Byredo Launches New Astronomical Mascara, and It’s Really Good — See Beauty Editor Reviews

I am a mascara monogamist. First, it was Essence Princess Lash, which I used for most of my teens and early 20s. Then it was Kevyn Aucoin’s The Volume, reserved for special occasions, and Lancôme Monsieur Big, because it reminds me of my mother. No shade to anyone who likes to play the field when it comes to their eyelashes, but I prefer a long-term sitch. So when I agree to test out a new mascara that thrusts me out of my old ways, you know I must be curious.

Enter, Byredo’s Astronomical Mascara, which launches today, February 24. I try not to be wooed by packaging, but I’ll admit the tube is what got me — it’s a sculptural, curved, neon green number. At first glance, it somewhat resembles a very fancy, ergonomic bullet vibrator. So it passed the pretty test, but we all know what counts is on the inside.

Byredo calls this the brand’s “cleanest mascara yet” (it also sells a red tube of the stuff called Space Black).  Astronomical is vegan – as is Space Black — and made of 91 percent “natural” ingredients. “There is no legal definition of ‘clean’ beauty,” says cosmetic chemist Ginger King, referring to the “natural” ingredient claim. “When it comes to clean, you usually avoid ingredients like paraffin, propylene glycol (anti-freeze), or parabens.” Astronomical does not contain any of these ingredients, and it also passes the Allure Clean Beauty Seal standards, which you can learn more about here.

Regardless of ingredients (or lack thereof), King notes that Astromical is made of the stuff that makes a mascara perform well. “The key to [good] mascara is the blend of wax, polymer, and the types of brushes used,” she says. “There isn’t really a huge difference [in performance] between clean and regular mascara.”

I don’t wear a ton of makeup — I stopped wearing base during the pandemic and never picked it back up again, and my day-to-day routine involves a bit of black eyeliner and some mascara. I don’t need much: I just want to look awake and a little put-together above the mask area. I’d prefer to spend less than, oh, 10 seconds applying anything. My hands are extremely shaky. So I also appreciate a tube that’s hefty enough to withstand any sudden jerky movements, because I don’t appreciate poking myself in the eye. My lashes are naturally pretty long, but I wish they were a bit thicker.