Nowadays it’s easier than ever to rock clean beauty brands, not to mention Earth-friendly, ethically made, and chemical-free. And especially with these 20 clean makeup brands that are not only safe to use, they’re nutrient-dense.
Swapping out your old beauty brands for clean makeup can make sense, and especially with harmful chemicals on the rise.
According to one report, “A new study has revealed that over 50% of sampled cosmetic products contained high levels of harmful PFAS ingredients. PFAS, per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a harmful class of chemicals widely used in consumer and industrial products such as teflon, non-stick coatings, and water resistant packaging. However, these compounds have been linked to a host of adverse human health effects and may be toxic at extremely low doses.”
And when it comes to vegans, “Common animal-derived ingredients found in beauty products include honey, beeswax, lanolin (wool grease), squalene (shark liver oil), carmine (crushed-up beetles), gelatin (cow or pig bones, tendons or ligaments), allantoin (cow urine), ambergris (whale vomit) and placenta (sheep organs).”
Are Bath And Body Products Toxic?
So even though we’ve all heard ‘unhealthy,’ ‘toxic,’ ‘carcinogenic,’ etc., when it comes to chemicals in beauty products, what gives?
What kind of chemicals are we talking about?
Well according to Harvard Health . . .
Cancer-Causing Agents
Such as, “1,4-dioxane, formaldehydes, coal tar ingredients, petroleum distillates, and placenta extract.”
Endocrine Disruptors
Such as, “Triclosan and triclocarban, toluene, resorcinol, petroleum distillates, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), boric acid and sodium borate, phthalates, placenta extract, parabens, and phenoxyethanol.”
Irritants and Allergens
Such as, “Methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI), vitamin A derivatives, fragrance, phenoxyethanol, petroleum distillates, and formaldehydes.”
And more.
But what’s worse than having to decode some of the long, long lists of ingredients in particular brands—if you majored in chemistry it’s a plus—is rubbing, smoothing, massaging, kneading, brushing, pummeling them into your skin.
And deeper into your cells, which as it happens isn’t so beautiful after all. Unless you like war zones of free radicals and cytokine blasts. Hiked inflammation and disease risk.
“Cancer, birth defects, and developmental disorders,” says one report. Or PFAs—’forever chemicals’ that don’t degrade for decades.
Or a taste of environmental blowback coming to a neighborhood near you:
Personal care products have a way of getting into the environment, particularly water supplies. Whether rinsed off in the sink, washed down the drain of your shower, or thrown out, the countless chemicals in cosmetics infiltrate the water supply. As water treatment plants are unequipped to remove them, over 100 chemicals from personal care products can be detected at low concentrations in our drinking water or in habitats.
So aside from the nefarious effects, I think we can all agree on two things:
Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) would be hard to pronounce.
And it wasn’t made by Nature.
(In some countries it’s banned.)
Natural Makeup: Chemical Free
One of the most ubiquitous gateways for harmful chemicals to enter your body is through your skin.
It’s called transdermal diffusion, and it’s prevalent.
Toxins can breach your scalp, armpits, orifices, and other porous spots of your body, including your brain.
And if they’re PFAs—‘forever chemicals’—they’re in.
For a long, long time.
A recent study showed that over 97% of Americans have detectable PFAs in their blood.
And in their guts, urine, even mothers’ umbilical cords.
Which isn’t surprising with over 14,000 PFAs (and counting) ramping up.
According to this report:
The fact that PFAS chemicals are added to cosmetics is not new. The FDA says they are “intentionally added” to products such as “lotions, cleansers, nail polish, shaving cream, foundation, lipstick, eyeliner, eyeshadow, and mascara” to condition, smooth or make skin appear shiny or to “affect product consistency and texture.”
And they’re not just texturizers — they’re everywhere.
Think almost every product under the sun that’s not chemical-free.
Unlike these healthy brands:
Natural Makeup: Beauty Brands
Happily there are plenty of natural makeup and non-toxic beauty brands out there. They cover the gamut from vegan and chemical-free to certified organic and reef-friendly.
Here are 20 beauty brands that are making a difference in the health space:
They rock natural makeup and more.
Some have been around for decades, others not so long.
But they all have one important thing in common: health and wellness.
Colorganics
The focus is on lips with a gorgeous array of sticks, tint, gloss, and pencils. Their products are non-toxic, gluten-free, paraben-free, nanoparticle-free, and USDA certified organic with no FD&C dyes, irritating fragrances, or synthetic preservatives.
All Good
This company offers a wide variety of products including sun protection, skincare, sanitizers, deodorants, clean cosmetics, and more. They’re certified organic, climate neutral, reef-friendly, and in partnership with 1% For the Planet.
Nourish Organic
Here’s a brand with certified organic lotions, creams, oils, body butters, and more. They’re in partnership with 1% For the Planet with no parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, artificial fragrances or synthetic preservatives (including phenoxyethanol), silicones, propylene glycol, mineral oils, sulfates, synthetic dyes, triclosan, PEGs, EDTA, and other harsh chemicals.
Wiseways Herbals
Lots of wonderful choices with an abundance of chemical-free, wildcrafted bath and body products including chakra oils, suppositories, and body powders.
Pacifica Beauty
A vegan, cruelty-free brand that’s well known for its fragrances, skincare, sun-care, make-up, and hair-care products. I’ve used their ‘French Lilac’ scent and love it. I discovered it at a surf shop here on the coast.
Dr. Bronner’s
This company has been around forever and earned a reputation for their clean soaps, lotions, shave gels, hair rinse, and hair crèmes which are certified organic, vegan, and cruelty-free. I’ve been using Dr. Bronner’s for as long as I’ve been using Bragg, which is for decades.
Here’s what they say about their lip and body balms which are organic and Fair Trade, but contain beeswax: “The beeswax is sourced from beekeepers in Zambia who do not kill the queen bees annually in order to maximize production, which is a common practice in conventional beekeeping operations.”
Well People
A great variety of cosmetics for face, eyes, lips, and skin, with brushes & tools. They’re plant powered, cruelty-free, clean, and EWG (Environmental Working Group) verified. Their website notes that “Our goal is to be 100% Vegan. We’re in the process of removing Organic Beeswax, Pearl Powder, and Carmines from our formulas—we’re nearly there!”
Wild Carrot Herbals
An awesome company established by an organic farmer that provides a wide range of skincare and body products including essential oils, deodorant and personal care, homeopathic and oral care, natural sunscreens, home goods, bath tools, perfumes, natural cosmetics, soaps, bath bombs, and more.
Mineral Fusion
Plenty of clean cosmetics for hair, skin, nails, and face that are hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, artificial fragrance free, paraben-free, and phthalate-free.
Babo Botanicals
A wonderful brand with a great assortment of plant-based sunscreen and after-sun, hair and body wash, bubble bath and moisturizer, and hand soaps galore. Their products are certified organic, cruelty-free, certified B Corp, and dermatologist tested.
RMS Beauty
A huge company with a wide range of clean cosmetics for face, lips, eyes, and skin. Ingredients consist of raw, organic, food grade, wildcrafted, natural ingredients free of parabens, gluten, synthetic fragrances, GMOs, sulfate, pthalates, talc, and never tested on animals.
Province Apothecary
A Canadian company with categories for cleaners and toners, serums and treatments, moisturizers and balms, exfoliators and masks, bath and body, and beauty tools. Their products are organic and the skincare is certified vegan, cruelty-free, dermatologist tested, ethically sourced, and free of “over 2,000 toxic ingredients you don’t want on your skin (i.e Petroleum, parabens, synthetic fragrances and ingredients, endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, dyes, alcohol, solvents and, genetically modified organisms (GMOs)”
Raw Elements
A company specializing in outdoor skincare for everyday people and athletes including sunscreens, skin tonics, lip balms, and more. They’re certified NPA natural, non-GMO, cruelty-free, 1% For The Planet, Non-Nano (zinc oxide), Reef-safe, and EWG top rated made in the USA.
Ere Perez
A great Australian company carrying a wide range of botanical make-up and skincare using sustainable, ethical, cruelty-free ingredients; predominantly vegan, non-GMO, carbon-neutral, and signatories of the UN Global Compact “committed to corporate sustainability principles regarding human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.”
MyCHELLE
Mychelle Dermaceuticals offers a variety of clean beauty products including cleansers, moisturizers, serums and oils, mists, exfoliators and masks, eye care, and sun care. They’re vegetarian, cruelty-free, and source ingredients without phthalates, parabens, petroleum, sulfates, ureas, and artificial fragrances and colors.
Clean Circle
A certified organic, ethically made, and Eco-friendly company that provides beauty tools such as reusable bamboo charcoal makeup remover pads, reusable bamboo velour skincare pads, konjac facial sponges, and deals on bundle kits.
The Humble Co
A broad range of oral hygiene products including toothbrushes, floss, electric toothbrush heads, holiday items, toothpastes, mouthwashes, interdental cleaning, chewing gum, cotton swabs, straws, amenity travel kits, and kids’ products.
Made in Sweden and developed by dentists using ethical, healthy, and Eco-friendly sources:
“Humble Brush has a handle made from 100% biodegradable, sustainably-grown bamboo. the bristles are made of nylon-6 bristles from Dupont. the packaging is eco-friendly, the box and inside wrapper are made from recycled materials, and can be thrown out with the organic trash.”
Andalou Naturals
With a wide range of Eco-friendly products for body, face, hair, and skin, this company’s ingredients are vegetarian and vegan, non-GMO, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and 98% nature derived.
HAN
With a strong focus on sustainable cosmetics for face, eyes, cheeks and lips, this company’s “nasty list” includes parabens, BHT/BHA, phthalates, coal tar dyes, synthetic scents, animal fats/oils, bismuth oxychloride, mineral oil, nanoparticles, carmine, and talc.
They’re partnered with The Sierra Club and Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) in effort to protect the environment and increase toxic chemical awareness and regulations.
Last Object
A company focused on sustainable beauty tools such as swabs, tissues, rounds, laundry bags, gifts, and kits. Based in Denmark and the U.S., they say this:
“To minimize our impact, we choose materials like compostable wood fibers, cardboard and organic cotton. Vast majority of the cotton we use is certified organic. We also use recycled ocean-bound plastic to help clean up the mess that already has been made.”
So that’s just an overview.
Check back for more.
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The medical and health topics covered on the Plate of Grass website and blog have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to prevent or cure any disease. This article and its content is presented ‘as is’ for informational purposes only. It represents the opinions, experiences, and research of its author and is not intended as medical advice and should not be construed as such. Questions regarding your health should be directed to a qualified medical professional before beginning any treatments or programs. The use of information and materials in and/or linked to this blog is at the users’ own discretion.
