My Favorite Non-Toxic Makeup Brands (That Actually Work)
Most women don’t realize that what we put on our skin doesn’t just sit there—it gets absorbed into our bodies and into our bloodstream. So if your makeup contains toxic chemicals, those toxins are ending up inside you too.
But let’s be honest… when was the last time you actually checked the ingredients in your makeup? Probably not recently. Who has time to research ingredients like octinoxate when half of them sound like a foreign language anyway?
I get it. That’s why I created this guide—to help you easily spot harmful ingredients and find toxin-free makeup that actually works (without spending a fortune).
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How to Tell if Your Makeup Is Toxic
The easiest way to tell if you're using makeup (or really any item) that has harmful chemicals in it is to check the EWG website. They also make an app called "Healthy Living" that has this icon (see picture). It's easy to use- especially the app!
Ingredients I Avoid in My Healthy Makeup
I've learned a lot over the years about harmful ingredients that I don't want in, near or around my body. One of the BEST books hands down is a book by Dr. Wendie Trubow and Dr. Ed Levitan called "Dirty Girl" (if you care about living nontoxic, GET THIS BOOK!). I learned that there's a lot of stuff that we are exposed to that are so extremely hard for our bodies to detox from, so here's some that I try not to come into contact with whenever I can:
Parabens (Isobutyl & Isopropyl)
Phthalates (Dibutyl & Diethylhexyl)
Fragrance
Monoethylphthalate (MEP)
Diphenyl phosphate (DPP)
Formaldehyde
Methylene Glycol
PFAS
All of these ingredients/substances are linked to either hormone disruption, cancer, nervous system disruption, cell/DNA damage or ALL of the above. Now think about that soaking into your face and reaching your brain! No thanks!
Toxin Free Makeup I Recommend
FYI: The links below are clickable and will take you to the particular item! If you want a clickable, compact list of non-toxic makeup- click here!
Foundation Pick: Toups & Co.
This is locally made where I live (lower Alabama) and it has the cleanest ingredients you can get, in my opinion. Not only that, it also provides AMAZING coverage and leaves your skin feeling like it can breathe while also providing flawless coverage. When looking for less coverage, I opt to use my Attitude Brand foundation. It’s a stick foundation, so it goes on a lot different than your liquid foundation, but I like the coverage for when I want to look more au naturale.
Concealer Pick: WellPeople
I really like WellPeople's makeup because it is clean and extremely affordable. I honestly don't wear concealer all that much but when I do, I use this one. It has great coverage and feels really light on the skin!
Powder Pick: WellPeople
This is the first "clean" powder I have used and I will never switch. Again, it is has a great price point but it also has great coverage while also providing that "see through" look I like so that my freckles still show through. Whenever my skin is not looking splotchy, I will skip foundation and just wear this powder and it looks great!
Contour pick: WellPeople
I love this contour palette because it also has the highlighters as well. I don't contour super dark on my face but I do use all 3 of these to contour and it works great for what I am looking for. If you like a super dark contour, this is buildable and probably could build up to what you're looking for! WellPeople also has a contour stick, but I just don't love those types of things. I feel like powders are easier to control for me. I tried their blush stick and didn't love the application, so I have never bought the contour stick. Toups & Co. also has a great contour kit, too!
Blush Pick: Attitude Brand
This is literally my favorite blush I have ever used- even in comparison to the toxic junk I was using before like NARS. This is a cream blush and I just dab it on my cheeks and blend it in and the pigmentation is chef’s kiss! I also used a Toups & Co. powder blush that I love. This powder blush is a beautiful color (Dusty Rose) and very saturated so a little goes a loooong way. I wore it every day and it lasted 6 months! It's easy to blend and doesn't have any artificial colors in it!
Eye Brow Pencil: iT Cosmetics
You're probably shocked by this one but I still am using this brand. For an eye brow pencil, the ingredients are not bad and I have literally used this forever. I checked its score out on the EWG website and it was only a "2" so I have stuck with it. I don't put my eyebrows on super dark so this is the perfect pencil for me to use, because, like I said- I like it to look au naturale. The price point isn't great, but this thing will last me nearly 6 months and I use it every day, so it's worth it in my book.
Eye Shadow: WellPeople
I don't really wear eye shadow every day but when I do, I like to have options. Ya know, some for the brow line, the lid, then stuff to contour with. So, this little 5 pack eye shadow was a great option for me! It goes on great and isn't too much- both in saturation and price point. I also love the Ilia brand eyeshadow too!
Mascara: Attitude Brand
I actually used to use Beauty Brand but I think it got discontinued! Anywho, this mascara is literally the best. It isn't cheap but it is comparable to the junk you'll find that is littered with gross ingredients so it's a win in my book. Again, I wear this every single day (I never go without my brows and eyelashes being done) and it lasts me at least 4 months!
Lip Gloss: WellPeople
I'll be honest- it is hard to find a clean, affordable lip gloss. I use WellPeople's but I don't necessarily LOVE it. Sometimes it can be hard to find the same color over and over again and it has a shimmer in it that I don't really care for but the pigmentation is great and it makes me actually have a lip color, so I wear it daily. It's super nourishing and I have multiple shades! If you’re looking for a light coverage lipgloss that goes on like a lip balm and has great, natural pigmentation- I just started using the Attitude brand lip gloss and am OBSESSED. I seriously wear it all day, erryday.
Lip Stick: WellPeople
Now, while I am not wild about their lip gloss, I really do LOVE their lipstick. It goes on great. It has great pigmentation. They have an assortment of colors (but, again, sometimes hard to find the same one over and over). It's very nourishing and stays on for a while. My only wish is that they'd make some of that permanent lipstick stuff, but I am sure there's a reason they don't- probably full of bad ingredients. Ilia’s lip products are great, too!
Chapstick: Toups & Co.
If you're looking for a nourishing chapstick option, then this is the one for you. I put this on before I put on any of my lipsticks or lip glosses or I just wear it by itself. The scents are amazing and the application is just *chef's kiss*. I think these are a great price point and it's such a cute idea to gift these as little happies to your friends for holidays, too!
Full nontoxic makeup look!
Keep in mind that I don’t like to “cake” on my makeup- I like natural coverage!
Other Non-Toxic Makeup Brands To Try in the Future
I plan to try some other brands out that I know are cleaner than your average Joe makeup. Here's some makeup that I will be trying in the future:
Ilia brand- I’ve tried their brand and I LOVE it! Highly recommend! Low score on EWG!
Crunchi- I didn't see any artificial colors in their stuff and has low scores on EWG as well!
Araza- price point comparable to stuff you'd find at Ulta or Sephora and great scores on the EWG website.
I hope this list helps you find better makeup options for yourself! If this interests you- then you should check out my personal care recs that are nontoxic and affordable! I'm talking lotions, shampoo, perfume and more- READ MY NONTOXIC PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS HERE!