When you're shopping for makeup [1], several factors can sway your purchasing decisions: the shade, the price, if you'll actually use it — the list goes on. Whether or not the ingredients are safe to ingest, however, may not be one of your main criteria. But when you're shopping for lip balms, glosses, and beyond, it should be. Enter clean lip products.
Over the years, various facts and figures have been tossed around claiming that lipstick wearers "eat" a certain number of the product per year or in their lifetimes. While the exact number remains unconfirmed, there's no denying that at least some of the product you apply to your lips ends up being consumed. So with that in mind, you probably want the formulas to be as natural and nontoxic [2] as possible. We're right there with you.
With a recent (and much-needed) surge in clean beauty, lip products are the perfect category to begin overhauling your makeup bag with. Ahead, we've rounded up 15 of our favourites to get you started. Just scroll to shop.
Ilia Colour Block High Impact Lipstick
Even your favourite red lipstick can be made clean. Just take the Ilia Colour Block High Impact Lipstick [3] ($28), for example. It includes a blend of oils and mango seed butter to deliver extreme colour and hydration.
Tower 28 ShineOn Jelly Lip Gloss
If you're up to date on Instagram's coolest beauty brands, you've probably heard of Tower 28. All of its products are made for sensitive skin using non-toxic ingredients, and the ShineOn Jelly Lip Gloss [4] ($14) is one of its top sellers. If you're looking for a new clear (and clean) gloss, try this one ASAP.
Beauty by POPSUGAR Be Calm Lip Save
The Beauty by POPSUGAR Be Calm Lip Save [5] ($16, originally $20) does it all — really. Beyond being an incredible cure for chapped lips, it can add hydration to various areas of your body on the go. A blend of natural oils, shea butter, and vitamin E is to thank for that.
RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek
Whether you're a makeup minimalist or constantly on the move, a multitasking product might be exactly what you need. The RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek [6] ($36) will add a fresh wash of mineral-based colour to your face — no harmful ingredients or allergens included.
Weleda Skin Food Lip Butter
Take a note from pro makeup artists and add the Weleda Skin Food Lip Butter [7] ($7) to your beauty stash. The cult-favourite (not to mention, affordable) brand infuses all its products with plant oils, which will do your lips some serious good all year round.
KORA Organics Noni Lip Tint
Not looking to go full-colour? No worries. The KORA Organics Noni Lip Tint [8] ($24) provides a wash of berry-toned pigment to dry, chapped lips using cocoa seed butter, cupuacu butter, and licorice root.
Farmacy Beauty Honey Butter Beeswax Lip Balm
Dry lips don't stand a chance against the Farmacy Beauty Honey Butter Beeswax Lip Balm [9] ($10). One of the natural brand's cult-favourite products, this balm uses a proprietary honey blend to provide moisture and antioxidants to the lips.
Bite Beauty Agave+ Nighttime Vegan Lip Therapy
If your lips are in need of a serious pick-me-up, you'll want to add the Bite Beauty Agave+ Nighttime Vegan Lip Therapy [10] ($24) to your cart immediately. The balm-to-oil formula is designed to be an overnight treatment, leaving lips supple, soothed, and insanely moisturised.
Kjaer Weis Lip Pencil
Lip liners can be made clean, too. A prime example? The Kjaer Weis Lip Pencil [11] ($30). The luxury beauty brand — known for its organic products and waste-reducing refills — created this formula to nourish, prime, and add opaque colour to lips.
Supergoop! Shine On Lip Screen Broad Spectrum SPF 50
It's easy to forget, but sun protection doesn't stop at your lips. While you may be a dedicated facial SPF user by now, the Supergoop! Shine On Lip Screen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 [12] ($22) will remind you to care for your lips, too.
Kopari Coconut Lip Glossy
We all carried a tube (or five) of lip gloss in our bags as teenagers. The Kopari Coconut Lip Glossy [13] ($13) is essentially that, but better and cleaner. Made with coconut oil, the brand's signature ingredient, it'll leave your lips looking glossy and feeling moisturised.
Kosasport LipFuel Hyaluronic Lip Balm
Clean, easy to use, and undeniably Instagrammable, the Kosasport LipFuel Hyaluronic Lip Balm [14] ($18) is a great pick for anyone. It's formulated with konjac root, which helps create a barrier between your lips and the environment. Then, hyaluronic acid and wild mint help them feel hydrated and soothed.
Cannuka CBD Hydrating Lip Balm
Here's an option for all you CBD beauty lovers: the Cannuka CBD Hydrating Lip Balm [15] ($9). Made with Manuka honey, it's a great formula to soothe and condition your lips — day, night, or anytime.
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Conditioning Lip Scrub
Dry, flaky lips are no match for the Burt's Bees 100% Natural Conditioning Lip Scrub [16] ($7). Not only will it help exfoliate and condition your lips, but it will also prepare them for any products you want to layer on top. Just apply, scrub, and go.
Lanolips 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm
Looking for a clean beauty product you can use on your lips and beyond? Try the Lanolips 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm [17] ($17). It can be applied to your lips, skin, and cuticles for a major burst of hydration.