Summary: I’ve been searching for a clean mascara that actually performs since my early 20s, but most natural formulas melted off my eyes within hours — forcing me to choose between my values and my lashes. Until I tested the Expressionist Curling Mascara from Well People. This high-performance mascara features a unique curved brush and is packed with nourishing plant oils and vegan waxes that deliver buildable drama without clumping, smudging, or flaking. My lashes look curled, lifted, and miles long on the first swipe, and the formula stays put through everything from dance class to fancy dinners.

What I love:

• Seriously high-performance! Well People’s Expressionist Mascara stayed put through 90 minutes of sweaty dance class and layers beautifully for any look.
• The curved brush with flexible bristles separates and curls without clumping or smudging, even after multiple coats.
• Unmatched clean credentials: EWG verified, Fair Trade certified, vegan, cruelty-free, pregnancy-safe, and avoids 2,500 questionable ingredients.
• Nourishing formula with plant oils and vegan waxes conditions lashes while providing a weightless, glossy hold that doesn’t flake.

Things to keep in mind:

• At $20, it’s pricier than drugstore options (though cheaper than most $25-$50 “luxury” mascaras).
• Requires an oil-based makeup remover to take off. Water-based cleansers won’t cut it.
• You’ll want to keep a Q-tip handy for cleanup from enthusiastic application. (Not a product issue, a me issue. Ha!)

I started doing my makeup when I was 12 for dance competitions. My look consisted of full-face foundation, bright pink blush, red lips, fake eyelashes, and rhinestones glued to the corners of my eyes. I’d use mascara to try to blend my real lashes with the fake ones — the whole thing was designed to be visible from 100 feet away. Think less “natural beauty” and more “circus performer who’s really committed to the bit.”

Around that same time — 7th grade — I got my first real bra and started wearing mascara to school. It felt monumental, like I was crossing some invisible threshold into womanhood. I can still picture that pink and green tube I picked up at the drugstore, the one that felt like a secret weapon in my backpack.

“While I preferred a natural look, mascara became my non-negotiable.”

Throughout high school and college, I experimented endlessly with makeup, and while I preferred a natural look, mascara became my non-negotiable. I worked my way through every brand in the CVS beauty aisle, hunting for the formula that would give me the longest, thickest lashes that wouldn’t budge for hours.

In my 20s, my beauty philosophy took a sharp turn. One of my first jobs was in marketing for a clean beauty retailer, and that’s where I learned about the toxic ingredients hiding in our everyday products. I was completely shocked and upset — and immediately went home after my first week and threw out everything in my mom’s house that contained anything on EWG’s no-no list. (She was thrilled, I’m sure.)

“I found pretty solid clean swaps for most things, but mascara? That kept pulling me back to the drugstore.”

I found pretty solid clean swaps for most things, but mascara? That kept pulling me back to the drugstore.

Clean beauty was fairly new in the mid-twenty-tens, and most of the natural mascaras I tried would melt off my eyes in a matter of hours. I knew about the dangers of parabens, coal tar, and other scary ingredients lurking in conventional formulas — but I was still hard-pressed to give up the confidence that came with long, full lashes. I lived by the 80/20 rule when it came to making healthy choices – and I had relegated mascara to the “20” bucket.

When I heard about Well People’s Expressionist Curling Mascara, I’ll admit I was skeptical. I knew it was clean, which I obviously wanted to love — but the part of me that’s been burned by not-so-long-lasting natural products was bracing for disappointment.

Still, I tested it for a few weeks, wearing it everywhere: Low-key work-from-home days, Pilates, high-intensity dance classes, and layered on thick for fancy dinners. And honestly? Color me surprised and delighted. This mascara is actually amazing.

About the brand

Let’s start with the brand. Well People is one of the OG nontoxic makeup brands — I remember seeing them on the shelves at Whole Foods way ahead of the clean beauty curve. Their website sums them up exactly as I would: “Well People has been making award-winning beauty from premium, plant-powered ingredients long before it was cool.”

“Well People is one of the OG nontoxic makeup brands — I remember seeing them on the shelves at Whole Foods way ahead of the clean beauty curve.”

Not only have they been at forever, but their products continue to get better and better — more pigmented, longer-lasting, higher-quality, more effective. Over 100 of their products are EWG verified, the highest standard for clean beauty in the industry. And while the FDA has only restricted 11 ingredients from our personal care products, Well People avoids 2,500. Safe to say, they really have our backs.

They’re also Fair Trade certified, vegan, cruelty-free, pregnancy-safe, and their products are developed alongside dermatologists. It’s fair to say Well People is the furthest thing from greenwashing — they’re a brand you can actually trust.

Putting the mascara to the test

When I tried their new Expressionist Curling Mascara, I was thrilled to see that the quality, aesthetic, and longevity matched the brand’s high standards for safety and sustainability. My lashes looked curled, miles long, and the product layered beautifully — from a light, natural daytime look to a dramatic, sexy vibe at night. “High performance” is the perfect way to describe this mascara. It even stayed put for 90 minutes while I sweated, leaped, and rolled on the floor during dance class.

“My lashes looked curled, miles long, and the product layered beautifully — from a light, natural daytime look to a dramatic, sexy vibe at night.”

Beyond its strong pigment and staying power, this mascara has a unique curved brush with flexible bristles that separate and curl your lashes, making them look long and lifted. I applied anywhere from one to four coats, and it didn’t clump or smudge. Each swipe just made my lashes a little more dramatic — and I personally love a little drama.

Even better? It didn’t flake off. You know how some mascaras dry out over time and little pieces come off onto your skin and clothes until there’s nothing left around your eyes? Not this one. Well People formulated their Curling Mascara with plant-based oils and vegan waxes for a nourishing, weightless hold. The wax blend contains carnauba and rice, which keep the mascara in place while adding glossiness for a polished finish. Meanwhile, olive oil and jojoba oil condition your lashes — a bonus that gives you peace of mind that you’re actually caring for yourself.

“Well People formulated their Curling Mascara with plant-based oils and vegan waxes for a nourishing, weightless hold.”

For the perfect application, curve the brush upwards so the “u” shape is on the bottom. Start at the base of your lashes and brush up. If you like mascara on your lower lash line, wiggle the brush back and forth — I also like to blink my lashes lightly to get perfect coverage on the bottom.

I made you a little video tutorial so you can see the technique in action. Keep a Q-tip nearby to clean up any little black marks from, let’s call it, enthusiastic application.

When it comes to removing the product, I’d recommend using a makeup remover or an oil-based cleanser. I wasn’t kidding when I said it was long-lasting! I tried using my standard water-based cleanser to remove it, and it took some serious rubbing to get it all the way off. But a little bit of oil broke up the product and removed it immediately. Coconut oil works great as a makeup remover in a pinch!

My final thoughts

Overall? 10/10. I love this mascara and will continue to wear it daily. I just packed for a weekend trip, and it was the first thing I threw in my cosmetic bag. I’ve been testing other clean mascaras for an upcoming guide, and I keep reaching for the Well People Expressionist Curling Mascara to complete every makeup look. I’ll definitely be repurchasing.

“I keep reaching for the Well People Expressionist Curling Mascara to complete every makeup look.”

In terms of pricing, this mascara costs $20. Yes, more than a $9.99 drugstore find — but it’s a pretty fair price compared to the high-end name brands priced between $25-$50. And let’s be real: Those “luxury” mascaras you see at Sephora are probably lower quality and riddled with questionable ingredients anyway. Most of the time, you’re paying for branding, not product. The Well People Expressionist Curling Mascara also arrived completely plastic-free — from the cardboard mailer to the recyclable rectangular mascara box.

I’m so excited to finally have a clean mascara I can count on to actually stay on.

THIS STORY IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT WELL PEOPLE

Grace Abbott is a LA-based freelance Brand & Marketing Strategist and a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She has a degree in Graphic Design from Parsons School of Design and is the founder of How To Go Freelance — a brand dedicated to empowering creatives to monetize their skills and build personal brands. Beyond work, she’s always studying a new spiritual modality, painting her bedroom a new color, practicing Pilates, hosting friends, or going on a nature walk with her chihuahua, Donnie. Find her on Substack or Instagram.