As consumers, we’re more and more interested in clean beauty. But as this isn’t a regulated term, I can imagine it’s hard to find clean makeup brands that are truly clean, aka non-toxic. That’s why I accumulated this post with my personal favorite clean makeup brands for you to check out and I also included some product recommendations which I know you’ll love!
Top Picks
Before we’re diving into the clean makeup brands and product recommendations, I wanted to explain the meaning of clean beauty as well as my personal definition of clean beauty so that you know we’re on the same page. I follow guidelines from several expert sources as well as my own research and testing brands. The brands I’m going to mention in a minute are all brands that I’ve tried and tested so I know how good they are. However, you might not be able to find reviews of all the products recommended in this post. I often do reviews over on Instagram as well so you may want to check my feed and/or give me a follow.
Moreover, this blog post is in collaboration with Cali G. from threesixtynails.com. Go check out her blog to see Cali’s take on the top 5 less toxic everyday makeup products.
The Best Clean Makeup Brands
bareMinerals
bareMinerals wants to help people feel good about themselves and their impact on the world. That’s why they create clean, conscious beauty that’s good for your skin, good for the community, and good for the planet. They have restricted over 2,500 ingredients, including the 1,400+ banned in the E.U, 71% of their products are vegan, they´re committed to working with partners that source ingredients ethically, transitioned cartons to use FSC-certified paper from responsibly managed forests, and 1% of an order will help change the lives of women. These are just some highlighted points, bareMinerals does even more which you can read here.
bareMinerals NON-Toxic Makeup Product Recommendations
- Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
- Mineralist Hydra-Smoothing Lipsticks
- Mineralist Lipgloss Balm
- Gen Nude Blonzer Blush + Bronzer (read my review)
lilah B.
lilah b. products are clean, skin-first formulas free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, petrolatum, formaldehyde, BHA/BHT, aluminum, cyclic silicones, and synthetic fragrance. Moreover, they’re cruelty-free + Leaping Bunny certified, EU/UK/Canada/AUS/NZ compliant with 1,400+ banned ingredients, Clean at Sephora compliant and they’re sustainable because their products are multi-functional, less is more.
lilah B. NON-Toxic Makeup Product Recommendations
- Divine Duoâ„¢ Lip & Cheek
- Lovingly Lipâ„¢ Tinted Lip Oil (read my review)
- Glisten + Glowâ„¢ Skin Illuminator
- Palette Perfection Eye Quad
ILIA Beauty
ILIA explains that they’ve learned early on that not every natural ingredient is good for the skin, nor is every synthetic bad. Clean beauty is where those two collide—with conscious, carefully-selected ingredients, and no compromises. Since their journey began in 2011, they have been continually working to push the boundaries of innovation—and the industry—forward. They strive towards more sustainable packaging through the use of recycled aluminum, glass components, and responsibly sourced paper. They even have a recycling program, which you can check out here.
Ilia Beauty NON-Toxic Makeup Product Recommendations
- True Skin Serum Concealer
- Liquid Powder Chromatic Eye Tint (read my review)
- Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil
- Limitless Lash Mascara
Tower 28 Beauty
Tower 28 Beauty’s founder Amy has sensitive skin and was looking for the right solution but couldn’t really find what she was looking for, so she made Tower 28 Beauty. If you have sensitive skin, you’ve heard the terms: hypo-allergenic, fragrance-free, dermatologist-tested. It’s a start but that doesn’t mean the product is good for you! At Tower 28, we know that what goes on your skin also goes into your bloodstream. We also know that beauty doesn’t have to be so serious, which is why our products are non-toxic, free of sensitizing irritants, and full of calming, nourishing ingredients. Not to mention vegan + cruelty-free.
Tower 28 Beauty NON-Toxic Makeup Product Recommendations
- BeachPlease Luminous Tinted Balm Blush (read my review)
- ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly (read my review)
- Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer
- SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen
Saie
From their formulas to their packaging and from their supply chains to their shipping practices, implementing sustainable measures is more than a conversation or goal at Saie. Choosing the sustainable route has always been and will continue to be the standard. They have several certificates such as ‘Climate Neutral Certified’ and are part of a recycling program and use as much recyclable packaging as possible. On top of that, they work with luxury labs to ensure all of our formulations meet the EU’s standards for safe and effective clean beauty.
Saie NON-Toxic Makeup Product Recommendations
Rose Inc
Rose Inc is a clean brand, but their focus is on what goes into their formulas — not the 2,000 ingredients we leave out. They rely on clean active ingredients that deliver visible skincare benefits. Rose Inc is 100% vegan and cruelty-free. They put environmental benefits, such as recycled and recyclable materials paired with thoughtful design, before opulent packaging. On top of that, they use 25%+ post-consumer recycled plastic and their sustainable packaging also includes FSC-certified paper cartons made with 30% hemp and rinse-off labels manufactured with a 90% PCR liner.
Rose Inc NON-Toxic Makeup Product Recommendations
- Blush Divine Radiant Lip + Cheek Color
- Lip Sculpt Amplyfing Lip Color
- Satin Lip Color Rich Refillable Lipstick
- Softlight Luminous Hydrating Concealer
Merit Beauty
Merit takes a holistic approach to clean. This means that they create products that are safe for the body, skin, and the planet. They don’t use hormone or endocrine disrupting ingredients, ever. Their products are EU and Clean at Sephora compliant. They are vegan, cruelty-free, and certified by Leaping Bunny. They aim to eliminate as much virgin plastic as possible from their products and operations, and their shipment packaging is recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable.
Merit Beauty NON-Toxic Makeup Product Recommendations
- Flush Balm Cheek Color (read my review)
- Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick (read my review)
- Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil (read my review)
- The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
If you have any recommendations for clean makeup brands I should check out, please leave them in the comments! Oh, and I have a clean skincare brands post coming very soon too.
Meaning Of Clean Beauty
The term Clean Beauty is controversial because it isn’t regulated, this means that brands can slap ‘clean’, ‘green’, ‘natural’ on their products whenever they want. In broad terms, Clean Beauty products are those made without ingredients shown or suspected to harm human health (source: Goop). To me, Clean Beauty is defined by products that are mindfully created and produced without any proven or suspected toxic ingredients. Clean Beauty products include ingredients that are made with the health of our bodies, animals, and the environment in mind.
Consumers have been greenwashed so bad that they think as long as it’s natural, it’s good for you. That is not necessarily the case. Synthetic materials can be good as long as they are proven safe — having gone through various testing — and do not harm people, animals, or the environment. So be sure to do your own research or trust experts’ research before you just blindly assume that ‘natural’ is the way to go. Now, let’s continue with my favorite clean makeup brands.
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