Thrive Causemetics is one of the most popular makeup and skincare brands, and is also a charitable organization that donates money to a number of women’s health charities, such as the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The brand describes itself as “Luxury Beauty that Gives Back.”
But are Thrive Causemetics products really more effective than cheaper brands? Does the brand use any unhealthy ingredients? What was our Product Tester's experience trying Liquid Lash Extensions for a month? And why was the company sued over its charitable claims?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in three of Thrive Causemetics’ best-selling products to give our take on whether or not they’re likely to be effective: Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara, Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream and Buildable Blur CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40 (sunscreen).
We’ll also feature our Product Tester's honest experience trying one of Thrive Causemetics' most popular products for a month, and explain why the brand was sued over its charitable claims.
Key takeaways:
- We don't consider Liquid Lash Extensions likely to work
- All products reviewed contain ingredients we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend Thrive Causemetics
We Tested Liquid Lash Extensions
One of our Product Testers named Amy Lau tested Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions for a month.
Here's her experience:
The packaging comes in a beautiful teal color that stands out from my other mascaras. It was easy to open and apply.
There is no noticeable fragrance; just what I would describe as the typical "synthetic" smell of mascara. It was neither unpleasant nor offensive to me.
I liked how this product coated and defined each lash without clumping. It can be layered gradually until you reach your desired thickness without smudging or flaking.
It is also easy to remove without makeup remover or harsh rubbing. Simply use your fingers or a cloth with warm water, then rinse away any residue in the sink.
I like how Liquid Lash Extensions lengthened and defined my thin lashes, which naturally vary in length. It made them appear thicker and more uniform in length and volume.
Here's an image of my lashes from before using this product:
And here's an image after using it:
For a bolder, more dramatic look, especially for evenings or date nights, I sometimes apply a regular mascara on top for additional length and volume. Because my lashes are coated with the tubing mascara first, everything still comes off easily without smudging.
I have tried other tubing mascaras, but this is the best one I have used.
The only issue was that the mascara came off when I went swimming. However, it does not leave dark residue or smudges on my face or skin.
I sometimes use this as a substitute for waterproof mascara because it does not smudge around my eyes when briefly submerged in water. However, if I am underwater for more than a few minutes or swimming in ocean waves, the mascara can come off entirely.
If you are planning to swim seriously, you might as well skip mascara or use a true waterproof formula. This product is water-resistant, but it does not perform like a traditional waterproof mascara during prolonged water exposure.
Overall, I rate Liquid Lash Extensions 9/10 and I would purchase it again.
Lash Extensions Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in the Brynn color of Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara are shown below:
image source: https://thrivecausemetics.com/
This product is meant to lengthen lashes and improve lash quality, creating the appearance of lash extensions although it's topical.
We cannot identify clinical studies suggesting that any of these ingredients increase eyelash length or support rapid growth.
This mascara contains two inactive ingredients we recommend avoiding for health reasons, when used in combination.
Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative that has been shown to be toxic to human cells and irritating to the eye in a clinical trial published in the Experimental Eye Research journal.
Ethylhexylglycerin is another synthetic preservative, and although we consider this ingredient to be a much better option than phenoxyethanol, we still recommend avoiding use of synthetic preservatives around the eyes, as we discussed in our review of The Ordinary lash serum (another cosmetic product containing this ingredient).
Overall, we do not currently recommend Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions based on its formulation, and do not consider the product likely to be effective.
Why Was Thrive Causemetics Sued?
Thrive Causemetics gets good PR (which has monetary value) for its charitable efforts.
Certainly, any charitable giving is better than none, but we were surprised to find that Thrive Causemetics does not appear to have any public pledge of charitable giving based on revenue or profits, given how much of the company's branding references charitable work.
The brand’s How We Give page documents donations, including a recent $100,000 donation to the University of Louisville Breonna Taylor Memorial Scholarship Fund in Nursing.
But for a brand as large as Thrive Causemetics (sales estimated at $140.8 million in 2023 by ecommerceDB), these are still relatively small figures in our opinion. It would be great to see a commitment to donating a fixed percentage of revenue or profit, which we consider to be a more transparent way for brands that are positioning themselves as charitable to conduct themselves.
According to Truth in Advertising, Thrive Causemetics was sued in 2018 for falsely representing that the brand donates a product to a woman in need for every product sold. The brand settled the lawsuit out of court. We consider this to be a red flag about the brand’s ethics, but does not necessarily prove any wrongdoing by Thrive Causemetics.
Thrive Causemetics is certainly doing more than most brands in regard to charitable donations. We just like to see brands that use their charitable efforts for marketing be transparent about the percentage of revenue or profits donated.
Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream Review
The ingredients in Thrive Causemetics Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream are shown below:
image source: https://thrivecausemetics.com/
The brand claims this product “lifts, tightens and brightens the look of skin…while delivering line-smoothing hydration.”
This cream contains a number of research-backed ingredients for moisturizing and anti-aging.
Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil was shown in a medical review on the cosmetic effects of plant oils to have a skin barrier repair and anti-aging effect.
Bidens pilosa extract was found in a 2015 clinical trial to have an anti-aging effect in human skin, and to stimulate collagen synthesis (the core structural protein in skin).
Caffeine is a skin-protective ingredient that’s clinically proven to reduce damage from UV rays, as we documented in our review of Vibriance Super C Serum.
Meadowfoam seed oil contains two derivatives clinically shown to reduce UV damage in facial skin.
Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream also contains some inactive ingredients we recommend avoiding.
Phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin are the synthetic preservatives we discussed in the previous section of this article.
Sodium hydroxide is a pH balancer that’s potentially a skin irritant according to medical research.
Chlorphenesin is another synthetic preservative that was shown to be toxic to human cells in the same study cited in the previous section on phenoxyethanol’s toxicity.
Overall, we consider this cream likely to be effective for anti-aging and the reduction of wrinkles given that it contains a number of research-backed ingredients.
We don’t currently recommend this product due to the inclusion of the inactive ingredients discussed above.
Our Clean Anti-Aging Pick
MindBodyGreen Best Skin+ is our top anti-aging skin supplement.
It contains orange extract which is clinically shown to increase skin moisturization, skin elasticity and skin radiance.
This supplement also contains astaxanthin which is clinically shown to cause "wrinkle formation reduction."
This supplement is free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Thrive Causemetics Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Highly effective anti-aging cream
- Our Product Tester loved Liquid Lash Extensions
- Our Product Tester didn't experience side effects
- More charitable than most cosmetic brands
Cons:
- Questionable additives in both reviewed products
- Lack of transparency with charitable giving
- Products we analyzed don't appear clinically tested
