Have Gen Z Stopped Wearing Mascara?

Gen Z have notably moved away from using the traditional black mascara, a previous make-up bag essential.

The first known use of mascara dates all the way back to 3000 BC in ancient Egypt where both men and women used kohl to darken their lashes and lids.

For centuries since, mascara has become a pivotal step in makeup routines, making eyelashes darker, more prominent, and giving the eyes a certain pop.

Then in 2022 the clean girl aesthetic became the new trend. Drinking green juice, going to pilates, expertly curating your look, and pretending you woke up like that.

@melodyymiles looks so much cleaner 🫣🫣🫣🫣🫣🫣 #grwm #grwmmakeup #glowymakeup #glowyskin #glowy #naturalmakeup #nomascara #cleangirl #cleangirlmakeup ♬ oblivion by grimes – fran

With the less-is-more look being highly emphasised, glowing skin, glossy lips, brushed-up eyebrows and no mascara became the new desire. Since then, other make-up trends have followed with natural looks and simplicity taking priority.

Many Gen Zers feel mascara is basically a waste of time. It’s not out of laziness, it’s just an inconvenient product that can be easily replaced.

Mascara has some cons with having to correct smudging, remove clumps and at the end of the day having to intensely rub the eye to remove the product. You have to wonder if it’s worth it.

Gen Z feel a more natural and glowing finish looks better and takes less time than a full beat. A more minimalistic look is the main focus, highly influenced through rhode founder Hailey Bieber and other celebrities.

“I’m not the biggest mascara girl,’’ claimed Hailey, even sharing she was forgetting to use it and found she preferred her makeup without it.

@britishvogue “I’m not the biggest mascara girl,” says #HaileyBieber ♬ original sound – British Vogue

If Gen Z are not wearing mascara, then what are they doing with their lashes? Since the shift there has been a huge rise in lash lifts, lash extensions and lash serums.

Lash lifts are a semipermanent treatment which protects, lifts, curls and sometimes tints the lashes, typically lasting 4 – 6 weeks.

Often described as a perm for your lashes, Gen Z love a good lash lift, making lashes look fuller instantly and giving the impression of wearing mascara without needing to apply or remove every day.

Lash extensions are a more controversial treatment for Gen Z, some believe they can be too much and look too fake, whereas others simply love them.

Synthetic lashes are bonded to the natural lash using glue, to give more length and volume. The upkeep with extensions is more work compared to a lift as the synthetic lashes can tend to fall out, and to keep the lashes fresh a refill is often needed.

 

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With many different styles of extensions to choose from, the younger generation seem to prefer the classic style of lash extensions, a more natural and lighter look. Many have also began applying individual lashes at home, saving money and time.

But the most popular lash product for Gen Z has got to be lash serums. Regular and consistent use of a good serum promotes growth, thickness and volume of the natural lash.

Many brands have since released their own lash serums: The Ordinary, Nanolash and one of the most talked about on TikTok, By Babes. UK content creator Heather Bowling  even created her own lash serum – Girlboss, and it’s been selling out since it dropped.

Of course, some Gen Zers still use mascara, as new colours and wands continue to be made available.

But with major changes to lash trends and more and more new products on the market, the move away from traditional mascara in favour of growth promoting products remains ever present.