Woman applying Perfect Swipe Mascara to her eye with the wand brush.

How Our Mascara Is Made

Written by: The No Makeup Makeup® Team

Published: September 18, 2026

Time to read: 3 min

IN THIS ARTICLE

There’s so many mascaras on the market. Why did we make one? What role did Victoria play in the concept? How long does it take to develop a typical product? What are those pieces? With all of that in mind, how long did it take to create Perfect Swipe Mascara? What is the product development process like? What does that mean, exactly? Highlights Related Readings

In honor of our newest launch, Perfect Swipe Mascara, we sat down with Jenn Stryker, Sr. Director of Product Development, to walk us through how Perfect Swipe was born.

There’s so many mascaras on the market. Why did we make one?

What makes this different is that it works two ways by giving immediate and long-term results. When you first put it on, you see results right away: it lifts your lashes, adds volume, separates them and makes them look longer. It also has long-term benefits. It cares for your lashes in a way that helps them appear healthier, stronger, and more resilient with every swipe. It’s really the "no makeup" makeup look if we bottled it in a mascara.

What role did Victoria play in the concept?

She's the visionary and the mascara expert, after having so much product development experience. She had a very specific vision for a brush that coats your lashes in one swipe and is genuinely easy to use.

How long does it take to develop a typical product?

Honestly, there’s really no such thing as a typical product. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and no two products are the same, even if you’re creating a new shade for an existing product. I find that mascaras are a very difficult product to develop. They take a lot of time, testing and trial and error, because there’s so many pieces that have to come together to create a great mascara.

What are those pieces?

A big part of it is the formula working in harmony with the brush and wand. On top of that, the brush has to work with the “wiper” which is a piece inside of the mascara tube. It’s kind of like a measuring cup for the brush. It's got to squeeze out just the right amount of product for you to apply to your lashes, and the shape and fit need to be perfect. Not to mention, everyone’s lashes are different. Straight, curly, long, short, thick, sparse—add extensions into the mix and you've got infinite variables. It's a delicate balance between all those moving targets.

Perfect Swipe Mascara wand brush and No Makeup Makeup mascara tube separated to show product components.

With all of that in mind, how long did it take to create Perfect Swipe Mascara?

Perfect Swipe came together surprisingly fast! We knew the active ingredient we wanted to use for lash growth, and we had a vision for the final result. Our brush and packaging created magic when we married those together. To be honest, it was almost unusual...but I’m not going to stare a gift horse in the mouth.

What is the product development process like?

For us, we start with our founder's vision. Then, we send it off to our chemists who get to work in the lab. After a lot of trial and error, we picked a formula that we loved; we then had to tweak the formula just right so it would work with the brush. Then, we must make sure the formula is stable.

What does that mean, exactly?

It means that the formula isn’t changing over time – so for example, to make sure the color is consistent and it doesn’t separate. We also do a lot of testing to make sure our products are safe for our customers. Because the eyes are such a delicate area, we knew we wanted to make sure Perfect Swipe was ophthalmologist-tested. That means it’s safe for sensitive eyes and people that wear contacts.

What’s your favorite part
of your job?

I like using both sides of my brain at my job. The creative side—problem-solving, brainstorming new products, imagining what something could become. The analytical side—organizing, coordinating with suppliers, making sure everything stays on track. A lot of people don’t realize that at the start, product development isn’t very sexy. It's a lab sample with an ugly sticker. From there, you just have to have a vision for what it will become. That’s where we dream big.