Thinking of trying a more natural and organic lipstick? Find out the best brands, what you should consider when looking for organic lipstick, and other ingredients to be on the lookout for!
According to some recent studies, in 2020 over 122 million women in the United States said that they wear lipstick, and we can only guess that a small part of this statistic was looking for an organic option.
Larger brands dominate the makeup market (such as MAC, Clinique, and Covergirl), but in recent years and with more research there is a huge increase in awareness of toxic chemicals, and many people are wanting to live a cleaner lifestyle.
Even though applying lipstick may seem like a tiny source of chemicals when compared to other habits like soda, smoking, and processed food, it doesn’t mean we should neglect the thought of natural and organic beauty products.
To our advantage, there are actually tons of amazing companies that are producing natural organic lipsticks — they are just a little harder to find! But we have taken the liberty of putting together this list for you to try this year!
100% Pure
This Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick from 100% Pure comes in 24 beautiful shades, offering full coverage, and only uses natural ingredients. Their products are naturally pigmented to avoid chemical additives, dies, and heavy metals. Not to mention they are vegan-friendly and certified cruelty free! While they are not EWG certified, this line of organic lipsticks scores very well on their scale!
Mineral Fusion
Mineral Fusion is an excellent source for cosmetics because their values are based around being hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, paraben, and phthalate-free, along with no harsh ingredients or artificial fragrances! The lipsticks and lip tints are EWG certified and are super affordable!
Maia’s Mineral Galaxy
Another amazing EWG verified company offering non-synthetic cosmetics, fragrance, and artificial color free, along with organic and non-toxic chemicals. Their mission is to spread awareness towards a healthier lifestyle. The mineral lipsticks they offer come in a ton of colors and are also vegan-friendly and gluten-free!
Clove + Hallow
This is actually one of my favorite companies for natural cosmetics, and I use their lip velvet on a daily basis! If you are on the edge of swapping to a natural cosmetic routine, this is a great brand to start with! From pale peachy nude to deep berry wine, there is a lip velvet or lip cream for everyone! This natural lipstick was also featured in Glamour magazine!
P.S. You can get 15% off your purchase at cloveandhallow.com with the code Affiliate15
Milani
Milani is another one of my personal favorites! They offer cruelty-free and luxurious cosmetics while using natural ingredients (and they’re budget-friendly too!). You can purchase directly from their website or find their products at Ulta. The blend of oils makes their lipsticks glide right on with a sheer to medium coverage depending on the shade you choose!
Why You Should Buy Organic Lipstick
Just like any other product that you slather your body in, lipsticks often contain tons of unnecessary chemicals, heavy metals, artificial colors, and other toxins that are terrible for our health.
Overtime and combined with all of the other environmental toxins we are exposed to, these chemicals are harmful to our endocrine systems, can lead to cancer, and increase our overall body inflammation.
Toxic Ingredients in Conventional Lipstick
While we won’t list off every toxic ingredient found in traditional lipstick, here are a few to really keep an eye out for.
Heavy Metals
While the dose is low when it comes to heavy metals being found in lipstick, what about all of the other toxins we are exposed to cumulatively?
There is no safe dose for lead, but yet multiple studies have found lead in multiple lipstick brands.
Cosmetic companies aren’t adding heavy metals on purpose, but they end up in nonorganic lipsticks because they are a contaminant in another ingredient.
Synthetic Fragrances
Fragrance is defined by the FDA as a combination of chemicals that gives a product its scent.
I don’t know about you but I don’t really need a ton of fragrance in my lipstick… Has anyone ever complimented you on your lipstick fragrance? Probably not.
Because the ingredients in fragrances are protected by the FDA (they’re considered a trade secret), this is an area where cosmetic companies pack in the toxic chemicals that are often hidden on the label.
Not to mention, phthalates are often filed under the term “fragrance” which can disrupt the endocrine system and overall hormone production.
Parabens
These are artificial preservatives that are designed to fight bacteria and fungi, and we get the most exposure to them from our personal care products.
They are absorbed in the body through the skin, and extended use has shown hormone disruption, fertility issues, skin irritation, and a possible risk of cancer.
Dyes
If you are one of those people who want that vibrant lip color, this is for you!
Although there are many ways to make lipstick have a certain shade, most large cosmetic brands are using synthetic dyes, instead of minerals and pigments.
The cosmetic industry is very loosely regulated by the FDA, so even really toxic ingredients can make their way through to your drugstore shelves in small doses.
Dyes are typically formulated from refined petroleum oil or coal tar, which contains those heavy metals we talked about earlier. Axiology does a great job explaining all the gory details about color in lipstick.
Other Things to Consider when Looking for Organic Lipstick
Vegan. If a product is marked “vegan,” it means that the lipstick is free of animal ingredients. Even if the product is marked vegan but the company isn’t really known for producing animal-free products, keep your eyes peeled for these ingredients: carmine, collagen, beeswax, and lanolin.
Cruelty-Free. If a lipstick is cruelty-free, it means the product has not been tested on animals (and none of its ingredients have either). Be careful to not get cruelty-free and vegan confused, because vegan products can be tested on animals.
Reviews – Moving from a traditional lipstick to an organic lipstick could be very different for you. Sometimes they might not glide as well, the scent may be quite different than you are used to, or the color may not last as long.
Reading reviews will help you to determine which is best for you, and you’ll be able to see what other ladies have to say about the product before purchasing.
Expiration Date – expired lipstick can be a haven for bacteria, so keep the date in mind, especially with organic brands because they typically don’t add a lot of preservatives.
Organic lipsticks can last between 3-6 months. If you notice a change in color and smell, these could be signs that it is on its last leg.
There are so many organic and natural lipstick companies now that are doing a great job of being transparent with their ingredient list! Many of them also want to raise awareness about toxic beauty products, which we can totally get behind.
Thanks to these brands, we no longer have to smear unnecessary chemicals on our lips to get the shade we want!
Let us know which organic lipstick is on your list to try and which ones you have tried in the past!
