The under-the-radar volumising mascara Judi Dench swears by for her sensitive, irritation-prone eyes

Whether you have sensitive eyes, wear contact lenses or are prone to the eye-watering effects of hayfever, a minimalist, hypoallergenic mascara might be on the top of your list of priorities – and, let us tell you, it's worth taking note of Judi Dench's personal recommendation.

With hundreds, if not thousands, of options available on the market, scouting out the best mascara is by no means an easy feat. You'll want to find the perfect match that meets all your eyelash wants, needs and desires, whether that be the best mascara for short lashes or a natural-looking mascara. But, if you're anything like Dame Judi Dench and have dry and irritation-prone eyes, these options aren't the most suitable choices.

Therefore, you'll most likely be on the hunt for one of the best mascaras for sensitive eyes that boasts a hypoallergenic formula and has been put through thorough ophthalmological testing. Fortunately, Dench has just the recommendation for you – which, as someone with temperamental sensitive eyes, was highly welcomed.

The under-the-radar mascara Judi Dench relies on for her sensitive eyes

When you think about La Roche-Posay, your brain might automatically run to their bestselling skincare assortment, from the iconic Cicaplast Balm B5 Balm to the popular Anthelios UVMune 400 Sunscreen. However, the brand also makes home to the Toleriane Mascara, an formula developed specifically for those with sensitive eyes in mind.

While the buy might be under-the-radar in the makeup world, it boasts a plethora of promising reviews from the shoppers that have discovered the mascara – one of which includes Judi Dench herself.

If you're wondering how we discovered that that Judi Dench was a fan of this exact mascara, her makeup artist, Val Garland lifted the lid during Dench's June 2020 cover of British Vogue. In fact, Garland revealed that the actress has an allergy to most eye formulas: “She is very allergic to mascara – but she likes mascara – so I was a little bit scared because I didn’t want to be giving any sort of irritation to Dame Judi Dench!”

Taking this into consideration, Garland chose to apply a light coat of La Roche-Posay's hypoallergenic Toleriane Volume Mascara, which is designed to boost length and volume, without causing any irritation to the eyes. “I applied it with a small fan brush so that I could get right down to the roots of the lashes, and that worked really well,” the makeup artist says.

Take a peek into Judi Dench's beauty bag

For those who are intrigued as to what else you might find in Judi Dench's beauty bag, you'll be pleased to know that we've curated an edit of beauty buys behind the cover star's look - including a hydration-boosting serum and an innovative colour corrector.