
Some manufacturers also warn against:
- Using mascara on irritated or scratched eyes
- Diluting it with any other substance
- Leaving the wand out of the bottle
If your mascara changes in smell or appearance, bin it immediately.
Are they cruelty-free?
To find out if any of the brands in our trial don’t test on animals, we checked the Choose Cruelty Free (CCF) Preferred Products List (PPL).
The only brand from our mascara trial on this list was AUSTRALIS. According to CCF, AUSTRALIS products and ingredients haven’t been tested on animals by the company, its suppliers or anyone on their behalf for at least five years before it applied for accreditation with CCF.
THE BODY SHOP used to be on the list but isn’t any more, though it’s still on the (less stringent) US-based People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) list, as are CLARINS, ESTÉE LAUDER and REVLON.