When you’re putting on a full face of makeup, you probably seldom think about the ingredients you’re putting on (and around) your skin, lips and eyes. You might only reach for the foundation bottle after you’re mid-breakout to read through the ingredients. Spoiler alert: It’s a long list of chemicals that you’ve never heard of. No matter your skin type, there’s evidence that it’s not good to saturate yourself with harsh fragrances, dyes and chemicals every day. Luckily, there’s a growing movement around the idea of “clean beauty” and organic makeup.
The latest eco-conscious trend in beauty benefits both you and the environment — if you choose the right kind. Look for cruelty-free companies (meaning they don’t do animal testing) that use recyclable packaging and ethically sourced ingredients. You should not see ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, artificial fragrances and dyes, and silicones on the packaging. Generally, the shorter the ingredient list, the better.
Of course, it can be intimidating to try to find reliable organic products on your own, so we rounded up 10 of our favorite organic cosmetic brands to keep you beautiful—inside and out.
You’ll be shocked to hear that some of your brands contain no-nasties, meaning that they formulate without any known irritants. For example, popular skincare and cosmetics company Tarte is non-toxic, cruelty-free and eco-friendly. The brand doesn’t include any parabens, phthalates, mineral oil or even gluten. Check out the rest of our picks below.
Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
1. Tarte
While not truly organic, Tarte Cosmetics is a no-nasties brand that harnesses natural ingredients. It’s cruelty-free and gluten-free and made without harmful ingredients such as parabens, mineral oil, triclosan, phthalates or sulfates. They have a huge selection of cosmetics in gorgeous packaging and in tons of shades. And honestly, we do mean tons—they’re one of the most versatile organic makeup companies out there. Start with one of their bestsellers, like Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara, Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Foundation, or Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Glisten.
Courtesy of Tarte Cosmetics.
Courtesy of Tarte Cosmetics.
Courtesy of Tarte Cosmetics.
2. Ilia Beauty
Ilia products are made of up to 85% organic ingredients and kept in recycled packaging. Try one of their gorgeous tinted lip conditioners like the summer-ready Little Sister or one of their beautifully radiant Multi-Sticks for a healthy flush of color on your cheeks. They also make mascara, setting powders, illuminators, and tinted moisturizer, the latter of which comes in six shades for a range of complexions.
Courtesy of Ilia.
Buy: Click image to open expanded view ILIA – Organic Tinted Lip Conditioner $28
Courtesy of Ilia.
Buy: ILIA – Organic Multi-Stick For Lips + Cheeks $34
3. 100 Percent Pure
The 100 Percent Pure website promises vegan cosmetics “formulated with high performing antioxidants [and] naturally occurring vitamins and essential oils.” They use fruit pigments to dye their makeup products naturally. They offer lipsticks, foundation, cruelty-free makeup brushes, eye makeup, blush and more. Try their Fruit Pigmented Lip & Cheek Stain for a long-lasting, natural flush of color.
Courtesy of 100 Percent Pure.
Buy: 100% PURE Lip & Cheek Tint $27
4. Bite Beauty
Bite Beauty makes all-natural, organic lip products in Toronto. Their tagline is that their lip products are healthy enough to eat, since they are made out of organic ingredients such as shea butter and natural oils. You can purchase their lipsticks, glosses, scrubs and masks from Sephora, and we really love their Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayon. Bonus: you can visit their Bite Beauty Lip Lab in New York and create your own custom lipstick shade.
Courtesy of Bite Beauty.
5. Physician’s Formula
Many of Physician’s Formula products are free of fragrance, parabens, and gluten, as well as being hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and safe for those with sensitive skin and eyes. They also do not test on animals. Best of all, their prices are extremely affordable and you can find their products for under $20 at most drugstores. Try their Organic Wear 100% Natural Tinted Moisturizer; it will give you a natural look and the sun protection you need this summer.
Courtesy of Physician’s Formula.
Buy: Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Tinted Moisturizer $11.11
6. Ecco Bella
Ecco Bella calls themselves “an activist company,” which means that they are against animal testing, support organic farming and ethical ingredient sourcing, and don’t use any ingredients in their products that are harmful for consumers or the environment. Most of their products are vegan and they are all made out of organic ingredients. Since they use a limited roster of ingredients and exclude harmful chemicals like fragrance, parabens, and alcohol, their products are ideal for those with sensitive skin. They offer eye makeup, blush, foundation, and our favorite, Flowercolor Lipstick which comes in 17 pretty colors.
Courtesy of Ecco Bella.
Buy: Ecco Bella, FlowerColor Moisturizing Lipstick $19.26
7. RMS beauty
RMS beauty products are truly amazing: luxurious, high-performing and good for you. They’re made with organic ingredients like coconut oil (the base of all of their products), cocoa butter, shea butter, castor oil, and jojoba oil. They do not test on animals and they use recyclable packaging. They offer brushes, powders, bronzers, eye makeup, lip colors, and more. Their Luminizer has a cult following, and it’s no wonder: it’s totally gorgeous and works on every skin tone.
Courtesy of RMS Beauty.
Buy: RMS Beauty Luminizer Highlighter $28.26
8. Josie Maran
All of Josie Maran’s products are infused with organic, ethically sourced argan oil, which is known for its hydrating and beautifying properties. The argan oil used in their products is sustainably harvested from women’s co-ops in Morocco, which benefits both the environment and the workers. Try the Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation for a glowing, natural beauty look and the Argan Infinity Lip And Cheek Creamy Oil for a dewy flush of color.
Courtesy of Josie Maran.
Buy: Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation $44.99
Photo courtesy of Josie Maran.
Buy: Josie Maran Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil $15.99
9. Juice Beauty
Founded by Karen Behnke in 2005, this beauty company is all about the organic ingredients. Behnke was shocked to realize that all of the beauty products our skin was absorbing wasn’t natural. She combined beauty and chemistry to create some interesting skincare and makeup products. The base of each product is made out of a botanical juice, like aloe, shea and grape seed, instead of petroleum, which works just as well. You should try the Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream, which will protect your skin from the sun and even out your skin tone.
Courtesy of Juice Beauty.
Buy: Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream with Mineral SPF 30 $39
10. Vapour Beauty
This desert-inspired clean beauty company, founded by Krysia Boinis and Kristine Keheley, features “high-vibe” color. Your skin looks like it’s covered in conventional makeup, but this time the ingredients are natural. They’ve got luxe lip glosses in a variety of vibrant colors and smooth foundations in their arsenal. We recommend checking out their Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation.
Courtesy of Vapour Beauty.
Buy: Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation $54
