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Mascara was my first makeup love. I still remember our earliest times together, when I secretly procured my mom’s bright orange CoverGirl tube at age 12. With just a few swipes, I saw my face transform, and I was hooked. Since then, mascara and I have been through it all: the stuck-together spider-y look I regrettably sported as a tween, the waterproof iterations I wore as a swim instructor, and the blue hue I dabbled in in the late 2000s. By the time I entered my senior year of high school, I took things up a notch with eyelash extensions. Scraping together what money I made from my part-time jobs, I sat in a technician’s chair once a month to have my lashes transformed into long, fuzzy caterpillars. Extra thick, I always requested. (I was frightening and fabulous.) Eventually, my funding ran dry, and I was forced to quit my favourite beautifying habit. By the end of my DIY removal, all I had were spindly stubs that no mascara would latch onto. I was banished to a fate of unadorned eyelashes forever (or at least until prom). Back then, going mascara-free felt like a punishment—a penance to pay after years of doing everything I could to enhance my eyes. But these days, it’s a mark of chicness.
PARIS, FRANCE – FEBRUARY 27: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY – For Non-Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
In recent years—somewhere between the rise of “clean girl” beauty and the emphasis on teeny-tiny browscapes—a new appetite for naked eyes has emerged. Trend-setting It girls like Hailey Bieber and Gabbriette have proclaimed they don’t care much for mascara. At the 2026 Met Gala—the annual gathering where viral beauty trends are born—stars like Lorde and FKA Twigs championed mascara-free looks.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
On TikTok, the “no mascara” search topic has taken off, with millions of views on videos explaining how to master the trend. And on YouTube, detailed tutorials offer step-by-step guides for achieving a full-face of glam, minus the mascara. The age-old product’s shift away from being a makeup must-have was solidified across the Spring 2026 runways. At Chanel, dewy skin appeared even more supple thanks to the notable lack of mascara. Chloé sent models down the runway in bright pink lipstick with bare eyes. Even at Pierre Cardin, which introduced maximalist outer space-inspired glam, models’ silver eyelids were balanced with invisible lashes. These days, the absence of mascara is not a sign of not trying, but a tool for experimentation. Take Addison Rae. For the press tour of her self-titled album last summer, the star famously ditched makeup altogether. Showing up to high-profile interviews and filming promotional videos with raw skin and undone hair, the artist’s stripped-back look coincided with her move from TikTok creator to Grammy-nominated pop star. This glam-free image has been continued by Zara Larsson, who has skipped lashes for her Midnight Sun tour. Aside from being smudge-free and easier, the no-mascara look also signals a level of self-assuredness. I vividly recall the first day I showed up to school with my dreaded bare lashes. I was scared of appearing undone or incomplete, but in the end, I quite liked the alternative edge it gave me. These days, I delight in showing up to high-brow spaces—like boardroom meetings and black-tie events—with my lower-brow real estate bare as can be. I love juxtaposing my tired, unclad eyes with a dark lip and a dressy outfit. I haven’t broken up with mascara completely, but occasionally foregoing my comfort product has taught me new ways to indulge in self-expression. It really has, forgive the pun, opened my eyes. Continue Reading
