NAVIGATE

Kris Carr

Blog Post

My Natural Lipstick Review + 6 Lip-Smacking Tips

Hiya Gorgeous,

Elizabeth Taylor once said, “Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.”

There’s something empowering and totally sexy about a really great lipstick.

Although I don’t wear it everyday, I love to dress up my smoocher when I’m out on the town or on stage. And I know many of my readers are curious about which lipsticks are safest and perform the best, which is why it’s Crazy Sexy Review time!

Every product we put on our bodies matters, but lipstick is something I pay extra attention to.

After a day of noshing, green juice drinking, and gabbing, I’ve probably eaten a lot of it! There are lots of statistics on how much lipstick someone eats during their lifetime. Estimates range from 3.5 – 7 pounds.

Regardless, we all know that some of the ingredients end up in our bodies and that they can build up over time.

When the Environmental Working Group (EWG) studied body burden (the amount of chemicals stored in our bodies) they found the average person has nearly 300 different chemicals in their system, including PCBs and DDT, which were banned over 30 YEARS AGO in the US.

We just don’t know what the long term effects of the buildup of these chemicals are, and the things we do know are pretty alarming.

That’s why I did a ton of research with my team of beauty sleuths (aka my wonderful staff!) over the course of several months on the most popular natural lipstick brands out there.

The lipsticks chosen are based on your votes! And once again, I teamed up with the EWG to analyze the ingredients for each product so that you have the most up-to-date safety ratings. I picked my favorite colors, checked out whether they’ve been certified by PETA or Leaping Bunny and added the price for eachβ€”just to save you some extra time.

I’ve also added some notes on my experience with each product to help you pick the best one for your needs. Here are the results!

My Crazy Sexy Lipstick and Lip Sheer Review

Natural Lipstick Review

Please Note: Although rms and Beauty Counter are not certified by PETA or Leaping Bunny, you can read about their practices here (both companies state that they do not test on animals): rms, Beautycounter

For those of you who are wellness detectives like I am and want to know more about how we vet the products I recommend, read this.

Bonus: Lipstick Application Tips

So now that you’re a savvier lipstick shopper, what about making the most of those gorgeous smackers? I talked to one of my go-to makeup artists/green beauty experts Rebecca Casciano for her ultimate lipstick tips.

Prepping Your Lips:

  • Lipstick goes on and wears more evenly when lips are moisturized and smooth. Apply lip balm as part of your morning and evening skincare routine and lips will always be ready for your favorite non-toxic lipstick or gloss.
  • To exfoliate dry lips, dip a washcloth or soft toothbrush in warm water and lightly buff your lips. You can also make a quick DIY scrub by mixing 1 teaspoon of olive oil or coconut oil with 1 teaspoon of raw sugar. Apply a small amount to lips and rub gently. Leave on for a couple of minutes, then rinse off.

Lipstick Application:

  • To create a well-defined look without using liner, apply lipstick with a lip brush. Use the edge of the brush to trace the shape of your lips, then fill them in with lip color.
  • For longer wearing lip color, apply a lip liner in the same shade as the lipstick to your entire lip area. Then apply your lipstick and blend to lip line. When it starts to wear away, there will be a layer of color underneath.
  • To get more of a “lip stain” look, skip the brush and use the tip of your ring finger to apply lipstick. Start with the center of your lips and blend softly to the edges.
  • Give lips a fuller look by applying a lighter lipstick or gloss to the center of the bottom lip. It should be in the same color family as the lipstick, or have a sheer, shimmery finish.

I want to hear from you, friend: What’s your favorite lipstick and why? Let’s share our collective wisdom in the comments section below.

Gentle request: If you work for a beauty company please be cool, we’re trying to keep these comments as unbiased and useful as possible. Sharing your product is awesome. Hundreds of comments about your product is not awesome. Thank you!

Peace & bisous,

Add a comment
  1. myglammpro says:

    I have used this product & I can say its awesome πŸ™‚

  2. myglamm says:

    I Like your blog and blogging style πŸ™‚

  3. myglamm says:

    Very well written and nicely explained πŸ™‚

  4. Lauren C says:

    Au Naturale is a great lip “stain” that I love! It’s really more of a liquid lipstick than a stain though. Feels great and smells heavenly. Lily Lolo and Nudus are two other brands with great lipsticks. I’ve heard trust fund beauty is good but never have tried. I want to try 100% pure because of this article!

  5. Samnatha says:

    I Mostly used no 3.

  6. Thank for the suggest! I do! I have tubes of lip balm everywhere.

  7. Beth Theule says:

    Just wondering your thoughts on the makeup line Rejuva? They seem to score the highest on many kinds of makeup on ewpg.

  8. Karen L. says:

    ZuZu Luxe and Gabriel Cosmetics have awesome lipsticks, and an array of colors. I have used their raspberry matte color and a sheer one, as well as a nude one. Great company, USA, natural and non-toxic ingredients. I just order online, although Sprouts has Gabriel cosmetics, but not the ZuZu Luxe.

  9. Lyndsey says:

    Thank you so much for providing these lists. This team makes it so easy for us consumers and I’m beyond grateful!

  10. Mandy Stern says:

    Thanks Kris for this great list.I love the color queen bee by honeybee gardens.It is so beautiful!

  11. lylah says:

    Hi,
    Are colors toxic or harmful like Red 7 or any color followed by numbers? All the pretty colors have colors added that don’t seem “natural.” Even in these “natural” lines like Ava Anderson and Ilia, I see colors like Red 7, Red 28, etc.
    please advise.

  12. karen says:

    How are the drug store products rated such as Burt’s Bees lipsticks rated? Are there any lip products @ drugstores or @ that price point that are safer to use?
    The mascaras you list such as Organic wear by Physicians formula mascara ( which I use & Love by the way)

  13. Tatiya says:

    Hi, im so pleased to have found you, thanks for doing what you do!
    Unfortunately im not familiar with the brand names you are recommending
    are these products available in CANADA? ?

    • Lauren C says:

      Fitglow has lipglosses and lipstick, all non-toxic and AMAZING. They’re from Canada! I have to order them online! Lilly Lolo is from England but they ship everywhere.

  14. Cher says:

    I couldn’t find Zuzu lipstick rating listed for Truth or Dare on Skin deep ewg site. Maybe it’s there and I am not using the site correctly. Did you evaluate the Zuzu lipsticks ? Thanks in advance.

  15. Meredith Pinchak says:

    Would love to hear your thoughts on Arbonne products

  16. Teresa says:

    I got in on this one too late, but would add the Pacifica line for sure. Very natural I believe, lots of coconut oil, beatiful colors, and awesome smells! Great eye, lip, cheek colors, as well as eye liner, mascara, lotions, and perfume!

  17. Diane Geiger~Rodriguez says:

    Finally a true enviro~friendly product line!

  18. Stacy says:

    Hi Kris! I am a huge fan of your blogs, videos and inspirations. I am just starting out on new journey as a health coach and mentioned you and your book on my website/blog as one of my favorites!

  19. Andrea says:

    Can any one tell me where I can find these products?

  20. Kimberley says:

    I don’t often wear lippy, but am totally smitten with The Organic Skin Co lipstick – especially Flamingo and Ruby Red! They’re 100% natural, 70% certified organic, and though they’re not vegan, they are not tested on our furry friends. The rest of the make up range (except lipgloss) is certified vegan.

  21. Jayla Palmer says:

    Red Apple Lipstick makes my absolute favorite natural lipstick. They have tons of great colors and their products are really great quality. They don’t put anything bad in any of their products.

  22. Joanna Thomas says:

    I use Bare Minerals lipstick and they didn’t make your list. Did you look at them, and if so, what is in them that causes them to be off your list? Thanks πŸ™‚

  23. Liz says:

    I am in LOVE with Beautycounter’s lip sheers!!!!

  24. Bea says:

    This is good, but not all of us can shell out $35 for lip balm. Burt’s Bee’s, which btw is available nearly everywhere, does rate very well on EWG. I think a tube is less than $5.

  25. Ellen Orsa says:

    Love you for doing this and all the time and effort that went into this. Unfortunately for me, these products are out of my price range. (The same was true for the mascara challenge, too, especially with the frequency of mascara replenishment. ) I took the cruelty free pledge already and continue to do so but as great as these sound, especially with the low EWG ratings, these are not affordable. Maybe I the future if you ever do these challenges you could consider this factor? I’ve found cruelty free at drug stores, health stores and beauty supplies. xo

    • Kris Carr says:

      We will add some less expensive options–thanks Ellen. We choose the most popular brands from hundreds of submissions. But, next time we will include more. Appreciate your feedback. xo

  26. I love all of Ava Anderson non toxic products and would love for you to check them out.

  27. Desiree says:

    I love Faerie Organic line!! Everything they make is so great!! <3

  28. Kat says:

    I’m a self-proclaimed lipstick addict! At least I was until I heard all about lead in lipstick. I’m in love with Beautycounter lip sheers. The Tahitian vanilla that we use in our formula tastes and smells divine (my toddler is constantly trying to steal my lips sheers out of the diaper bag! I have pictures of him covered in the stuff as he grins from ear to ear, hahahaha!). I just wanted to add that our lips sheers also double as a blush. It’s a great way to keep your look both uniform and unique πŸ˜€

  29. Emilie says:

    I love you Kris Carr and I LOVE Beautycounter Lip Sheer! It actually won Allure’s Best of Beauty Award but unlike conventional products, it’s incredibly SAFE! I always say it feels like butter and tastes like cake. But NO artificial fragrance. I literally am in love with this lip sheer! xo

  30. Carmen says:

    Mary Kay cosmetics does not test on animals. Because I am vegan, I would love to know where they stand on the list.

    • Hi Carmen,

      Sadly, Mary Kay is not cruelty-free. Mary Kay is sold in China where animal testing is mandatory. The good news is that there are plenty of cruelty-free and vegan brands on the market.

  31. Tricia says:

    Aubrey Organics Natural Lips Sheer Tint, more a gloss than a lipstick…great ingredients, cruelty-free. Aubrey Organics should be included in any comparison of organic personal products, especially shampoo.

  32. Julie says:

    Great article thanks for the information and all the research!

  33. Sue Lyons says:

    Our “The Organic Skin Co” lipsticks are pretty special too… Cruelty free and containing a whole lot of goodness.

  34. Ava says:

    Leaping Bunny is not all Vegan FYI- they brand company’s with no animal testing and not all are animal product free. πŸ™

  35. Samantha Munoz says:

    While lipstick isn’t something I wear often, I did just discover the OCC Lip Tars, which are vegan, and I’m obsessed with the black metal dahlia color. I also like Amazonian Butter Lipstick by Tarte. I wish you would have reviewed that instead of their Lip Tint. Thanks for your testing and ratings. I actually bought a mascara from your last beauty post and loved it. Really dying for you to do a foundation post!

  36. Lisa says:

    Suzanne Somers organic lipstick.

  37. Cheryl says:

    What about Juice Beauty? I use their lip moisturizer and facial products but I’m not sure that they have lipstick. Thank you for all that you do! β™‘ Cheryl

  38. Alison Carlson says:

    Why in the world would you have lipsticks rated 3 and above on this list? And a lipstick rated 6? How did that make the list? And did you look at the Ava Anderson Non Toxic lipsticks?

    • Kris Carr says:

      Hey Alison,

      The lipsticks featured in my Roundup were picked based on readers’ votes. We tested the most popular brands so that readers could make more educated decisions about their purchases.

      Thanks! kc

  39. Chandra says:

    As a Naturopathic physician, I appreciate your “roundups” and “smackdowns”.
    However, as you are someone who is looked to by many, many women, I am disappointed that you gave a nod of approval to a lip tint with an EWG rating of 6. Currently, EWG lists 21 lipsticks that are a rating of 0 and 120 that are a rating of 1. I would have hoped to have more of your team’s review of the functionality of “cleaner” options, if the point is to encourage women to reduce their toxic burden.
    Thank you.

    • Kris Carr says:

      Hi Chandra,

      Thanks for your comment. The lipsticks featured were voted on by the community. We reviewed the most popular brands so that readers would feel empowered to make educated choices.

      Thanks, kc

  40. Megan says:

    Thank you for doing this, Great info!

  41. Diane Schuster says:

    Have you tried any of the Ava’s lipsticks? What did you think? Would love to hear your opinion!
    Diane

  42. I am not much of a lipstick gal, but I LOVE lip gloss. My favorite combo is to layer the lipsaver (with spf 30) first then top it with Brown Sugar Lip Polish both from Arbonne. It is my company but I honestly have tried SO MANY throughout my life and these 2 together not only keep my lips smooth and soft but it lasts a good few hours and looks pretty and natural. (we are vegan certified too)

  43. Becky says:

    Oh my gosh – THANK YOU! I just started wearing makeup and your mascara list was SUPER helpful! I’ve been waiting with bated breath to see this list! Thanks so much! <3

  44. Angela says:

    Oooh fun! I’ve been using ZuZu cosmetics and Dr. Hauschka for the longest time, but I want to give a few of these a try! Thanks for doing all the work finding some great products, and for sharing! x

    By the way, Kris, can you tell us which hair color you use? (Forgive me if that’s your natural color!) I just want to know if there are any good alternatives to hair color besides henna. I only know of Naturtint…

  45. Britney says:

    Can you give us a list of lipstick brands not to use?

  46. Reanna says:

    Have you ever tried Zuii? They’re one of my favorite makeup lines. There isn’t anything I haven’t tried and loved by them.

  47. Sandra says:

    I been waiting for this article for so long, thank you so much for doing this!

  48. Katy says:

    I love Arbonne’s lipstick (fav color – Earth) because it has no petroleum products in it (I’m allergic). I’d love to see where it ranks on the list though! I just bought the 100% Pure eye cream and will have to try the lipstick sometime soon.

  49. alex says:

    Great post, but you missed the BEST natural pure lip produce ever..Living libations Maidenfern blushing balm..so gorgeous. Works on all skin colour and gives a beautiful glossy finish that stays put. Everything these people make is spectacular and inspiring and takes “natural” to a whole new level

  50. Katelyn Murray-Fuerth says:

    I love 100% pure lip glaze– it’s my go-to. So creamy and moisturizing!

  51. HI Kris,
    Why you would put a company on your list that tests on animals is mind-blowing to me. At least that’s what I’m understanding the N/A means with the two companies of Beauty Counter Lip Sheer and RMS Beauty Lip2cheek. If they don’t have the bunny logo or any other that states that they do not test on animals then it evidently is not important to them and they are definitely not important to me!!!!!
    Also I don’t understand why you never have Gabriel make-up in your reviews, they have The Gabriel brand and the ZuZu Luxe brand (which is vegan)
    Please check them out http://gabrielcosmeticsinc.com/brand/zuzu-luxe/
    Thanks so much and continues health and success to you!!!!!!
    Love,
    Barb

    • Kris Carr says:

      Hi Barb,

      The list was based on the community’s votes for their favorite brands. So what you’re seeing in the Roundup are the most popular natural brands out there. My goal is to empower readers with helpful info about each brand so that they can make educated purchases.

      Although rms and Beautycounter are not certified by PETA or Leaping Bunny, they do talk about NOT testing on animals at their websites. You can read more here:

      rms: http://www.rmsbeauty.com/shop/Ingredients.php
      Beautycounter: http://www.beautycounter.com/faqs

      xo, kc

    • Kate says:

      Hi Barb,

      I panicked when I read your reply… I use rms beauty and love it! I could have sworn that they do not test on animals. I had a quick check of their website and was happy to see that they DO NOT test on animals. So pleased! So not sure what n/a means for that category in this case.
      But thanks for your reply, it got me questioning my own practices which is always a good thing!

      Regards, Kate

    • Kat says:

      Hi Barb!

      As I understand it, because Beautycounter doesn’t have it’s own manufacturing plant they cannot get those certifications. If you go to their FAQ page however, they affirm that their products are not tested on animals. (Direct quote below)

      “DO YOU TEST PRODUCTS ON ANIMALS?

      No. Beautycounter does not test any of our products on animals, nor do we ask others to do so. We do not have our own manufacturing facility; we contract with several independent formulators. These DO YOU TEST PRODUCTS ON ANIMALS?

      No. Beautycounter does not test any of our products on animals, nor do we ask others to do so. We do not have our own manufacturing facility; we contract with several independent formulators. These formulators also do not conduct animal testing.”

      Beautycounter strives to be an ecofriendly company by offsetting their carbon footprint and opting for better, more sustainable packaging (among many other things).

      • Kat says:

        (My apologies for the issue with the website quote. My tablet seems to have developed a stutter during the posting process.) The exact quote says:

        “DO YOU TEST PRODUCTS ON ANIMALS?

        No. Beautycounter does not test any of our products on animals, nor do we ask others to do so. We do not have our own manufacturing facility; we contract with several independent formulators. These formulators also do not conduct animal testing.”

  52. Holly James says:

    Love these types of post! The one thing that confuses me is the coloring for the products. What are “Lake” colorings and where do they come from? Also, I wish companie would list non-nanoparticles on the ingredient list.

  53. Sarah says:

    Well…I use Bodycology berry fiesty pink lip balm, passion berry reddish pinkish lip balm, sassy white sugar lip balm, a white lip balm skinny tube called perfectly fine. And I like fruit flavored lip balms too.

  54. As a lip balm conoissuer and well, addict, my very favorite brand is Crazy Rumors http://www.crazyrumors.com.
    All vegan, fun flavors, nice ingredients, and the perfect consistency; not too oily and not too sticky, just right! They have lip color too.
    I keep tubes of it everywhere (purse, desk, bathroom, nightstand, car, jacket pocket) to prevent the moment of panic that comes if I can’t find one. πŸ˜‰
    Does anyone else have a quirk like that about lip balm?

    • Kris Carr says:

      Thanks Allison! I’ll have to check out your quirk. πŸ˜‰

    • Anne-Laure says:

      I do! I have tubes of lip balm everywhere πŸ™‚ My favourite is Weleda not sure you have in the US!

    • green cowgirl says:

      Response to crazy rumors lip balms. these cannot be all natural if they are using lip flavoring(banana , velevet cake,etc) Unless they are essential oils or extracts the flavoring they neglect to describe in detail on their website would be synthetic as well as whatever preservative used in the flavorings base. Look for Organic balm bases with essential oil for the scent/flavor (vaniila, peppermint, cinnamon, clove, lemongrass)

      • em-squared says:

        They DO describe the flavorings in detail on their website:

        Natural & Organic Flavors/ Essential Oils
        A variety of flavors obtained from a common distillation process. Flavor sources are derived from one or more of the following depending on the specific flavor: spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material. Natural flavors include the natural essence or extractives obtained from plants. (Source: http://crazyrumors.com/ingredients)

  55. Kim says:

    Thanks for these great suggestions Kris! It’s so wonderful to see more and more safer options available to women. Kiss approved!

  56. gabby says:

    Thank you for your time and research. I was wondering where Burts Bees fell on the chart? I love their lip shimmer and gloss.

  57. Lisa says:

    rms colors modest and demure are my faves for lips and cheeks. Then I just add a little gloss or tan matte to tone down the pinkyness of demure

  58. Cassie says:

    Did you evaluate Lush lip products? Just curious if they did okay or not. Thanks!

  59. Thanks Kris for this great list. Does the EWG rating change based on the colour or can we look to the lipstick line and feel confident about changing colours to what works for us knowing that the rating is the same.

    Thanks for always thinking about our health.

    Jo-Ann Blondin

  60. I LOVE 100% Pure! So happy to see it made it to the top of your list… and “Coquette” is my color πŸ™‚ I tried many, many, many πŸ™‚ natural brands before finding and falling in love with this one. The look, feel and smell is perfect. If you haven’t switched to natural lipstick yet… try this!

  61. Karen says:

    I love Pacifica, they have lipstick, gloss and tints. Devocean is their newest and pretty long lasting. All vegan, gluten free and cruelty free.

  62. Kristina says:

    Hi!
    TY for this..Did you find that any of them stayed on the Best..I use lip stain and would love to change!
    THX
    K

  63. Tracy kropp says:

    The color queen bee by honeybee gardens is fantastic! It’s their signature red.

  64. Tania says:

    Hi there!

    Thank you very much for this article!!! Do you happen to know if “Red Apple Lipstick” is safe to use??? I recently bought 1 that I loved, so I am curious…

    Thanks in advance πŸ™‚

  65. Debbie says:

    Any tips for lipsticks not bleeding into lips lines?

    • karen says:

      A lip liner helps quite a bit. I use benecos which is from a natural cosmetic company.

    • Hi Debbie,

      To keep lip color from traveling into fine lines, using a lipliner would be helpful. Also, choose a lipstick that has a more matte finish, rather than creamy or glossy. It will stay put longer. If you still want a little shine, add gloss or balm only to the center of the lips.

      Hope that’s helpful!
      XO, Rebecca

  66. Catherine says:

    Afterglow cosmetics is my fave. They use organic ingredients and are certified gluten free which is a big deal for me since I have to be gluten free. Their lipsticks are soft and moisturizing which I LOVE!

    • Hillary says:

      I also love Afterglow Cosmetics. My skin changed so much when I switched to their product line- no more breaks outs and allergic reactions. πŸ™‚ The lipsticks are so soft! I also love that they fully disclose what ingredients are being used. Nothing to hide. πŸ™‚

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