Do or Don’t: Ghost Lashes

I’m a natural strawberry blonde with very white-blonde eyelashes, so when I don’t have any mascara on, they literally are ghost lashes. I’ve always been self-conscious about this because I felt like I looked so different when I wear makeup and when I don’t, like I was a catfish or something. But I’m glad that this is trending now! I’m in my thirties and I’m a mom now, and I’m more confident in who I am than I was in my younger years. I think if I could go back and tell myself how often I walk out of the house bare-faced, I wouldn’t have believed it and would probably be worried about the thought! But thank goodness for aging and becoming more comfortable in your own skin.

I would love a post on facial hair 😅 what do we do with that peach fuzz these days? If I get started on removing am I stuck forever? What products does everyone use?

A good eyelash curl, no mascara and does the job nicely x

Y’all! I’m finally on trend! This never happens. I stopped wearing mascara a few years ago. It would inevitably flaked into my eyes or smudged my sunnies/ glasses. I still curl my lashes but I appreciate a quick dash of eyeliner (it’s my one thing before I leave the house) and tidying my brows. Having black lashes helps…but I love a minimal approach to makeup these days.

I love the look of mascara, but I also touch my face quite regularly. I get my lashes dyed pitch black every couple weeks since my mid-20s, and it makes me feel put together without doing the actual work.

The ONLY makeup I wear is a single light coat of mascara. Besides brushing my hair and teeth, it’s the only thing I do. I look sickly if I don’t, I feel, on things like work video calls. On weekends I don’t wear it. I feel I obviously look worse without it. Lol. My thin hair is an advantage when I don’t want to shave my legs, but my “bronde” thin eyelashes are the worst!

This is so interesting to me! I normally wear mascara every office day (not on weekends or wfh) and only a week ago I stopped. For the last week I have still done normal makeup but no mascara. I thought it was because I was finding it hard to take off and just a bit suffocating, I wanted to give myself a break. But now I think I must have been influenced without even realising it. I don’t have any social media and I don’t feel like I am being influenced, but of course we all are. This is not the first time that I have felt like I came to something on my own, only to realise that it is a huge trend on social media. Even though I’m not getting it directly from social media, I’m sure I’m getting it somehow downstream. So interesting.

I’ve been doing no mascara/more natural looking lashes for quite a while (having babies, WFH), and lately now that my kids are getting older I find myself wanting to do full on Euphoria style makeup, glitter and all. I used to love the “ritual” of getting ready, and I think it’s more I’m finally turning a corner and realizing I have the actual time to slowly do a full face if I wanted to. Or mid-life crisis ;)

It’s interesting to read all the comments and see such strong opinions! I feel totally in the middle when it comes to makeup. Sometimes I wear none at all; some days I put on a little mascara and blush; sometimes I go all-out and do a full face. I never really think about it that much! I feel comfortable with any level of makeup and just do it if I feel like it or skip it if I don’t. Maybe this is unique to being in my middle-30s; not quite young, not yet old.

That’s a big don’t. Black mascara is my desert island product1

YES ghost lashes every day, I love that there’s a name for this “trend”

As a redhead with blonde eyelashes, I always feel like ghost lashes are propaganda spread by people with naturally dark lashes. When I skip mascara, I am regularly asked if I am sick!

As an Asian American in menopause, I have some of the stumpiest, thinnest, “ghost” lashes imaginable. No thanks, I will stick with my coal black mascara to make me look more alive. But I admire folks who have the lusciously long, thick, fluttery lashes to go commando.

My hair is bright blue so I use a cobalt blue mascara on my lashes and brows so it all matches. Also mascara makes me look like I’ve had enough sleep which has not been true once in my adult life. I came out of a long no makeup phase about 3 years ago and now I’m just having fun. I’m blessed with good skin so I leave that alone beyond moisturizing but I love my blue mascara and my expanding collection of lip colors. I work from home so putting on a little makeup and my favorite perfume when I leave the house has become a treat

I grew up performing – think heavy makeup / crazy eyeshadow and dark lips. For YEARS I just couldn’t with lipstick specifically, it felt so performative. However, I was shopping with by BFF last fall and she was feeling a bit nervous about a thing and figured new lipstick would help. She also found me a great shade i would not have picked on my own. Ladies… as someone who spends A LOT of time on Teams calls, and also has the complexion of a Victorian child with rosacea, I am finally converted to how much better I look in that harsh harsh light with lipstick on. Mascara doesn’t hurt either. I do believe in brown eyeliner and mascara. So cheers to finding what works for you in your 40s.

212 comments on not wearing mascara–my gosh. Joanna, you are the OG blogger for a reason, haha.

I do at home lash lifts every 6 weeks or so and maybe swipe on some clear lash serum if I want them more separated. The lift takes about 30 minutes and means no trying to get mascara off at the end of the day or proof I cry a lot! Ha!

I have been skipping mascara for months now. At 75, I am lucky to have most of my lashes, and they are still pretty dark. I’ve never liked clumpy mascara…I do have a few if I feel like using it. But…I’ve been seeing many mascaras being touted on Social Media where the results are SO LONG…looks like spiders to me. Not the way I want to look! I’m enjoying the clean look…I can tightline if I want definition!

As a strawberry blonde with very blonde lashes I could never. I’ve used brown mascara (black looks too dark for my features) ever since I read an interview as a teen of Michael Caine in LA Times Magazine who said if you have blonde lashes you need to wear mascara to make your eyes visible on the stage or camera. I did however go with the blonde eyebrow trend from a few years back and stopped adding color to my brows which I think does give me a more natural look.

I fell into this after having my baby – she is now 2 and I am returning to some makeup for fun once in a while. However my skin is feeling the brunt of any mascara ( or eyeliner) with pigment and not really coming off all the way- it feels like an endless cycle of maybe I should put on make up to cover these dark circles, caused by makeup. I am looking for help folks, what are your best eye makeup remover suggestions?

A great in between the two options product is 19/89 Lash Tint in brown. This is my daily “mascara” for a no makeup look. It gives your lashes a little color and oomph without looking like you have mascara on. No smudging so I can still wipe my eyes in the afternoon. Love love love it. I buy them three at a time.

Guys. This is one where I just… I don’t think I can do it. I have brown hair, but my lashes are light enough that without mascara, I think I look ragged. Maybe this will convince me to do a brown instead of the blackest black?? Which is always the shade I pick, hahaha. The Sky High mascara from Maybelline is my new fave!

LOL I stopped using mascara (+ most makeup) about 6 months into having my baby. I always felt naked without mascara, specifically, but now I’ve moved past this into the practicality and simplicity of only using CeraVe hydrating mineral sunscreen with a small amount of tint. It’s nice that my no makeup seems to be colliding with a trend, but I hope this trend stays! I like a reimagining of beauty standards, especially when products and $$$ aren’t involved. I wonder, though, if anyone else sort of feels (or felt) like their sense of self drastically changed in motherhood and how to navigate such a quick identity switch. I often feel haggard and tired but also full of joy and wonder. That juxtaposition can feel a bit strange to me.

Just wanted to say thank you to the wonderful CoJ community. I was feeling very down and tired, and reading the comments on mascara (which I have very little feelings and interest for) made me feel better. There are so many good people out here, each with their own troubles, and still you are respectful, interested, and warm. Thank you for making me feel grounded and like part of a community, even from afar.

I used to wear a ‘full face’ of makeup, even on my days off, until peri-menopause made my skin so sensitive, it could only stand jojoba oil on it without having a reaction. Nowadays, I get away with a bit of eyeliner and lipstick for the occasional days when I want to look fancy. Mostly, I look back on my makeup years and wonder about the amount of money I wasted on it all! My skin looks the best it ever has and my husband actually prefers it without (he especially does not like lipstick)

mascara is my make up. so, no. fenty mascara is the best.

I have been doing this for a few years now I’m older and I feel like it is helping keep my lashes! No more rubbing off mascara with makeup remover! Took me awhile to get used to it but now I only put it on for special occasions. It feels to good to wear what I want when I want and feel good about it just for me!

No product boosts my confidence like Too Faced Better than Sex mascara. I feel like everyone forgot about it and I’ve just remained loyal. Nars blush in orgasm too. Yes these names are absurd, yes they were cult favorites for a reason!

Am I finally on-trend?! Ha! I don’t know what I am doing wrong or if my lashes are just unique but it seems no matter what I do, my lashes clump together when I put on mascara. I’ve tried so many different brands, wands, brushes, techniques and this summer I finally gave up. Did I start the trend? 😆

I am a very pale red-head and I am sure I do look like a ghost! But I don’t like the way mascara looks on my basically white eyelashes, so unless it’s a very formal event, I just don’t. For everyday I wear a little bit of gold eyeliner, which maybe sounds very flashy, but on my pale face just gives me a hint of definition.

Brutal honesty ~ I stopped wearing mascara almost 10 years ago. I don’t know why, but the “waterproof” brand that I’d worn for years started flaking off by the end of day & I got tired of looking like a disheveled raccoon. I am a natural strawberry blonde & have blonde eyelashes, so without mascara my eyes are missing that “defined outline” look, but at this point I’d rather put the mascara funds toward a really good eye cream & great brow pencil. (And no more checking the mirror to see if I’ve got flakes under my lashes!)

I have to laugh because after visiting my cool 16 year old cousin who “got to” wear makeup, I (12 years) BEGGED my mom for mascara and she came home with…clear! Well played.

If you aren’t quite ready for ghost lashes, but you like the idea of a more natural look, may I suggest a lash lift and tint? You’ll get that contrast and flirty, awake look without wearing any makeup. And it lasts for a couple of months!

I rarely wear makeup so I am so on board with this trend. Is clear mascara better now? Last time I used it – it dried white on my lashes. That was probably in the 90s.

I have Trichotillomania, and mascara usually increases my urge to pull out more lashes, so I’ve stuck to just curling them and leaving them bare. But as a side note – I started using the (clean) eyelash serum by Sweed to help with my lashes, and it genuinely works. My lashes are so long now that I don’t even need mascara. It’s expensive, and I was super skeptical but desperate to try anything after years of pulling from Trichotillomania. I still can’t believe it works. Just sharing in case anyone else out there needs help with their lashes.

Finally, a trend I can aspire to, haha!

I’ve been trying the no-mascara trend for the last few months and I’m so into it! I think it feels really fresh and new. If anything, the fact that it feels so different from my previous look is part of what makes it fun, if that makes sense? The first time I tried it, after wearing mascara for most of my adult life, I felt the shock of the new and I liked it! I especially like wearing no mascara with a bolder, smudgy lip–the bare eye with the dark lipstick makes me feel very mysterious (important because i am actually a human golden retriever, no mystery at all!)

I always wore mascara until kids came along. Somehow it’s smudges so much more since. I’ve turned to tinting my lashes a few times a year, gives a nice perky look without any effort. Then I was tempted to try a lash lift and wow was that convenient. It’s amazing for travel. You can be exhausted but still look perky eyed. I’ll take it!

Yes! Clear mascara for the win. I used to curl my lashes for years (20+) then use dark brown mascara. I found “better” lash curlers and still have my lashes fall out – be embedded in curler.

I also wore mascara every day as the only makeup product I would use bc I couldn’t stand how my thin pale eyelashes looked without it. I feel like the difference it makes is so significant. But I live in a hot sweaty climate so this summer I tried tinting and lifting my lashes, and let me tell you I’m never going back to mascara!! Same effect except you never have to worry about smudges if you sweat or swim or cry. I love it!

“Whatever makes you happy” is of course great advice when it comes to makeup. Make sure to tell the young ladies in your life that they’re beautiful with a makeup free face, and they should resist the influences that tell them to spend all their money on beauty products.

Makeup trends fascinate me in the way someone is fascinated by visiting a foreign country, because my whole life I have never worn daily makeup. My mom has never worn it either, and I grew up with only brothers, so I had nobody close to me to model makeup to me as a girl, or to teach me to apply it. Then I ended up in the healthcare field, which is one of few professions I know where women not wearing makeup is basically the norm. I’d go so far as to say that in some ways being barefaced is preferable, because often that helps patients and other staff perceive you as older/more “serious”! Part of me thinks wearing makeup must be really fun, getting to experiment with different looks. I love seeing what people come up with! But the other part of me finds comfort in my face being just my face, regardless of age, regardless of trends.

I heard that for the 1995 Pride and Prejudice movie (the best!), the makeup artist wanted to stay true to the period, during which women wore blush and lip color but largely left their eyes unadorned. After reading this I went back to some of the photos and it is definitely a lighter, fresher look. For myself, I’ve always liked the look of dark lashes but rarely wear mascara because I can never remember how old my tube is, and I don’t want to waste buying a new one only to use it twice. My lashes are dark but thin, so I just leave them be or curl them.

I read one headline last year that said this was a thing and stopped wearing mascara the next day. That’s all it took. Less makeup is a trend? Amazing. I don’t need it. My lashes don’t pop as much but I feel like I just look like a plain, fresh faced me, it’s great. And not having to remove, wipe or wash off my mascara at the end of the day is the best small pleasure. Months later it’s still sparking joy everytime I wash my face.

As a make-up lazy, strawberry blonde person, I have occasionally dabbled in mascara of all shades, and will happily embrace this au naturel trend. Can we do eyebrows next?

I love makeup because I love playing with color. And a little boldness and drama now and again. But that’s my personality. As a tween, I lived for the Bobbi Brown teen makeup book and the Estée Lauder holiday makeup kit, my mom’s unwanted Clinique gift with purchase, or digging through my glamorous English grandmother’s makeup drawer. Now, getting to adorn myself a bit before heading out the door always feels great, even if it’s just one extra thing, be that a power red lip or a flick of navy blue eyeliner. I do something different every day. For me, it’s play, and a way for me to connect with myself. But I think that’s all it should be. I reject the patriarchal view that women must wear makeup to be socially acceptable or attractive. I love when women reject wearing makeup. If I didn’t love it as a creative outlet, I’d do the same! But I’ll be over here wearing sparkly eyeshadow, cheering you all on!

My lashes are sparse and basically colourless. When I don’t wear mascara, but my family and total strangers will ask me if I am unwell. No mascara and people I don’t even know (male & female) are “concerned” about me. I look like Charlize Theron’s character in Monster without it. Sometimes send my friends a giff of same on my no-mascara days. It’s real. I thank the soul-sucking capitalist machine daily that mascara was invented. Tubing mascara especially! Those who can “take or leave it” or “hate wearing it” prob have nicer lashes or are just naturally magnetic, but that isn’t me. After decades of real-life testing, mascara is a distinct social & professional advantage for me, personally.

I’m probably in the minority, but I’ve never liked make up. It’s probably partly because growing up in 80s and early 90s Rhode Island, I had two different beauty influences, the rich ladies that I babysat for, who were classic JCrew/LL Bean types with healthy, clean skin who never wore more than Carmex, and the 60s & 70s earth mother hippies (there were still a lot of those at that time). To this day, I never wear more than the occasional bronzer drops in my moisturizer. I actually can’t wear eye make up, because I have a ridiculous sounding eye condition called Blepharitis. I do wish I could pull off lipstick, though. My lips are too thin, but I love lipstick on an otherwise bare face.

I love how literally anything will become a trend. Moral of the story: just do what you want and bag the rest. This has got to be the most uninteresting thing out there right now.

No way! I just started wearing mascara again. I also felt like it was always too smudgey. Then, I got the Korean tubing mascara from Clio and my 13 year old immediately noticed and complimented me. When a 13 yo shows approval, you keep it up!

I wear light mascara to work and out, and clear face powder. I think going without mascara is just fine too, whatever makes people feel happy. The trend that baffles me more is elaborate false eyelashes. I see so many women doing this, and it just puzzles me. I wonder if it is uncomfortable. Maybe someone here can has insight.

To loosley quote the late great Dolly Parton: “Well, these eyes (thighs) haven’t gone out of the house without mascara (lycra) on them since I was 14.” And they won’t be now that I am closer to 50, because I was raised right.

Lol that this thing I’ve been doing all summer because my mascara kept bothering my eyes is a beauty trend!

I stopped wearing mascara when I was pregnant just because I was SO tired and couldn’t be bothered. I haven’t really gone back to it. I do miss the feeling of having fancy makeup on, though!

Mascara was the first habit I let go of, makeup-wise! I could not deal with the hassle anymore. Also I love the clean-faced look of no mascara. I do make sure to use blush for a healthy glow – I think it’s essential to pull of that clean look, at least for me. I also make sure my brows are well-groomed. Natural looking, but brushed into place with a light coat of regular waterproof mascara in brown (second swipe with a clean spoolie for a super light coat, then press them down to fix them in place.) It’s way less of a pain to remove at the end of the day with micellar water than on lashes, imo and I never skip it because my brows have begun to thin but also because they need to be fixed in place or they point down and make me look haggard and ungroomed.

Nope. Can’t do it. I’ve been wearing mascara every day for the last 30 yrs and I can’t stop now. I look so sleeeeepy without it! On the flip side, my kid wore mascara to the first day of school today (grade 8) and it did look Super bold. I don’t know.

I read something 2 weeks ago that mascara made us look old along with my no show socks that I don’t want to quit. It made me think about how I don’t really like how artificial my lashes look w the black mascara I’ve been wearing for decades. I’ve been using a small paint brush to add some chocolate brown mascara to my lashes which are going gray with my hair. I really like the subtlety of this new approach. And I like deciding what feels good for me regardless of what’s in or what others do. I wish this agency and privilege for all.

Zero makeup here. If my eyebrows fade or disappear, I might consider make up or tattoos, but I really love washing my face, putting on moisturizer, and being ready to go!

One of the many reasons I wear my large red framed glasses every day recently instead of contacts is that (1) people remember and comment on the frames! (2) it gives some structure to my otherwise light features – without makeup! My next question is whether I can pull off the big glasses with big earrings – or is it Facial Accessory Overload?

I rarely wear mascara so I like reading about this trend!

I’m pale with mousy hair and light eyes – if I don’t wear at least a little makeup for contrast there’s just nothing there. Cream blush, eyeliner and yes, mascara, but that’s it for me. In the summer I often get my eyelashes dyed which lasts me about six weeks and I LOVE that – the place where I get it done calls it “wake up make up” which is cute. I will always wear a little bit of something or else my eyes just melt into my face…

The key to minimal makeup is color analysis!

This is so much fun: is ghost coffee in fact water? Giggle :)

I’m a redhead with no color eyebrows and eyelashes. I quit wearing makeup years ago. (Maybe some brow color or lipstick very rarely). My mantra- I don’t need it. So can I say I’m at the forefront of this trend? 🤣🤣

I will wear blue mascara until I die

Ginger eyelashes with no mascara? That’s a hard no from me. Without it, my eyes look like pissholes in the snow.

Mascara was a mainstay for me until I developed chronic illness. I used to love makeup, especially mascara!, but I found myself feeling too unwell and spending most of my time in bed or just at home, where it would just get all smudged up. I love a trend that I can feel apart of now! Haha! Super moisturized skin with a cushiony balm on my lips makes me feel cuuuute! Sometimes I will put a smidge of a creamy blush on, if I want a little somethin’ somethin’, but that’s the max these days! I also brush my eyebrow hairs up, which I think opens up my eye area! (In the same vein as embracing my naked lashes, chronic illness also helped me learn to embrace my natural hair color and texture!) <3

Oooooh this is hot one. I’ve been wearing mascara since my early teens and only recently have opted to go mascara free (melting during workouts and the pandemic being a factor) but I always thought I didn’t look as good w/out it. And then I started meeting other Asian women who regularly did not wear mascara and yet looked so fresh. It gave me permission to forsake the regular mascara routine but I still love it. I really feel like enhanced lashes opens up my eyes but I’m no longer obligated to it.

I got a lash lift a few years ago and loved that it made me look more “awake” without mascara. I just find mascara annoying, so I only wear it for special occasions. But now that I have been reminded of the joy of a lash lift, I just made an appointment!

I used to love wearing mascara, but my aging eyelashes can no longer support that kind of weight. They became so delicate, my beloved Shiseido eyelash curler is now an eyelash REMOVER. So instead, I wear eyeliner on my upper eyelids. I only use retractable pencils that are waterproof. Chanel’s #88 Noir Intense has been my go-to for a long time, but I was pleasantly surprised by Clinique’s intense chocolate eyeliner that came with a purchase recently. I like to do a casual cat eye look, inspired by my own cat. I then lightly add blush and tinted lip balm for some colors. I spent so much time and money on makeup in the past, but I’m finally happy with my routine and how I look!