What Is Lipstick Made Of?
Even when I started this blog and did some deep research into shampoos, skincare, and mattresses, I still did not know what lipsticks were made of. Once, my mom, my sister, and I made a special trip to Sephora for a particular lipstick because it was rated 1 in the EWG Skin Deep database. Later, when I learned a thing or two about ingredients of lipstick, I realized that it was rated 1 because the EWG did not have a full list of its ingredients. Indeed, the list featured only waxes and oils as well as 3 or 4 other ingredients but missed colorants.
In the meantime, colorants are a must in lipstick to achieve various lipstick shades and can affect its final safety rating substantially. So, in this post, you will learn about what lipstick is made of, and what lipstick ingredients are best to avoid. Plus, you will learn about the safest lipstick, in my opinion, and what makes it safe. Also, read on to find out what connection cochineal insects have to lipstick!
What Is Lipstick Made Of?
To begin, for you to like your lipstick, you would probably prefer it to be:
- soft enough for smooth application
- evenly toned and not drying to your lips
- pleasant to smell
- durable on your lips
- solid at room temperature, and
- unbreakable with light force on it.
To achieve all that, cosmetic companies use a variety of ingredients in lipstick formulations, the most common of which are:
- oils
- waxes
- pigments
- solvents
- emollients
- fragrance, and
- preservatives.
Check out the table below to see the functions of these ingredients in lipstick.
Ingredients of Lipstick | Functions | Examples of both safe and what I consider risky ingredients (read more below) |
Oil | Affects the intensity of the lipstick composition: the higher the oil amount, the sheerer the application. | Castor oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, palm oil, sweet almond oil, olive oil, mineral oil, lanolin, triglycerides, cyclomethicone, dimethicone. |
Wax base | Imparts shape, enables easy application, and produces gloss, effectiveness, and grip for the lipstick. | Candelilla wax, tallow wax, carnauba wax, ozokerite, ceresin, hard paraffin wax. |
Pigments (aka “colorants” or “dyes”) | Responsible for lipstick shade. | Synthetic: red lake, blue lake etc. Mineral: titanium dioxide, iron oxides. |
Solvent | Dissolves waxes and oils. | Alcohol (e.g., cetyl alcohol). |
Emollient | Moisturizing agent that helps soften and hydrate your lips. | Shea butter, cocoa butter, Isopropyl Palmitate (IPP), isopropyl myristate (IPM). |
Fragrance | Masks the scent of chemicals in colorants, waxes, and oils found in lipsticks; helps the lipstick smell and taste pleasant. | Aka “aroma,” “natural fragrance,” “flavor,” “parfum.” |
Preservative | Prevents the growth of microorganisms and extends the shelf life of the product. | Phenoxyethanol, parabens, BHT. |
What Ingredients To Avoid In Lipstick
Generally speaking, waxes and oils make up about 60% of the lipstick, and alcohol and pigments constitute about 25%. The remaining 15% goes to the supplemental ingredients, where fragrance accounts for 1% or less of the mixture (source).
It is important to understand that the degree of safety of the ingredients in each group described above varies. Thus, for the “oil” part, castor oil or almond oil are safer choices than mineral oil because the latter is a petroleum-based product and may contain harmful contaminants. Likewise, for the wax base, candelilla wax and carnauba wax are safer choices than paraffin wax because it is also a petroleum-based ingredient. For the same reason, mineral pigments are safer than synthetic ones, and some preservatives are safer than others.
Simply put, some cosmetic companies use safer ingredients for their lip color products than others. In fact, in my Guide to a Safe Lip Color, I go over the ingredients of about 50 lip color products so you can choose the best and the safest one for yourself. Based on my opinion of their degree of safety (based on scientific research), I have divided the ingredients of lipstick into those of “no concern,” “low concern,” and “medium-to-high concern.” Consequently, depending on the degree of concern of their ingredients, I grouped the investigated lip products into “best,” “better,” and “not a fan” subcategories. For instance, lipsticks by Estee Lauder, Chanel, Farmasi, Fenty, Tarte, and several other brands ended up in the “not a fan” category due to ingredients that I consider of medium-to-high concern.
Let’s discuss some of the ingredients to avoid in lipstick (for a more comprehensive list, turn to my Guide to a Safe Lip Color):
- butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
- carmine
- ethoxylated ingredients
- fragrance
- petrolatum
- phenoxyethanol, and
- synthetic colorants.
Butylated Hydroxytoluene
To start with, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) functions as a preservative and antioxidant in many products, including cosmetics.
I consider this an ingredient of high concern because, first, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is conducting its assessment as to whether it is endocrine disrupting, and second, it is a suspected carcinogen (source).
While preservatives in cosmetic products are necessary, in my opinion there are safer options on the market. Also, the mere presence of BHT in your cosmetic product does not mean that it is bound to cause cancer or mess with your hormones. Nevertheless, I believe that cosmetic companies should not use potential carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, especially in products that we put on our lips. Hence, I avoid lipstick and other products with BHT.
Carmine
Next, carmine is a pigment of animal origin produced from cochineal insects that live as parasites on cactus plants. Specifically, cosmetic companies use it in red lipstick shades.
The main concern with carmine is its association with severe allergic reactions. Thus, in this study, researchers concluded that the route of first sensitization to carmine was via skin and suggested that using highly purified carmine in cosmetics is desirable. And this study reviews 22 cases of immediate allergy, including anaphylaxis, to cochineal dye. Thirteen of these cases involved a past history of local symptoms associated with the use of cosmetics.
Ethoxylated Ingredients
Further, ethoxylated ingredients are those that look like “polysorbate-number,” “PEG-number,” or words ending in “-eth” (e.g., Polysorbate-60, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Steareth-20). In cosmetic products, they can function as emulsifiers.
The main concern is their manufacturing process, which involves carcinogenic ethylene oxide. As a result, the produced ingredient may have the residues of ethylene oxide as well as of a potential by-product of the process of ethoxylation, a carcinogen called 1,4 dioxane.
Again, because I know that safer ingredients with the same functions exist and making non-toxic lipstick is possible, I believe cosmetic companies should select safer ingredients for their products.
Fragrance
In most cases, fragrance adds a pleasant smell and flavor to your lipstick. However, its main function is to mask the unpleasant odor of toxic chemicals used in the formulation. In other words, if your lipstick did not contain toxic chemicals, it would not need fragrance.
One of the main concerns about fragrance, including so-called “natural” fragrance, is that it is a mix of multiple ingredients. Many of these ingredients are allergens and sensitizers, and some are even associated with endocrine disruption and an increased risk of cancer. This, by the way, is one of the reasons makeup can be bad for your skin.
Moreover, because U.S. law does not require cosmetic companies to disclose their fragrance ingredients, as consumers, we do not fully know what is inside of the products we are using. Hence, I avoid products with fragrance (variously listed as “aroma,” “flavor,” “parfum,” and “natural fragrance”). Additionally, I do not appreciate it when, in response to my request to disclose their ingredients, companies reply by claiming that the ingredients in their fragrance are a “trade secret” or “proprietary information.” Personally, I believe that as consumers we have a right to know what they are trying to sell to us.
Petrolatum
Another ingredient on the list of lipstick ingredients to avoid is petrolatum, or petroleum jelly. Its main function in personal care and cosmetic products is to moisturize. Indeed, it has a melting point close to body temperature; hence, it softens upon application and forms a water-repellant film on the area of application. The film creates an effective barrier against the evaporation of the skin’s natural moisture. In addition, petrolatum is odorless and colorless and has a long shelf life, which is what makes it a popular ingredient in cosmetics.
The main concern is that it is a byproduct of the petroleum refining process. If not properly refined, petrolatum can contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminants, some of which are considered carcinogenic (source). The confirmation of proper refinement is possible if the manufacturer provides a complete refining history. In my experience, I haven’t met that manufacturer yet.
For your information, the European Union considers petrolatum “carcinogenic” and has banned it from use in cosmetic products unless the full refining history is known (source and source).
Ultimately, if there are safer substitutes of emollients (moisturizing agents), including shea butter and cocoa butter, why use such a questionable ingredient as petrolatum?
Phenoxyethanol
In my Savvy Consumer Superpower E-book, I refer to phenoxyethanol as a “middle-of-the-road” preservative. Indeed, while it is definitely better than such preservatives as BHT, methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone, benzisothiazolinone, and formaldehyde-releasers, it has some concerns.
Specifically, the main concern is that phenoxyethanol in skin care is a potential allergen. Due to its manufacturing process, it may contain residues of corrosive phenol and carcinogenic ethylene oxide. When it comes to phenoxyethanol being one of the ingredients of lipstick, I consider it an ingredient of high concern. Indeed, your mouth is the door to your digestive system, and I wouldn’t want you to ingest any toxic ingredients. For this reason, I encourage you to make a habit of wiping off your lipstick before eating, drinking, and kissing.
As I have mentioned, safer preservatives as well as non-toxic lipstick exist in the market. Stay with me to find out which lip color product works best for me!
Synthetic Colorants
Finally, colorants (aka “pigments” or “dyes”) are necessary to create various lipstick shades.
The main concern with synthetic colorants (e.g., red lake, blue lake, yellow lake) is that they are made from petroleum. Hence, they may contain residues of heavy metals and carcinogenic and/or endocrine-disrupting byproducts of petroleum. You don’t want cadmium or lead in lipstick, do you? On top of that, some synthetic colorants are linked to carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, and hypersensitivity (source).
It is possible to create lipstick shades with mineral pigments, such as titanium dioxide and iron oxides. (Note that titanium dioxide is not a concerning ingredient when used in solid products as opposed to powdered ones. Please read more about titanium dioxide in my Guide to a Safe Lip Color.)
Although mineral pigments may have residues of heavy metals (because they are part of the earth’s crust), they do not have contaminants related to petroleum. And as for heavy metals in makeup, it is important to request 3rd-party heavy metal test reports from cosmetic companies to see whether they exceed maximum limits.
Bottom line, it is crucial to trust companies whose products you want to purchase. This brings me to the safest lipstick I use and love.
Safest Lipstick I Use And Love
My favorite non-toxic makeup and skincare company is Crunchi. In fact, I use almost every makeup product they make (use the ADVOCATE10 code for 10% off on your 1st purchase of $50+):
- eyeliner
- eyebrow pencil
- eyeshadow
- bronzer
- blush
- foundation
- highlighter
- concealer
- translucent finishing powder, and even
- makeup brushes.
As for their lip color products, I just love Crunchi lip crayons that consist of the following ingredients:
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax*, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Kaolin, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, May Contain (-/+): Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Cl 77891), Iron Oxides (Cl 77491, Cl 77492, Cl 77499), Manganese Violet (Cl 77742). *Certified Organic Ingredients.
Let’s look at them closely:
- Oil: certified organic castor oil (note that “castor oil” and “PEG 40 hydrogenated castor oil” are not the same ingredients; the latter is an ethoxylated ingredient that we discussed above and is an ingredient to avoid in lipstick).
- Wax base: candelilla wax and certified organic carnauba wax.
- Emollients: caprylic/capric triglyceride, certified organic shea butter, and cetyl alcohol (not a true astringent alcohol).
- Emulsifier: cetyl alcohol.
- Thickeners: glyceryl ricinoleate and cetyl alcohol.
- Antioxidants: ascorbyl palmitate and tocopherol.
- Pigments: mineral (kaolin, mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, manganese violet).
- Fragrance: none.
As you can see, the ingredients of Crunchi lip crayons are safe. Plus, I know that Crunchi 3rd-party tests their products for heavy metals and the results are way below even the strictest safety limits. No doubt, using Crunchi non-toxic makeup and skincare products gives me peace of mind. (You can use ADVOCATE10 code for 10% off on your 1st purchase of $50+.)
Summary Of What Lipsticks Are Made Of
Although Lipstick Formulations Are Fundamentally Similar, Some Cosmetic Companies Use Safer Ingredients For Their Lipstick Than Others.
To sum up, lipsticks are made of a variety of ingredients, such as oils, waxes, solvents, emollients, preservatives, pigments, and fragrance (there are fragrance-free formulations, too).
In your lipstick, you want non-toxic ingredients, including natural waxes and plant-based oils (as opposed to petroleum-based ones). And for the colorants, you want mineral pigments (as opposed to synthetic ones which are derived from petroleum). In addition, choose safer preservatives, antioxidants, and emollients. And as for fragrance, I would avoid products with fragrance altogether.
In short, some of the ingredients to avoid in lipstick include (see a more comprehensive list in my Guide to a Safe Lip Color):
- butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
- carmine
- ethoxylated ingredients
- fragrance
- petrolatum
- phenoxyethanol, and
- synthetic colorants.
As for me, my favorite non-toxic makeup brand is Crunchi, and I use and love their safe and fragrance-free lipstick. In fact, before this woman-owned small business emerged, I did not wear any lipstick at all! Check out how different lipstick shades of Crunchi lip crayons look on me.
Also, browse the I Read Labels For You blog for the most recent posts on healthy living, visit my non-toxic products shop, download my e-books, and contact me for a consultation if you need help in your journey to a healthier life.
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