Beauty Great Lash Clear Guide: Uses, Tips, Brow Styling Tricks Now
An educational guide from the Beauty AMZ research team. No hard sell, just what you need to know.
A drugstore icon since 1971
Maybelline launched Great Lash in 1971 with its famous pink and green tube. It became America's best-selling mascara within years. The clear version followed for natural looks. Makeup artists still keep it in their kits. Its longevity proves the formula works.
Why clear mascara endures
Beauty trends cycle, but groomed brows never go out of style. Clear mascara fits the no-makeup makeup trend perfectly. It suits every age, gender, and skin tone. The low price removes all risk. Simple products that work become classics.
Brow grooming techniques
Brush brows upward to reveal their full shape. Trim only obvious strays after brushing. Fill sparse areas with pencil before the gel. Set everything with clear mascara last. This order gives natural, long-lasting brows.
Lash looks without color
Curl lashes first for maximum effect. Apply clear mascara from base to tip. The gel darkens lashes slightly by adding shine. Layer over lash tint for semi-permanent definition. The result looks like naturally great lashes.
Beyond brows and lashes
Smooth baby hairs along the hairline. Tame a mustache or beard strays. Separate clumpy mascara as a lash comb. Define lower lashes without heaviness. One tube earns its place in any kit.
Recommended Products
These five Great Lash picks cover the clear multitasker plus tinted classics for every lash and brow need.
Best for: No-makeup days and natural brow grooming.
Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara, 110 Clear
- Transparent conditioning gel
- Defines lashes and brows
- Tames baby hairs and flyaways
- Ophthalmologist tested
Pros
- Ultimate multitasker
- Invisible natural finish
- Tiny drugstore price
Cons
- Light hold only
- Tube dries out in months
Best for: Stocking up on the classic black mascara.
Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara, Blackest Black, 2-Count
- Classic lash-doubling formula
- Blackest Black intense color
- Two-tube value pack
- Conditions as it thickens
Pros
- Great per-tube value
- The iconic everyday mascara
- Easy soap-and-water removal
Cons
- May smudge on oily lids
- Classic brush is small
Best for: Humid days, events, and emotional moments.
Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara, Very Black
- Waterproof long-wear formula
- Very Black rich pigment
- Lash-doubling brush
- Survives sweat and tears
Pros
- Stays put all day
- Same classic brush
- Budget waterproof
Cons
- Needs oil-based remover
- Can feel drying
Best for: Purists who want the one-tube classic.
Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara, Blackest Black
- Original washable formula
- Buildable lash volume
- Hypoallergenic tested
- Contact lens safe
Pros
- The 1971 original
- Gentle and reliable
- Removes easily
Cons
- Not the most volumizing
- Smudges on very oily lids
Best for: Waterproof loyalists who go through tubes fast.
Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara, Very Black, 2-Count
- Waterproof Very Black formula
- Two-tube value pack
- All-day smudge resistance
- Classic lash-building brush
Pros
- Best value waterproof
- Reliable all-day wear
- Good for sensitive eyes
Cons
- Tougher removal
- Two tubes to use in 6 months
Ready to Choose?
See our top product picks for great lash clear, or jump straight to the head-to-head comparison of the two most popular options.
Why Clear Mascara Survived Fifty Years
Great Lash Clear endures because it solves problems colored mascara cannot: grooming brows without color commitment, setting brow hairs in place, and giving lashes a subtle sheen for no-makeup days. The formula is essentially a clear gel that behaves like a hair gel for the brows, and no trend has replaced that utility.
The 1971 pink-and-green tube is also a masterclass in “if it works, don’t fix it”: the formula changed little because the job never changed. In an industry of constant relaunches, a product that survives five decades on performance alone earns its icon status honestly. For the opposite end of the lash spectrum, our Voluminous Superstar guide covers the two-step maximum-volume system.
Clear Mascara and Contact Lenses
Clear mascara is among the most lens-friendly eye products: no pigment particles to migrate onto lenses, no fibers to flake into the tear film. Lens wearers who react to every mascara usually tolerate clear formulas, which makes Great Lash Clear the default recommendation for sensitive, lens-wearing eyes.
Insert lenses before application and remove them before removal, the standard order that keeps product out from under the lens. If even clear mascara irritates, the issue may be the preservatives rather than the pigment, and a preservative-free brow gel is the next step. The volumizing end of the Maybelline range is covered in our Falsies mascara guide.
Brow Grooming Technique With Clear Gel
The technique is brushing upward and outward, following the brow’s natural growth direction, then pressing the hairs flat with the wand’s side for hold. For laminated-look brows, brush straight up and let the gel set for a minute; the hold lasts most of the day on normal brow hair.
Very coarse or downward-growing brows may need two coats: one brushed through, a minute of setting, then a second coat to lock. The gel also tames the baby hairs along the hairline in a pinch. A tube lasts months since the per-use amount is tiny, which makes it the cheapest brow product per wear in existence.
Hygiene: When to Replace the Tube
The three-month mascara rule applies to clear formulas too, even though the lack of pigment hides the aging. Bacteria do not care about color; the tube interior cultures the same way. Pumping the wand accelerates contamination, so twist instead.
A clear gel that turns cloudy, smells off, or gets stringy is done regardless of age. Eye infections from old clear mascara happen exactly as often as from old black mascara; the invisibility of the product does not make it sterile. Date the tube with a marker on opening day and honor the date.