10 Clean Lipstick Brands That Make My Favorite Red Shades
A little lipstick trivia for you: The average lipstick lover will consume almost four pounds of the stuff in their lifetime. It makes sense; all that smacking, smudging, and smearing eventually leads to eating. A 2010 study from the Food & Drug Administration found undisclosed traces of lead in a full 100 percent of lipsticks tested. (Yup, all 400 of them.) Medical experts agree there is no safe level of lead exposure, as it’s a neurotoxin linked to cognitive and behavioral problems as well as issues with hormones and fertility. So you might want to switch to one of the clean lipstick brands ahead. (I mean, your call — but the FDA hasn’t updated cosmetic safety regulations since 1938.)
Lest I lay all the blame on lead, that’s not the only questionable ingredient in traditional lipstick formulas. Most rely on petrochemicals including paraffin wax, mineral oil, and PEGs — AKA, materials derived from petroleum or natural gas, a la diesel fuel — for shine, feel, and long-lasting wear. If those don’t sound appetizing enough to lick off your lips, I feel you. Which is why I’ve spent the past couple years vetting the best clean lip products the industry has to offer; specifically, the best red lip products, because who doesn’t love a good red?
There are still so many left to try (I’ve heard great things about Henné Organics and Alima Pure), but the 10 lipsticks, lip tints, and lip glosses ahead are my new non-toxic go-tos. They have all of the shine, feel, and long-lasting wear of a typical formula, and — bonus! — none of the neurotoxins.
Lest I lay all the blame on lead, that’s not the only questionable ingredient in traditional lipstick formulas. Most rely on petrochemicals including paraffin wax, mineral oil, and PEGs — AKA, materials derived from petroleum or natural gas, a la diesel fuel — for shine, feel, and long-lasting wear. If those don’t sound appetizing enough to lick off your lips, I feel you. Which is why I’ve spent the past couple years vetting the best clean lip products the industry has to offer; specifically, the best red lip products, because who doesn’t love a good red?
There are still so many left to try (I’ve heard great things about Henné Organics and Alima Pure), but the 10 lipsticks, lip tints, and lip glosses ahead are my new non-toxic go-tos. They have all of the shine, feel, and long-lasting wear of a typical formula, and — bonus! — none of the neurotoxins.
OGEE Tinted Sculpted Lip Oil In Zinnia
Jojoba oil is my favorite beauty ingredient of all time (I once wrote an ode to the wonder that is jojoba). It’s also the star ingredient in OGEE’s Tinted Sculpted Lip Oil, which is probably why I love this literal lip stick — essentially, a crayon for adults — so much. The color is sheer, but what it lacks in pigment, it makes up for in moisture-boosting power.