Great Lash Mascara

Name: Great Lash Mascara
Brand: Maybelline

PFR Grade

Fair — some plastic content or limited transparency

Contains parabens, synthetic fragrance (phthalates), and BHT (potential endocrine disruptor). Maybelline Great Lash is the best-selling mascara in the US but has a poor chemical safety profile.

PFR Caution

Great Lash mascara. Maybelline is the most popular mascara brand in the US.

Score Breakdown

How scores are calculated

Materials (40%): How plastic-free the product is — raw materials, construction, and coatings.

Packaging (20%): Is the product packaged in plastic? Is it recyclable?

Transparency (20%): Does the brand disclose ingredients, sourcing, and manufacturing?

Durability (20%): How long does it last? Longer-lasting products reduce plastic waste over time.

Materials

Packaging

Transparency

Durability

$8See Safer Alternatives in Personal Care

This is a rating of this specific product only — not the company. Other products from this brand may score differently.

Last updated: April 6, 2026

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High Exposure Risk — Why This Product Category Matters

Personal care products are applied directly to skin for hours or days. Makeup, lotions, and skincare products contain hundreds of synthetic chemicals, many of which are absorbed into the bloodstream. The FDA does not require pre-market safety testing for cosmetic ingredients.

Synthetic Plastic Content

30%

synthetic plastic by weight

Why We Rated It This Way

Maybelline Great Lash contains parabens, synthetic fragrance (hiding phthalates), and BHT — all applied near the eyes, one of the most absorptive areas of the face. For a product used daily, the chemical burden adds up.

Chemical & Health Analysis

Each chemical of concern is broken down below — what it is, where it comes from in this product, what it does to the body, and who is most at risk.

Contains:Plastic tube

parabens

Source

Parabens in conventional mascara

Health Risk

Endocrine disruption, found in breast tissue

Who Is Most At RiskAdults using conventional mascara daily

phthalates

Source

Synthetic fragrance in conventional mascara

Health Risk

Endocrine disruption

Who Is Most At RiskAdults using conventional mascara daily

Peer-Reviewed Sources

All health claims are based on published, peer-reviewed research from the NIH, WHO, IARC, and peer-reviewed journals. This information is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice.