It’s no secret that dozens of toxic chemicals could be lurking in your makeup bag. Considering that your skin can absorb up to 80% of these toxins unfiltered, putting unnatural makeup on your face provides a direct route for these chemicals to get inside your body, which poses a serious health risk.
The good news is that there is a lot of choice out there when it comes to sourcing natural beauty products. Hopefully the popularity of organic makeup represents a sea change in how the beauty industry operates; the more people who support healthier cosmetic choices would only disincentivize brands from continuing to use these awful ingredients.
We’ve rounded up some of the very best natural and organic makeup brands that not only do a stellar job of beautification, their plant-derived components will also heal, condition, and soothe your skin:
1. Physicians Formula
First established in 1937, Physicians Formula was born out of love. Its founder, Dr. Frank Crandall – a noted allergist at the time – happened to be married to a woman with sensitive skin. For her, he developed a line of cosmetics that were free of irritants and unnatural ingredients long before the term “organic” was a la mode. Today, Physicans Formula holds true to its commitment to hypoallergenic products that are free of parabens, fragrance, gluten, and cruelty. Be sure to try their 100% organic tinted moisturizer, jumbo lash mascara, and CC cream.
Shop Physicians Formula here.
2. RMS Beauty
The philosophy behind RMS Beauty is one of simplicity. It isn’t enough to create cosmetics that are composed of natural ingredients, they must also be food-grade and unprocessed so that their innate healing properties remain intact. Every single RMS Beauty product is free of chemicals, artificial preservatives, and synthetic vitamins and their ingredients are GMO, soy, nano, gluten, and cruelty-free. We recommend the “Un” Cover-up and Lip2Cheek stains.
Shop RMS Beauty here.
3. Fat and the Moon
With an emphasis on healthy fats that nourish and energize the body, Fat and Moon’s line of cosmetics are natural and organic, free of cruelty and parabens. Using basic ingredients like sunflower oil, beeswax, and natural colorants, their offerings span multipurpose face and body cream, lip and cheek stains, and natural eye coal. They even make pit cream and tooth polish.
Shop Fat and the Moon here.
4. ILIA Beauty
Since skin is our largest and most delicate organ, great care should be taken when choosing products we use on it. Born from the idea that the epidermis acts as a gateway to overall health, every ILIA Beauty product is made with certified organic bioactive botanicals that nourish and rejuvenate the skin. From lipsticks that hydrate, foundation that heals, illuminators that revitalize, translucent powders that soothe, and much more, ILIA Beauty covers the gamut in organic cosmetic solutions.
Shop ILIA Beauty here.
5. Mineral Fusion
Harnessing the power of minerals with natural UV-protection, Mineral Fusion provides an extensive line of cosmetics that are vegan, hypoallergenic, and above all else, pure. Often supplemented with antioxidants and other naturally soothing ingredients, you can also rest assured that cosmetics made by Mineral Fusion are free of gluten, parabens, talc, artificial colors and fragrance, and their products are never tested on animals. They carry everything from foundation and concealers, mascara, eye shadow, eye liners, blush, and bronzers in the cosmetics department, as well as a line of skin care, hair care, nail polish, and body care products.
Shop Mineral Fusion here.
6. Au Naturale
In a mission to replace each beauty product with healthy, natural, and ethically-sourced ingredients, owner Ashley Prange developed her own line of cosmetics, and these eventually became the basis of Au Naturale. Kicking off the clean beauty revolution, the Au Naturale product line spans concealers, eye shadows, lipsticks, eye liners, highlighters, bronzers, and blushes – all of which are organic, vegan, non-nano, and gluten and paraben free.
Shop Au Naturale here.
7. Vapour Organic Beauty
Blurring the lines between skin care and makeup, Vapour offers high-performance cosmetics that are also made from pure organic ingredients. With the notion that makeup shouldn’t only cover and conceal, but also heal, Vapour maintains a focus on foundation, concealers, and primers that leave skin looking radiant even after it’s removed. Also worth checking out is their lipsticks, eye shadows, and eye liners.
Shop Vapour Organic Beauty here.
8. n?dus
Specializing in luscious, vibrant lips, n?dus handcrafted lipsticks are available in 15 gorgeous colors. Non-GMO and organic, cruelty and gluten-free, all n?dus lipsticks are fortified with an array of beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidants that will leave your lips feeling soft and supple: shea butter, kiwi seed oil, pomegranate oil, avocado oil, argan oil, raspberry oil, and vitamins E and A.
Shop n?dus here.
9. NU EVOLUTION
Between our food, water, homes, and use of everyday products like toothpaste and makeup, the founders of NU EVOLUTION realized that we all live in a mess of toxicity. They endeavored to create a line of cosmetics that are wholly organic, without using typical ingredients like parabens, artificial dyes, synthetic fragrances, talc, triclosan, BHT, gluten, and dimethicone. NU EVOLUTION is also cruelty-free. Choose from liquid foundation, pressed and loose powders, camouflage cream, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick, blush, and tinted lip gloss.
Shop NU EVOLUTION here.
10. Ecco Bella
As one of the early pioneers of the natural beauty product movement, Ecco Bella has been making high quality, ethical, and nature-inspired cosmetics since 1992. Over the past 20 years, they have employed a scientific approach to plant-based ingredients through rigorous clinical testing (without the use of animals) to create a comprehensive line of beauty products that perform exceptionally well without the use of chemicals.
Shop Ecco Beauty here.
11. Jane Iredale
Another prominent trend-setter in the natural beauty realm, Jane Iredale developed a line of products dubbed “the skin care makeup” in 1994. With a mandate for producing cosmetics that are actually beneficial to the skin, the Jane Iredale line has grown to cover pretty much every beauty need under the sun. With a focus on natural minerals, each product is multi-use. For example, mineral foundations act as a concealer, sunscreen, and anti-aging treatment.
Shop Jane Iredale here.
12. W3LL PEOPLE
The brainchild of an elite makeup artist, a cosmetic dermatologist, and a “tree hugging entrepreneur”, W3LL PEOPLE brings together the simplicity of natural ingredients in a high performance makeup brand. With an angle toward the natural “no makeup” look, their cosmetic products are light and subtle while still providing excellent coverage for flawless beauty.
Shop W3LL PEOPLE here.