Looking for Truly Natural Makeup brands? You need to read this!
This is a well researched post. I spent many hours digging for this information because I wanted to buy some non toxic makeup. I thought it wouldn’t be too hard to find some natural makeup brands that were truly safe. Boy, was I wrong!
There are two steps to finding truly non toxic makeup, and both of them were harder than I thought.
- The first step was to find a brand that didn’t use chemicals or other dangerous ingredients. That was pretty tough, but nothing compared to step number 2.
- Find makeup that doesn’t contain dangerous levels of heavy metals.
This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details.
Why I Avoid Heavy Metals
It was important to me to avoid heavy metals because I believe that heavy metals can have some serious health consequences. When I was dealing with chronic fatigue, I heard many stories of chronically ill people who were able to improve by addressing heavy metal toxicity.
After I addressed my problems with heavy metals, I began improving a lot. Because of my experience I try to avoid heavy metals whenever I can. I am not paranoid, but I would rather take good care of myself, than battle health problems later on. Some heavy metals have been implicated in neurological disorders and other serious illnesses.
Related: Lip Color Without Heavy Metals
How To Identify Safe Makeup
It can be very hard to verify that makeup doesn’t contain heavy metals like lead or mercury. This is because heavy metals aren’t listed in the ingredients. Rather they are present in the colorings or minerals that are used to make the makeup.
I contacted many companies because I wanted to know the actual levels of these metals. Anyone can say that their makeup is safe, but I wanted hard proof.
I started contacting companies and asking about heavy metal testing. I began researching federal guidelines and reading certification guidelines. This took me a long time! Here is what I learned:
The FDA has guidelines for heavy metals in makeup, but they only cover some of the heavy metals. The limits set by the FDA are as follows:
- Arsenic: Not more than 3 ppm (parts per million)
- Lead: Not more than 20 ppm
- Mercury: Not more than 1 ppm
- Chromium: 50 ppm
As you can see the heavy metals are measured in parts per million which sounds really small, but these numbers are not insignificant. For example the FDA restricts lead to 5 ppm for food or drugs, but allows 20 ppm for cosmetics. Heavy metals can be absorbed through the skin also. I personally don’t want heavy metals on my skin or in my food!
I wanted to find some stricter standards so I began looking at different makeup brands. I looked for a long time, but could only find one company (Ecco Bella) that published hard numbers. (The companies I contacted personally didn’t give me independent testing results either.)
Ecco Bella Makeup
Ecco Bella FlowerColor Lipsticks and eyeshadow have been tested for lead, cadmium and mercury. Independent lab results showed only negligible amounts, as follows:
Lab results for Ecco Bella Makeup
- Lead 0.08 ppm
- Cadmium 0.90 ppm
- Mercury 0.046 ppm
Ecco Bella also states that “the FDA allows 0.10ppm of lead in candy, so our results are even lower than that standard.” Did you notice that the FDA level for lead is only 0.10 ppm for candy?!
As you can see Ecco Bella’s numbers are much better than the FDA guidelines for heavy metals in makeup.
The lead levels detected in Ecco Bella’s makeup are way lower than the 20 ppm guideline for makeup, and the mercury is also way lower than the FDA guideline of 1 ppm.
Ecco Bella also mentions that they don’t use FD and C dyes, but only iron oxides and carmine so that their “lipsticks are as pure as the raw materials we buy.” Even though that doesn’t necessarily mean they are safe, the fact that there has been independent testing on their finished products indicates that their raw materials are probably from good safe sources.
My Ecco Bella experience:
After I found this information on Ecco Bella, I decided to buy some of their makeup. I felt that their testing pointed towards the fact that their raw ingredients were very pure and free from harmful amounts of heavy metals. Ecco Bella also has excellent ingredients.
I have tried quite a few of the Ecco Bella products and I have a few favorites:
- I love their FlowerColor Cover Up, and use it all the time. It is a perfect concealer for me.
- I also like their blush. I bought a color called Coral Rose and I like it a lot.
- Their mascara is really good. It has really good coverage.
I have used my Ecco Bella products for around 2 years, and I still love them. I have also reordered when I needed more-which means I really liked the products!
I still needed some eyeshadow colors however. I had tried a few of Ecco Bella’s and didn’t love the colors. I also wanted to try some experiment with some new makeup. So, I began researching other makeup companies.
Other Safe Makeup Companies
In general the European countries have stricter laws than ours about chemicals and toxins used in food and other products. Often they have less toxins in their products because of this. As far as makeup, I found out that the Germany had specific guidelines for heavy metals, and they were a lot stricter than those over here in the US.
The German guidelines are as follows: (These are in mg/kg which is the same as ppm.)
- Lead 2.0 (5.0 for certain makeup products) and .5 mg/kg (or ppm)
- Cadmium 0.1 mg/kg (or ppm)
- Mercury 0.1 mg/kg (or ppm)
- Arsenic 0.5 mg/kg (or ppm)
- Antimony 0.5 mg/kg (or ppm)
- Nickel 10 mg/kg (or ppm)
As you probably noticed, Germany is keeping an eye on more heavy metals than the US. In general, their makeup is a lot safer than makeup from the US.
However, the lead level isn’t guaranteed to be as low as Ecco Bella (at least at the time Ecco Bella did their last testing-if you remember from earlier, it was only 0.08 ppm). They also have a tiny bit higher mercury levels than Ecco Bella, but not much.
However Germany is much stricter on their Cadmium levels, and obviously they are stricter on their limits of Arsenic, Antimony, and Nickel which aren’t mentioned by the FDA or by Ecco Bella.
My Conclusion on German Makeup Companies
I feel safe ordering from German makeup companies because they definitely have stricter levels of heavy metals than companies from the US. Even though they have higher guidelines on the amount of lead in makeup, it is probable that they don’t have high levels of lead. Here is why I think so:
- Because German companies have to meet all their other stringent regulations for heavy metals, they are going to have to make sure their ingredients are very clean. In other words, they wouldn’t be able to source their ingredients from highly contaminated areas since they have to meet the other German guidelines.
- Germany also has an organization comprising over 440 producers and distributors of cosmetics, food supplements, nutritional foods and over-the-counter medicines called the BDIH. The BDIH has developed a comprehensive set of guidelines for certifying natural cosmetics and has now tested over 2,000 products.
The guidelines from BDIH cover raw materials from plant & mineral, animal protection and they reject use of silicones, organic-synthetic dyes, synthetic fragrances, paraffin and other petroleum based products.
Whenever I began shopping for safe makeup, I made sure that the company was BDIH certified. Then I knew that this company would be following the German guidelines for heavy metals. Also, I wouldn’t have to worry about other really bad ingredients like synthetic fragrances.
Safe BDIH Certified Companies
I found some really great companies that I liked that were BDIH certified. I recently ordered products from 3 BDIH certified companies: Benecos, Sante and Lavera. I have just started trying the products, so I can’t give a comprehensive review yet.
But I will list a few here so that you can check them out if you are interested.
I do like the eyeshadow I tried so far. It is called Mauve Me.
I also ordered Sante’s Compact Powder. I haven’t tried it yet, but it has beautiful packaging, and great ingredients.
I ordered Lavera’s Deep Darkness Mascara because of its excellent ingredients and because it is cheaper than the Benecos Mascara I have been ordering. I will update you when I have reviewed it, and let you know what I think.
I am excited to try my new makeup! I am also happy knowing that I found some natural makeup brands that I feel are truly safe from chemicals and heavy metals.
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You may also be interested in:
10 Best Non-Toxic Lipstick Brands-Chemical Free and Lead Free Lipsticks
Thanks so much for sharing this info – it’s so hard to tell if brands are legit natural or not when you read their packaging, so this is really helpful 🙂
Thank you Jodi! I am glad it was helpful to you. And I definitely know what you mean about trying to figure out if brands are really natural or not!
Great info here? Just curious – have you tried anything from 100 percent pure? Thinking of trying some of their products.
I have contacted 100% Pure and they told me that their ingredients are inspected for heavy metals by their ingredient suppliers. I wasn’t able to obtain the lab testing, so I am unsure about the levels of heavy metals. 100% Pure has a few ingredients that sometimes have problems with heavy metal contamination-namely mica and iron oxides. This doesn’t meant that they aren’t safe-it just means that without the actual numbers from the lab testing, I am unsure.
Some of their products seem very safe because they are colored by natural colorants from fruits. I bought one of their lipsticks because it didn’t contain the ingredients I was concerned about. I hope that helps!
Do you have any thoughts on SAPPHO? Also, any suggestions on foundation (not powdered)? Thank you!
I haven’t tried SAPPHO and I did a quick search on it and couldn’t find any information. You could always try emailing the company and asking if they do heavy metal testing and if they would share the results of the test.
As far as liquid foundation, I have been using my Ecco Bella cover stick on problem areas (under eyes and on reddish areas) and sometimes powered foundation. I haven’t tried a liquid foundation in a long time. But Ecco Bella does have a liquid foundation that is available here. It seems to have pretty good reviews. I hope that helps!
Thank you so much for this information! You have done a lot of research, of which I am appreciative of. I am wondering, what body/hand lotion(s) do you use? I haven’t checked the Ecco Bella website to see if they sell lotions that do not contain heavy metals as well, but I will. Then that takes me down the road to shampoos/conditioners/body type shower soap. . . Just curious if you have any thoughts/recommendations??
Hi Linda! I love to use argan oil for my body lotion. It only takes around 5-10 drops per leg and it really works great for me. I also have used All Good coconut body lotion. It has all good ingredients-however their preservative is grapefruit seed extract. This is a MUCH better preservative than many products out there, but like all preservatives it can have some concerns. It is rated a 3 on the EWG website. That is still a good score, but not as good as argan oil. I use the All Good Lotion when I want to smell especially good. 🙂
For showering we love the Crate 61 Lemongrass Soap. It is a good price for such a clean soap brand and we love the smell and how well it works. My favorite shampoo and conditioner is by Acure organics. I like the Acure Mega Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner.
You may also want to check out my article on affordable natural personal care products.
I know it can definitely be an adventure trying to figure out safe products that work-these that I have listed are some of my favorites! Thank you for your kind comment. 🙂
Hi, I’m responding to a comment from 2019, but hopefully you’ll see this!😅
You mentioned Argan oil as body lotion. I recently searched Argan oil+heave metals and unfortunately it seems that it might be one of the oils that might often be contaminated with HMs, and because it’s not a cosmetic product, it’s not even FDA regulated. I’m not sure about the EU Argan oil brands though.
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/80103
Thank you for sharing what you found. I am always interested in the purity of the products I buy-especially about the heavy metal content. I clicked on the link you left and read some about the argan oil. I haven’t heard of argan oil being a product that naturally carries large amounts of heavy metals. Usually it is the colorants in makeup that are concerning as far as heavy metals, not the oils. Colorants often come from synthetic colorants or from natural minerals-both can be problematic as far as heavy metals.
I haven’t called the company I buy from and asked for a heavy metal report although that is a good idea. I will let you know if I do. If you find out something, I would love to hear it!
The argan oil I buy is cold pressed and extra virgin. There are not chemicals used to help with the extraction. Because of this and because I feel many oils are safe as far as heavy metals, I haven’t felt worried about it.
I use 2 companies. 1 is Solle Flex AC. The company (Solle Naturals Inc.) Uses completely clean sources that has ingredients in their AC that is mosturing without being oily. It also has properties that prevents or reduces bruising from injuries. It has arnica which helps, if not eliminates pain naturally. I’ve used this product for years, and would never be without it. They also carry amazing natural herbal drink packets which I’ve also used and found helpful and refreshing.
The other company uses all clean, organic sources, but last time I knew, they were still working on a cosmetics line. The company is Ariix.
Have you tried anything from the Young Living line? I expect it to be 100% pure, but I haven’t actually tried it.
On the Young Living website, they mention that they never add any of the 1,328 banned ingredients on the European Union banned cosmetic list. That is definitely a step in the right direction. They also mention that they are “responsibly sourced”. This probably means that their ingredients are from a country that has less problems with toxicity. I couldn’t find anything though on heavy metals on their site. So, I couldn’t guarantee that their makeup is low in heavy metals.
Thanks for the post! Did you like the Sante powder? Feeling like there are so few options in the powder foundation realm, that are reliably safe on the heavy metal front!
I did like the Sante powder. I think it is natural looking-which is what I want in a foundation of course. 🙂
Have you tried Color The World lipstick? I have used this lipstick for a couple of years. You can mix colors to make it your own. NO feathering. Just like the company claims. Its vegan, paper tube and all purchases make a donation to the corresponding color of your choice. I hope you try it and enjoy!
Hi Teresa! I have never heard of it. I did a little research, but couldn’t find any information on heavy metal testing from the company.
What about iron, zinc, and titanium oxides? I’m yet to find a brand that doesn’t have these.
Hi Diana! Iron oxides and zinc oxides are mainly a problem if they are contaminated with heavy metals. That is one of the reasons I did the research on heavy metal contamination because most makeup does contain these ingredients.
Titanium dioxide can be a problem if the particles are small and can be inhaled. I try to buy products that don’t contain nanoparticles. Also, if the product is liquid, there isn’t a problem because it won’t be inhaled. Whereas powder makeup could be inhaled accidentally.
Throughout your research, which brands have you found to contain the lowest nickel concentrations? I have a severe nickel allergy, so I’m unable to wear make-up on a daily basis, but still brave it for special occasions. The allergy usually effects my eyes the most, resulting in a lot of burning/itching, runny eyes, migraines, which usually last for a 2-3 days. I have been unable to find a single brand with low enough levels, but my research has been limited to Canadian companies. Any help would be appreciated!
I am sorry Cassandra-I don’t know the answer to this! It may help if you email companies and ask them directly. In your case, since you only wear makeup very occasionally, I would try to find a company with no nickel in it. And not worry as much about the other ingredients. Although, the best case scenario would be a company that is both nickel free and non toxic. I would try calling the companies in this post first-maybe one of them is nickel free!
I am also on the hunt for nickel and chrome free makeup or a brand with very low levels. Please help!
Hey Kristie! did you come across anything about Faerie Organics or Raw Skin Ceuticals in your research? Curious what you’d say about those companies. Thank you for all your work!
Hi Desi! I haven’t come across anything about those companies before, but I just looked up the RawSkinCeuticals and noticed that they had clay as one of their ingredients. Clays contain heavy metals. This is probably because they bind heavy metals, and so can actually help the body to remove heavy metals. But, I like to make sure that any clay that I use is as clean as possible, as I want to be careful not to add any heavy metals to my body. I do have a toothpowder with clay, but it contains white kaolin clay which is one of the purest clays. So, for my personally, I do use clay occasionally for different things-I just make sure that it is the purest that I can find.
Hi Kristie,
Can you recommend any clean powder & liquid sunscreens for the face, most seem to include Titanium Dioxide.
Thanks,
Diane
My favorite safer sunscreen so far is Ocean Potion’s SPF 30. It is not the most natural sunscreen, but I don’t wear sunscreen all that often so I don’t worry about it. Ocean Potions SPF 30 rates a 4 on EWG.org. I have tried natural sunscreens that either felt really icky or made my skin really white. Ocean Potion doesn’t do that. I hope that helps some!
I’ve just recently been reacting to something and the dermatologist thinks it may be nickel allergies so how do I know if nickel or other heavy metals are in my cosmetics, will it simply be listed as such or is it (and heavy metals) listed under a more blanket term?
Heavy metals are not listed in makeup ingredients, because heavy metals are a contaminant and are sometimes found in other makeup materials. One of the main sources of nickel contamination is iron oxides. These are used to color makeup. iron oxides may be listed by their color international codes like CI 77849.
You could try avoiding makeup with iron oxides by using makeup colored with fruit pigments (like 100% Pure). Some 100% Pure makeup does contain iron oxides.
You can ask makeup companies about their heavy metal testing, although many companies do not give out this information.
I hope this helps, as I know this can be a complex subject!
Hello,
Do you know of a makeup brand that is 100% metal free without any lead or cadmium? I’m looking for a concealer that is lead and cadmium free, let me know, thank you!!
It can be difficult to find anything 100% free of heavy metals as they are naturally occurring elements. But there are some ways to find makeup that is very clean and has very low to almost no heavy metals in them. You can always call and ask companies directly for their heavy metal testing reports. Then you can compare them to the German guidelines and Ecco Bella’s numbers (see above in this post) as that will give you an idea of how low the heavy metals are in that makeup.
Some 100% Pure products seem very safe because they are colored by natural colorants from fruits. Usually heavy metal contamination is in the mica or iron oxides. If you decide to order from 100% Pure, find the products that don’t contain those ingredients. You can find 100% Pure products from Safe & Chic (this is my affiliate link.)