Thanks to the clean beauty movement, more and more natural makeup brands are emerging.
And as the safe makeup landscape continues to expand, the performance standards rise, delivering more non-toxic cosmetics onto the scene that actually work.
Whether you gravitate toward a “no-makeup makeup” look or full glam, there are a plenty of clean beauty products to choose from.
Adding these natural and organic beauty brands to your makeup routine will help bring out your favorite features (without putting yourself in harm’s way!).
What This Article Includes:
This guide contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase (though not all links are affiliate!). As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine.
The Difference Between “Natural”, “Organic,” and “Clean” Cosmetics
Terms like “natural,” “organic,” “non-toxic,” and “clean” are often used interchangeably. And while they’re definitely closely related, they’re not exactly the same thing.
Here are the main differences:
- Natural makeup is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: it uses only natural ingredients.
- Organic makeup consists more of certified organic ingredients. Most organic makeup brands are not 100% organic because some ingredients just can’t be certified organic (like if they are sourced from the earth as opposed to grown & harvested). Most organic cosmetics brands use something like 70% organic ingredients and 30% natural, or something like that.
- Non-toxic and clean makeup are more general terms. They can certainly include natural & organic brands, but they can also include safe synthetics. (So while natural brands are typically “clean,” not all clean beauty brands are natural.
Neither option is necessarily “better” or “worse.” It all depends on what you’re comfortable using and what your preferences are. The reason I’ve decided to call out just the 100% natural & organic brands for this specific article is because some folks just prefer to go all-natural!
(For more non-toxic makeup brands that are not necessarily 100% natural, check out this guide.)
Certified Organic Makeup Brands Have the Strictest Standards
It’s worth noting that there’s really not much regulating what “non-toxic,” “natural,” or “clean” actually means. Any brand can technically slap one of those labels on their products and there are really no standards they have to meet to do so.
It’s a bit different for organic cosmetics.
To be labeled “100% organic”, a product must be formulated using only organically produced natural ingredients and processes. Products labeled just “organic” must be made of at least 95% organically produced ingredients (and are generally USDA-certified food grade if they’re made/sold in the US). The remaining 5% must be non-agricultural substances from the NOP National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. Water and salt are excluded from these regulations.
“Organic” generally means that no synthetic pesticides or GMOs are used to grow the material.
Ingredients to Avoid in Your Makeup
Unfortunately, most “conventional” products often include a long list of toxic chemicals that have been linked to many negative health effects (like cancer, infertility, and neurotoxicity, to name a few).
Although we’re making some (very slow) progress, personal care products are still largely under-regulated, which means brands can get away with putting products on shelves that include known toxins, as well as chemicals that have barely been tested at all.
You can read more about which ingredients to avoid right here, but the top toxins to avoid include:
- Butylated compounds, such as BHT
- Carbon black
- Formaldehyde releasers
- Mineral oil
- Parabens
- PFAS
- Undisclosed “fragrance” or “parfum”
But, try not to stress: you can avoid toxins in skin, hair, and personal care products. There are a lot of high-quality, safe brands on the market nowadays.
And Yes… They Actually Work
Although clean makeup can sometimes get a bad rap for not working as effectively, more and more brands are defying these stereotypes and receiving rave reviews.
These days, many natural, organic, and “clean” makeup brands can perform just as well as their ‘conventional’ counterparts!
Of course, everyone has their priorities and preferences when it comes to makeup in general, but the brands I’ve picked out for you below are worth giving a try to see for yourself if you like them.
My Favorite Natural and Organic Makeup Brands
Okay, here you go! These are some of the cleanest makeup and beauty brands that use only natural, organic, and cruelty-free ingredients to create high-performing products.
1. Toups & Co
What makes it different: small, family-owned business; handcrafted in Alabama
Toups and Co. creates clean makeup and skincare products using minimal, recognizable, and cruelty-free ingredients.
They acknowledge the significance of what we put on our skin (it is our largest organ after all!).
Handcrafted in Alabama, they use only 100% natural, organic, and skin-loving ingredients like aloe vera, cold-pressed olive oil, and grass-fed tallow. Many of their ingredients are certified organic.
2. Ogee
What makes it different: high-performance makeup that’s more in the ‘luxury’ category
Ogee sells high-performing and multi-purpose luxury beauty products.
They’re cruelty-free and certified organic by NSF, which requires a minimum of 70% organic ingredients in each formula.
Ogee’s “hero ingredient” is American-grown jojoba oil, which serves as the non-comedogenic and ultra-nourishing base for their formulas. And then they also utilize naturally-derived ingredients like bakuchiol, acmella flower, and edelweiss flower stem cells that deliver potent results to the skin.
3. INIKA Organic
What makes it different: used by industry professionals (like at New York Fashion Week!)
INIKA Organic follows cruelty-free, vegan, and Halal values in their skin-loving beauty products.
Their multipurpose makeup line uses botanical extracts and mineral pigments for natural formulas that work to hydrate and improve your skin throughout the day. Most of their formulations use 100% natural ingredients, with as many certified organic ones as possible.
Plus, they’re constantly working to reduce the amount of plastic used in their products & packaging.
4. withSimplicity
What makes it different: Founded & formulated by master estheticians
withSimplicity’s makeup is formulated with skin-nourishing ingredients that are suitable for sensitive skin.
They’re free from all artificial ingredients and are also vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.
Plus, they test for heavy metal contamination.
Oh, and if you’re in the Harrisonberg VA area, they also have an in-person School of Esthetics, which is pretty cool!
Use code THEFILTERY for 10% off your first order.
5. River Organics
What makes it different: low-waste / plastic-free!
Lauren Plug’s Review:
I LOVE how plastic-free River Organics is. The ingredients are phenomenal and feel amazing on my skin. You can literally smell the cocoa in the bronzer. ALL of the ingredients are natural and many of them are certified organic.
I love it for hanging around the house or for a day of virtual meetings. However, this is very light makeup so it’s not a product I would use if I want a significant or dramatic look.
I also found that the products wear off quickly. The mascara had me twinning with a racoon within just a couple of hours of wear.
The blush and highlighter are also very light — I made a video applying River Organics to half my face and at the end couldn’t tell which half had the makeup! Finally, my sister tried some of the concealer on her skin to cover a breakout and felt the next day it had made the breakout worse. 😕
Although I wasn’t super impressed with River Organics, if you’re looking for something 100% natural AND zero-waste/plastic-free (and let’s face it: who isn’t?), then it might be worth a try for you. You might like it better than I did, especially if you like a more #nomakeupmakeup look.
Use code THEFILTERY for 15% off.
Even More Brands to Check Out
If none of the above brands fit what you’re looking for, here are even more brands that use safe, natural, and organic ingredients.
Several of these brands are more on the “crunchy” side, but if you prefer something that has more of a handcrafted touch to it, definitely give these ones a browse.
I hope this guide has saved you some time and helped you find a new natural makeup brand to try and love.
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