Top 8 Safe Cosmetic Brands in the U.S. 2009 + 1 from Australia (Updated 9-3-09)
The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database Ratings, from 0-2, are in the parentheses after the specific product. 0-2 is the safe range, 0 being completely non-toxic. The EWG rating system is not perfect and it is important to review the ingredients on products. However, it is a fantastic starting place for learning about ingredients and possible toxicity. Some companies have been known to not send in the full listing and thus rate higher than they should and some ingredients have been entered into the system in such a manner as to come out in the toxic range when it is not at all toxic. See the Misinformation of “Skin Deep” on the Sukipure website if you are interested in knowing more about the strengths and weaknesses of the EWG skin deep database. Overall I am a huge believer in the work of the Environmental Working Group and this incredible database. No one can expect it to be perfect. People just have to be aware.
Scroll to the bottom for more details about each company.
1. Coastal Classic Creations (First Place!)
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
www.coastalclassiccreations.com
Top EWG ratings (0) for everything!!! lipstick, lipliner, eyeshadow, eyeliner, body powder, blush, bronzer, concealer
If you want to learn about cosmetic ingredients. Visit their
website. They are not just offering products they are offering
the truth! So rare! I simply cannot say enough about them.
If you have tried their lipstick let me know what you think.
EWG Rating (0) blush, Coastal classic creations blush stargazer
EWG Rating (0) blush, Coastal classic creations creme blush seascape
EWG Rating (0) blush, Coastal classic creations creme blush driftwood
EWG Rating (0) bronzer, Coastal classic creations blush secluded cove bronzer
EWG Rating (0) bronzer, Coastal classic creations bronzer secluded cove
EWG Rating (0) bronzer, Coastal classic creations bronzer beach tan
EWG Rating (0) brow liner, Coastal classic creations montara mountain brown/blond brow liner
EWG Rating (0) concealer, Coastal classic creations concealer . Refreshing Mist concealer
EWG Rating (0) eyeliner, Coastal Classic Creations Coastal Evenings Eyeliner
EWG Rating (0) eyeshadow
EWG Rating (0) Loose powder, Coastal Classic Creations Refreshing Mist Loose Powder , (Tan & Umber), Tinted Loose Powder (beige & Ivory)
EWG Rating (0) Loose Powder, Coastal Classic Creations Refreshing Mist Loose Powder, nontinted and tinted
EWG Rating (0) Lipliner, Coastal Classic Creations lipliner ‘Canyon’ (copper), Shell (chocolate brown), sparkling seas (indigo plum), seacliff (wine), ida’s rose (dark rose),
EWG Rating (0) Lipsticks, Coastal Classic Creations Lipstick in Canyon (copper), Inland Seas (brick red), Wetlands (red), Sand (coral), Golden Sun (cinnamon), Marine Reserve (light rose), Whitecaps (nude), Shell (light mocha), Ida Rose (dark rose), Sparkling Seas (indigo plum), Seacoast (red orange), Seacliff (wine), Coastal Desert (goldenrod),
EWG Rating (0) Liptint, Coastal Classic Creations Liptint
EWG Rating (0) Mascara, Coastal Classic Creations Whispering Seas Mascara
EWG Rating (0) Body Powder, Coastal Classic Creations Wave Crest Body Powder
From the home page of their website:
What makes Coastal Classic Creations unique is our careful and deliberate omission of carcinogenic toxicants from our ingredient deck. We also strive to eliminate chemical irritants from our products by choosing not to use ingredients which are known or strongly suspected of causing harm to all forms of life. Our products contain no nano-sized particles, mica metallic oxides, bismuth oxychloride, ferric ammonium ferrocyanide, zinc oxide, dimethicone, or titanium dioxide. They also do not contain carmine, synthetic fragrance oils, parabens, Germaben II, FD&C or Lake colorants, propylene glycol, stearalkonium chloride, phthalates, alpha lipoic acid, formaldehyde, urea, alcohol, copolymers, lead or its mineral compounds, placenta, mercury, dioxane, lanolin, sulfates, hydroquinone, or petrochemicals. We use no genetically modified ingredients.
2. Zosimos Botanicals
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
Top EWG ratings (1) for their concealers, foundations, eye shadow, shimmer dust, eye liner pencils, blush, lip & cheek tint, shadow sticks, lip liners, lip gloss, lipsticks
Top EWG rating (2) for their new formula mineral foundations, mineral blushes, & mineral eyeshadows
(1) Concealer Stick
(1) Primer prep
(1) blush
(1) eyeshadow mineral powder
(1) Eye Pencil
(1) eyeshadow stick
(1) lipgloss
(1) lipstick
(1) primer prep foundation, Flax, bamboo, cashmere, gazelle, chestnut, beige linen, antique lace, chamois and more
(1) body powder, Shimmer Dust Body Powder, in Cherry Blossom, Cocoa, Sunflower
(1) lip and cheek tint,
(1) lipliner, Lilac, Peachfuzz, Rosebud, Burgundy, Fushia, Rasberry
(1) blush, Zosimos Botanicals Natural Flush Mineral Blush (2)
3. Jane Iredale
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
(1) Active Light under-eye concealer
(1) Zap & Hide blemish concealer
(1) Blush/bronzer/highlighter 24-Karat Gold Rose Gold, Aquamarine
(1) Eyeshadow – Gold Dust
(1) Eyeshadow – One for All
(1) PureBrow Fix & Mascara
(1) Eye gloss
(1) Lipliner
(1) Liquid Eyeliner
(1) Pencil lip/eyeliner
Substances that most commonly cause these sensitivities are chemical preservatives, chemical dyes (usually labeled as FD&C), perfume and alcohol. Our makeup contains none of these sensitizers. All of our products have undergone sensitivity testing in an FDA-approved laboratory with zero sensitivity recorded.
ELLE, 2008 Beauty Green Stars, Best Bronzer - Sunbeam
ELLE, 2008 Beauty Green Stars, Best Eye Shadow
Allure, 2008
Best of Beauty Award,
Best Natural Selection, Circle\Delete Concealer
4. Miessence-From Australia,
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
Top EWG Rating
(0-1) lip creme
(1) for their blush
(1) face powder
(1) concealer
(1)bronzer/highlighter
(1) shimmer creme blush/lipstick and
(1) lip balm
5. Rejuva Minerals
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
From their website:
Rejuva Minerals are 100% free from Parabens, harsh chemicals or toxins, synthetic preservatives or fragrances, nanoparticles, micronized minerals and GMO’s. We have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, are members of PETA’s Cruelty Free Program and do no animal testing. Rejuva Minerals loose powders are developed in the USA in an FDA Certified lab.
Top EWG ratings .
(1) eyeshadow
(1) for bronzer Purely Basic in Golden Glow & Bronze Glow
(0) Purely Basic foundation powder
(0) Purely Basic blush
(0) Mineral makeup organic botanicals foundation
6. Terra Firma
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
Top EWG ratings (1) for their bronzers, blush, lip stains, lip gloss, finishing powder
7. Gourmet Body Treats
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
Top EWG ratings (1) for their liquid eyeliner,
(1) Vegan eye pencil
(1) Anti-aging lipstick
(1) glossy lip plumper
(1) GBT liquid eyeliner
(1)Vegan lipliner
8. RMS Beauty
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
the minerals in RMS beauty products are guaranteed to be in their raw, uncorrupted form, without silicone, paraben preservatives, or other chemical coatings. Minerals in nanoparticle form have been avoided as they are small enough to penetrate cells in the lungs, and studies have shown them to be toxic to animals. The vitamin E used has not been genetically modified. Rosemary extract is used for the preservative.
Top EWG ratings
(1) for their un cover up,
(1) eye shadow- living luminizer
(1) lip2cheek blush/lipstick, and
(1) lip & skin balm.
9. Earth’s Beauty
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
(0) Mineral colours foundation powder
(1) Lipstick
(1) face concealer
(1) Mineral Colours Blush
From their website:
Developed for those who are sensitive or allergic to traditional cosmetics. Because we use minimal ingredients, the products are in the loose powder form. We use ingredients such as arrowroot and iron oxides. To achieve an SPF face powder we add such ingredients as kaolin clay, magnesium stearate, and zinc oxide. There is no titanium dioxide in our products which can be drying to the skin in a powder form. OUR PRODUCTS DO NOT CONTAIN NANO PARTICLES. We do not use ingredients that are known health hazards for humans or the environment.
A Few More For Good Measure
10. Beauty with a Cause (something is wrong with their website)
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
(1) Lip sheers
(1) Lip gloss
(1) Lip shimmers
(1) Lip brilliant
11. ColoreScience
MANY ARE NOT IN THE SAFE RANGE
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
(1) Blush – Genie Matte in Pink A Boo & Brown About it
Sparkle in Deception, Plum Crazy
(1) Highlighters – White Haute, Ice Collection
Genie Sparkle, My Pink Cadillac & Guilty Conscience
(1) Eyeshadows -Genie Sparkle & Genie Matte
12. Cleure Cosmetics
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
Top EWG ratings
(1) for their mineral mascara and
(1) high impact mineral lipstick
Most cosmetic products contain salicylates, mineral oil, petroleum by-products and other potentially harmful ingredients. On the other hand, many mineral makeup use the micronized form of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which can pose health risks. According to the Environmental Working Group, exposure to the micronized form of these ingredients can cause neurotoxicity and allergies that you certainly do not want from your mineral makeup.
- FREE of Talc
- FREE of Salicylates
- FREE of Fragrances
- FREE of Dyes
- FREE of Parabens
- FREE of Bismuth Oxychloride (which can clog your pores)
- Non-Comedogenic (prevents clogged pores)
13. Cosmic Tree Essentials
Look up the exact colors and products in the database
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
Cosmic Tree Essentials Apricot Truffle Lip Balm, Turkish Delight & Apricot Truffle Lip Care Confection EWG Rating (0
Essentials lip gloss (1)
Essentials lip care confection (0)
Lip Care confections lipstick (1)
From their website: Cruelty-free cosmetics hand crafted with your general well-being and the Earth’s sustainability in mind. Our cosmetics feature raw, organic and fair trade botanicals that have been used through the ages and stood the test of time. We’re proud to see many of our products ranked in the top 10 per cent in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetic safety database.
14. 100 Percent Pure www.100percentpure.com
Not rated by Skin Deep yet.
Great lip stains/glosses and lip and cheek tints!! See the bronzers, blushes, mascara, face powders, foundations, concealers, and lip palette
no synthetic chemicals
no parabens or other toxic preservatives
no sulfates or other harsh detergents
no artificial fragrances or colors
no alcohol
no phthalates
no petro-chemicals
no propylene glycol or PEGs
no animal by-products
no toxins
no fillers – never watered down with water,
thickeners, emulsifiers or other fillers
Thank you for the list. I’ve been looking into finding some new safer cosmetic brands.
I like the Rejuva Minerals brand. Of course, I’m not predjudice just because the line belongs to my sister! Love you Bean – your seester Cindy.
Sisters rock.
Love your site!
Have you heard of a line called Thymes? It’s out of MN and I can buy it at my local organic market, but EWG/Skin Deep has no info on it.
Hey there,
I really enjoyed the list! I am with Miessence, so I was really excited to see we made the list! I am really proud of the product!
In looking at some of the websites I am most impressed with the ingredients in Coastal Creations and Rejuva Minerals. However, I haven’t looked through all 8 companies and I haven’t tried any of the products. I used to use Aubrey Organics makeup but they changed their line and started adding titanium dioxide, mica, etc. I try to get the least of these possible which is why I think I am going to try Coastal and/or Rejuva.
Hi Beth,
You simply cannot go wrong with the Coastal Classic Creations. Great choice.
If you have any questions about Cleure, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I will give you my unbiased opinion on the products I use and don’t use and why.
Thanks Heather,
I would like to go with the Coastal Creations, but it is a bit expensive without getting samples for color and texture. One thing I like about Rejuva is that they have samples for $3.50 for almost all items, as opposed to paying $25 for a whole jar of mineral powder (for example). Anyway, I’m still not sure which way to go…Has anyone used either of these lines for their mineral foundations, concealers, and blushes.
I have used the Honeybee Gardens after severe eyeliner and mascara allergies.
The product is Honeybee Gardens Jobacolors Eyeliner EWG Rating (0)
I like the company, don’t get me wrong. But I am reacting severely to the product. I am a late reacter to the better products, so I test them and it takes about two weeks for my skin to react.
If any of you have eye makeup allergies, this product didnt work.
Back to the drawing board.
any of these brands available in Australia or Singapore? Where to purchase them besides online purchasing? Thanks
I just ordered a bunch of Coastal Creations products recently. I bought the sample-sized products in a gift bag. I hadn’t noticed that as an option originally…..I’ll report back on them when I receive and try them–I hope I like them because the ingredients are really healthy!!!!!
I would love to hear your feedback on them. Everything you have to tell will be helpful. Thanks so much for letting me know! Yes the ingredients are truly a nontoxic miracle:)
Hi fellow health conscious people,
I recently received my purchase from Coastal Creations. Overall I am very impressed and will definitely be purchasing more from them in the future. I like some products better than others so far, but again overall am very, very pleased. I recommend buying the “gift bag” which allows you to get 6 sample products for $25. That way you can play around with what colors and products are right for you before buying larger quantities for more. OK, now for some specifics. My favorites so far are:
1) The mascara–all natural ingredients, goes on really natural, no clumps. The coverage is a little less heavy than mascaras from other companies, but more natural looking and this is a definite re-purchase.
2) The eyebrow filler in dark brown–the best eyebrow filler I have ever used–so natural. Must use a light application or it will spill onto your face.
3) The eye current drift cream. Visibly reduces my “crow’s feet” significantly. Makes me look younger (I am 42).
4) The coastal sanctuary face cream and ocean current face cream also go on really nice–They do leave the face a bit shiny before you put on your foundation (I happen to like a little shine though because I think it looks healthy. After you use the foundation though, it will bring you back to a matte finish if that is what you want.
5) The powder-to-liquid eye liner. Well, I am really excited about this one too. I have always used pencil liners in the past and I didn’t think that this powder liner was going to work for me because I like the liner to be very close to my lower eyelid. However, it really does allow you to do this. However, I think it works so well because I also purchased the bamboo eye pencil which you really need to get the liner exactly where you want it
5) The clear lip gloss–if you are looking for a natural ingredients clear lip gloss, this is fine, though not as shiny as I might like–but I’d rather have safe makeup,
OK, now for what I don’t like as much.
–The base foundation, loose foundation, base concealer, and loose concealer–well, they don’t provide as much coverage as I would have liked and don’t go on quite as smoothly as other companies (other companies have more toxins of course that is probably what accounts for the difference). I am still playing around with the application though, so perhaps I will get better at it. Same thing with the blush. Also, I’m still experimenting with the colored lipstick and not sure about it yet.
I do recommend you call the company with questions beforehand as Jane can talk you through what you might need . Also, the products did take a bit of time to arrive, so you may have to be patient. The presentation of the package was highly personalized and I almost felt like it was made with a loving hand.
If anyone has any specific questions, you can email me at perfecthealth99@aol.com or I will check back at this site once in a while.
btw–Heather, thanks for starting this great site.
Wow! Thank you Beth for the thorough review! Are you by any chance affiliated with Coastal Classic Creations and/or a friend of the owner?
Hello,
What do think about Eco Nvey… I have heard it is very good and safe makeup line…. thanx
Hi Heather,
I just noticed your question above….No, I am in no way affiliated with the company, nor do I have any friends there. I know the name “Jane” because that is who I spoke to when I called them to ask questions about their products. With more time passing to experiment with the products, I pretty much stand by my review above–some of the products I really love, and others not as much, as described in my previous post.
Great!
Just to point out – the “safety” data in the “Skin Deep” project is actually missing quite a lot of information. In other cases, the overall product rating doesn’t obviously “add up” from the ingredients.
To take one example, the “Coastal Classics ‘Coral Sea’ Blush” product contains “iron oxide red” pigment. “Skin Deep” notes that “iron oxide” pigments have a “data gap” of “79%”, and that the data available show that iron oxide pigments can be absorbed through the skin and bioaccumulate (persist in the body without being removed). The pigment alone has a “score” of 2. Somehow the product still gets a “score” of 0.
I’m not saying that this product isn’t safe, or that it’s a bad idea to be aware of what we put in and on our bodies. But that means being really aware of it, not just taking someone else’s word for it.
Thank you for stressing again that “The EWG rating system is not perfect” and people need to research the ingredients in other places in addition. (See the Misinformation of “Skin Deep” on the Sukipure website). Do I hear any volunteers for improving the EWG’s database? We’d love that! I am aware from your blog post “Prove It’s Safe” that you think it is silly to “require manufacturers to prove the safety of their products before they are allowed to sell them”, that profits would disappear if companies are required to test their products, and that the threats have not yet been clearly defined. You do sound suspiciously like a member of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association! So far the EPA’s lax policies have sided with you and favored chemical makers. Unfortunately these days women, (and men) need chemistry PhDs and a lot of time in order to understand what truly could have significant negative effects. We are not talking mere skin rashes. It is no secret that this is not a simple matter. However, thankfully, many of the threats (cancer, male and female fertility/reproductive abnormalities, miscarriages, developmental disabilities) have been more clearly defined and understood over the last couple decades. (See my posts on Dr. Samuel S. Epstein, Dr. Alan Green, Dr. John Peterson Myers, Dr. Richard A. Denison) I am also happy to say that a lot of quality testing and analysis has already been done on many of the ingredients and ingredient combinations used in personal care and cleaning products and much of it is already being used in Europe to help monitor product safety. Investigative Journalist Mark Shapiro talks about this in his great book, “Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products.” It would be wonderful to have a similar system here in the US.
I love EWG, but one issue I have with their system is that a product that is certified organic (which means it is certified to food-grade standards because there is no certification for personal care products) is not necessarily ranked higher than a product that is not certified organic, and therefore, could have pesticide residue.
Also, on their sunscreen list they repeatedly note the dangers of oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, etc but give products with that ingredient higher ratings than products that do not contain any of the harmful sunscreens.
But, overall, they do a great job, and the more we keep encouraging them to work on their processes, the better they will get.
I have noticed the same thing about the EWG/Skin Deep report….That products will get low scores from 0-2 and then when one examines the specific risks they will say things along the lines of “risk of cancer, hormone disruption, etc” and yet still give such a low score. I use the EWG report as a starting point only and then research from there. It seems that pretty much all makeup has iron oxides to give color. This might have problems but I have yet to find any makeup that doesn’t have iron oxides. If anyone can find some, PLEASE let us know here…..Then there are issues like titanium dioxide, mica, etc, which most people seem to think are safe, but that is not clear. Then most makeup has tons of other ingredients too. So at least the companies noted above in Heather’s blog are the lesser of the evils, if we want to continue wearing makeup. By the way, there is a company called Terresentials that has a very healthy line of skin care products (I use the fragrance free line). However, they do not have makeup, as they don’t believe there is any safe makeup.
In reference to the EWG ratings you are speaking of– I’m pretty sure Coastal Classic Creations’ iron oxides recieve a 0 instead of a 2 because theirs are NOT nanoparticles, unlike other companies’ iron oxides that are manufactured small enough to slip into the skin and brain. This is something they discuss on their site. And no, I am not in any way affiliated with the company. I just noticed this while researching various products for personal use. Cheers!
@ Heather:
“You do sound suspiciously like a member of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association!”
No, I’m an analytical chemist. Part of my work is on new ways to detect pollutants and toxic chemicals that are just starting to be commercialized. So I’m not an industry hack or a lobbyist. I’m well aware that many products are found to be dangerous, often only after they’ve been widely used. (Not to plug my own work, but perhaps my article on nanoparticles will give a more balanced view of my position on safety/product testing/etc.) And I agree that efforts such as “Skin Deep” are worthwhile. I very much appreciate their intent to attach a numerical hazard rating to ingredients or products, so that people can eventually assess the risks for themselves. One very often sees a mindset of “avoid even the tiniest trace of ______”, when perhaps this would be excessively cautious even when all the effects are fully understood. (By way of analogy — we all agree that eating refined sugar causes obesity and cavities. But, there’s a big difference between the effects of eating a gram of sugar a day and a kilogram of sugar a day!)
Thank you for your thought provoking, informative comments and interesting blog post. I love to hear different points of view from passionate people.
Hi,
I have been looking for a very safe foundation powder and blush powder. I had found that by ingredients, Rejuva and Coastal Classic Creations had the best to offer (with just iron oxides as well as either rice or organic cornstarch, respectively, as the base. However, I tried the samples from both these companies for the foundations and the base and found the foundations really didn’t offer much coverage or glide on evenly and the blushes also did not glide on evenly–and were difficult to spread with a cotton ball or makeup swedge. So hence the search continues, as I am so health conscious that I really try to avoid things even like mica, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide–none of which are considered totally safe….Some say that what we take in through the skin is even more toxic to our bodies because it is not filtered through the liver the way food is.
Thank you for your informative comment Andrea! I really appreciate the time you’ve taken to let others know your experience with some of the products listed above. This will benefit many.
Note on Dermablend concealer from someone who just wrote in to me: “I personally have never tried dermablend, I just have a couple of friends who say it is thick and really hard to get a great skin match because of it’s thickness. But I have seen a lot of good reviews so I am not saying they are bad, just that I don’t want to use something really thick!”
Thank you for your great information! Keep up the good work! We are like-minded in doing things naturally! I’ve been using a line from Shaklee for many years and have loved the results! It has a patented VitC + E formula to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and firm up skin. Thanks again for all the info!
Hi,
Re safe Cosmetic Brands/Companies etc, do you have any information about Neways International?
I will just put it this way. It is not on any of my lists for a reason.
I haven’t heard anyone mention Jane Iredale… has anyone tried her line? Also, I am looking for suggestions on face wash, moisturizer, et cetera and wondering where to begin?!
Thanks for this amazing list!
Thanks for noting the safety of Miessence. ONEgroup, the creator, is a young company but doing some amazing things. (Full disclosure, yes, I am a Rep)