The Best Organic Makeup

Navigating the world of organic makeup products is tough because there's no reliable GPS. Lots of brands slap words like "clean" and "natural" onto their product labels, but because they're not regulated by the FDA, these terms can sometimes be meaningless. While we can't give organic beauty a concrete definition, we strive to make things a little less confusing — that's why we sought out advice from green beauty experts to share their recommendations for brands and products that not only incorporate organic ingredients, but also implement meaningful initiatives to make the world a better place.

Through our research we compiled 10 of the best organic makeup brands and products. Overall, Juice Beauty stands out for its countless certifications from organizations like the U.S. Department of Agriculture, American Vegetarian Association, and PETA. (It also doesn't hurt that all of the formulas are all made with certified-organic ingredients and actually work.) But Juice Beauty is just one brand changing the beauty industry for the better.

Keep scrolling for the 10 best organic makeup brands and products.

Our Top Picks

Best Overal:

Juice Beauty at Juicebeauty.com (See Price)

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Best Mascara:

W3ll People Expressionist Mascara at Amazon ($31)

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Best Eyeshadow:

100 Percent Pure Better Naked Palette at 100percentpure.com (See Price)

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Best Lip Gloss:

Aveda Lip Gloss at Aveda.com ($36)

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Best Lipstick:

Kjaer Weis Lipstick at Kjaerweis.com (See Price)

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Best Foundation:

ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation at Amazon ($54)

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Best Highlighter:

RMS Beauty Luminizer Highlighter at Amazon ($40)

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Best Eyeliner:

Physician's Formula Liquid Eyeliner at Physiciansformula.com (See Price)

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Best Primer:

Plain Jane Beauty Make-up Primer at Plainjanebeauty.net (See Price)

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Best Brow:

Au Naturale Organic Brow Pencil at Aunaturalecosmetics.com (See Price)

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Best Overal

Juice Beauty

View On Juicebeauty.com

What We Love

Every product from Juice Beauty is formulated with certified organic ingredients.

What We Don’t Love

We'd like to see all of the products offered in broader shade ranges.

Using certified organic ingredients along with powerful plant pigments (versus synthetic dyes), Juice Beauty has developed quite the cult following. While the brand is recognized as a purveyor in the organic skincare category, their makeup products are equally as noteworthy. This is a line that's rooted in ingredient quality, swapping out traditional ingredients (for instance, silicones) for better ones (like coconut alkanes) without sacrificing performance.

Juice Beauty’s range of organic makeup products includes eyeshadow sticks, eyeliners, mascara, blush, setting powder, and foundation; but one product we'd be remiss not to mention is the Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream, a multitasking workhorse that does 12 different things for the skin: It provides SPF 30 protection, evens out skin tone, protects with antioxidants, and minimizes the look of fine lines and wrinkles. It's also laced with skin-boosting ingredients like aloe, coconut oil, and grape juice, but the real kicker is that its airless container means the vitamin C in the formula will never oxidize. How's that for attention to detail?

Bestsellers: Phyto-Pigments Flawless Serum Foundation, Stem Cellular CC Cream | Leaping Bunny-Certified: Yes

Best Mascara

W3LL People

View On Amazon $31 View On Ulta $20 View On Wellpeople.com

What We Love

This is a buildable formula that never looks clumpy, making it great for those who like to switch up their lash look.

What We Don’t Love

The tube dries out pretty quickly.

W3LL People is one of the OG organic indie makeup brands that put clean beauty on the map. Now, since the line was introduced at Target and Ulta Beauty, it's more accessible than ever, and the Expressionist Mascara is arguably the brand’s stand out product. While clean mascara can be notoriously tough to formulate, this one coats lashes with mineral pigment for added length, volume, and definition. The result? Dark, long, fluttery lashes that don't smudge or run. Yup, just like any other solid mascara. I especially love the brown shade — it's perfect for those natural makeup days where I don't want to go full-on black. While there's so much to love, the one downside of this mascara is that it dries out pretty quickly, so you’ll probably have to restock often.

Shades: 2 | Size: 0.26 oz | Key Ingredients: Castor seed oil, Sunflower seed oil, Cellulose plant fiber

Best Eyeshadow

100 Percent Pure

View On 100percentpure.com

What We Love

In addition to eyeshadow, this palette has a blush and highlighter.

What We Don’t Love

Considering this only has five shades, it's pricey.

100% Pure specializes in fruit pigmented makeup — makeup that's formulated with real fruits and vegetables (like cherries, plums, tomatoes, and blueberries) to color their products (versus synthetic dyes or minerals).

The Better Naked Palette takes things back to the basics, offering up a menu of three eyeshadows (a golden bronze, taupe, and beige) along with a beige luminizer and rosy blush. The idea is that you'll able to take this one palette with you (and only this palette) for no-fuss, on-the-go application. And it certainly delivers — the colors are opaque, blendable, and incredibly smooth. We like that it's an all-encompassing palette you don't have to think about, and, as a bonus, the colors are flattering on all skin tones. Though we do wish there were more shades packed inside considering the price, this is one of those palettes that you’ll use down to the pan.

Shades: 5 | Size: 0.14 oz for blush and highlighter; 0.07 for eyeshadow | Key Ingredients: Fruits, Vegetables, Tea

Best Lip Gloss

Aveda

View On Aveda.com $36

What We Love

For a lip gloss, this has impressive staying power.

What We Don’t Love

Several of the shades are very glittery.

The ingredient list on Aveda Feed My Lips Pure Nourish-Mint Lip Gloss reads like the menu of a juice bar: Organic cupuaçu seed fruit butter and mango seed butter fuses with the brand's super fruit blend of açai, pomegranate, avocado and mangosteen. The result? Insanely nourished, hydrated, and smooth lips. The formula feels weightless and comfortable on the lips (read: not thick or sticky), and has a slightly minty feeling upon application that's refreshing. We love that there are seven shades to choose from, including a shimmering rose gold, a light pink, and a rich burgundy. Plus, depending on which shade you choose, you'll smell the fragrance of certified organic peppermint, vanilla, or mandarin.

Shades: 7 | Size: 0.34 oz | Key Ingredients: Organic cupuaçu seed fruit butter, Mango seed butter

Best Lipstick

Credo Beauty

View On Kjaerweis.com View On Credo Beauty View On Bluemercury.com $24

What We Love

While we love the hydrating formula, the luxe packaging is our favorite feature.

What We Don’t Love

You may find yourself reapplying throughout the day, as the formula isn't too long-wearing.

The beauty industry has a sustainability problem, but brands like Kjaer Weis are leading the anti-waste movement with high-end, long-wear makeup packaged in reusable containers. Once you hit the bottom of your favorite product, you can restock it with refills that can be purchased separately at half the price of the original product. And they don't skimp on quality.

The Kjaer Weis Lipstick is a standout that’s made with a blend of beeswax, jojoba, and shea butter to glide on seamlessly, leaving lips feeling ultra nourished. With colors ranging from tawny nude to classic cherry red, there's a shade option for every lipstick vibe. Upon testing this formula I was impressed with how opaque it was at first swipe. It felt nourishing and hydrating as the day went on, and it also didn't feather or seep into fine lines on my lips, making it a great option for those with aging or mature lips. That said, I did have to reapply throughout the day (especially after eating), but a fresh swipe provides my lips with a much needed burst of hydration.

Shades: 9 | Size: 0.15 oz | Key Ingredients: Shea butter, Olive oil, Beeswax

Best Foundation

Nordstrom

View On Amazon $54 View On Nordstrom $54 View On Sephora $54

What We Love

Aside from being fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, this is dermatologist-tested, making it great for those with skin sensitivities.

What We Don’t Love

Though it's buildable, this won't provide full coverage.

Ilia Beauty has become known for its beautiful, effortless makeup products that fuse plant-based skincare ingredients with high-performance color cosmetics. The best-selling True Skin Serum Foundation is a lightweight, buildable formula that blends effortlessly for a seamless finish. It's fragrance free, non-comedogenic, and dermatologist-tested; plus, it's made with niacinamide to brighten and allantoin to smooth out the skin. Bonus: A blend of plant-based oils help improve the look of skin texture and refine pores. This is my go-to foundation on light makeup days where I want to even out my skin tone without feeling like I'm wearing anything. And, the fact that it has skincare properties built into the formula (including hydrating aloe) makes me feel less guilty if I skip moisturizer. I also enjoy the pump applicator on this foundation — it disperses the right amount of product without creating a mess (which is untraditional of serum foundations).

Shades: 30 | Size: 1 oz | Key Ingredients: Aloe, Niacinamide, Allantoin

Best Highlighter

Amazon

View On Amazon $40

What We Love

Unlike other cream highlighters that feel sticky or look oily, this one provides an enviable sheen and is suitable for all skin types.

What We Don’t Love

It'll take a few tries to apply this right — if you're too heavy-handed, it can lift your existing makeup underneath.

Created by celebrity makeup artist Rose Marie Swift, RMS Beauty was one of the first makeup brands to nix questionable ingredients from its formulas. Instead, it uses raw, food-grade, organic ingredients including coconut oil, antioxidants, and enzymes. The brand also uses manufacturing processes that avoid heating oils to high temperatures, allowing the potent properties to remain intact.

While RMS Beauty may leave a ton of common makeup ingredients out of its products, such as sulfates, parabens, and formaldehydes, they don't skimp on color pay off. And though the brand's Un Cover-Up Concealer/Foundation is a cult-favorite, the Living Luminizer Highlighter changed highlighters forever. Instead of giving off a glittery, chalky finish, the creamy formula (which is made with organic coconut oil, vitamin E, and castor seed oil) melts into skin and adds a dewy, lit-from-within glow. It comes in five different shades that suit a range of skin tones. Plus, it comes in recyclable packaging. Make sure to lightly apply the formula, otherwise it can smudge your makeup underneath — it may take a few tries to get it right but the results are worth it.

Shades: 5 | Size: 0.17 oz | Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, Castor seed oil, Vitamin E

Best Eyeliner

Physician's Formula

View On Physiciansformula.com

What We Love

This lasts several hours without flaking or smudging.

What We Don’t Love

While the tip is fine and perfectly pointed, it's flexible, so you have to have a steady hand when using.

Physicians Formula goes back to 1937(!) when allergist Dr. Frank Crandall created the line of products for his wife who couldn't find makeup that wouldn't irritate her sensitive skin. Considering the drugstore price point and accessibility, the brand's Organic Wear collection convinced people to give clean, organic products a chance. The line is filled with natural alternatives to the products in your current routine as well as trending ones like dewy highlighter sticks.

Next to its mineral face powders, Physicians formula's bronzers are fan favorites. But truth be told, we really think their eyeliners are underrated. The Precision Liquid Eyeliner features a super fine tip that makes applying winged eyeliner foolproof. This, combined with the super opaque formula means you'll never have to tug on your sensitive eye area again. We also like that it's infused with organic ingredients like chamomile, aloe vera, jojoba oil, and botanical cactus flower to keep your eyelids nourished — never irritated.

Shades: 2 | Size: 0.14 oz | Key Ingredients: Organic chamomile oil, Aloe vera, Jojoba oil

Best Primer

Plain Jane Beauty

View On Plainjanebeauty.net

What We Love

This grips makeup beautifully for a stronger staying power.

What We Don’t Love

It’s not the best for those with oily skin.

Moderately priced compared to other organic brands, Plain Jane Beauty's line of vegan formulas are anything but basic. For one, they only work with FDA-approved pigments and also infuse their products with antioxidant-rich plant-based oils and certified organic extracts — without the use of harmful preservatives like parabens and triclosan.

Time to Prime stands tall next to some of the higher-end products in this category. This primer is plant-based, does not contain any pore-clogging silicones, and feels ultra-lightweight on the skin. It also doesn't pill underneath makeup (a tough feat when we're talking about a skincare-makeup hybrid product), and is boosted with things like amino acid-rich aloe vera, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and anti-bacterial niacinamide. While it does an exceptional job at keeping makeup in place, it doesn’t keep your face matte, so if you lean oily you may want to keep a powder on hand to diminish shine.

Shades: 1 | Size: 1.2 oz | Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic acid

Best Brow

Au Naturale

View On Aunaturalecosmetics.com

What We Love

This applies smoothly and the color is long-lasting.

What We Don’t Love

We wish this came with a spoolie.

All of Au Naturale's formulas are vegan, cruelty-free, and organic. The lack of filler and fluff leaves room for good-for-you ingredients to nourish and condition skin, on top of providing long-wear color. As far as brow pencils go, the Au Naturale Brow Boss Organic Brow Pencil checks all the boxes: It's easy to use, lasts through a windstorm, and is pigmented but not overly so. Enriched with castor oil to promote hair growth, this pencil is the perfect balance between creamy and long-wearing. We like that the soft-tip makes it foolproof to create hair-like strokes — plus, it comes in five shades from chocolate brown to taupe. The only thing that would make this product better would be a spoolie on the other end of the pencil.

Shades: 5 | Size: 0.01 oz | Key Ingredients: Castor oil

What to Keep in Mind

Ingredients

As much as organic makeup is defined by the ingredients inside, it also has a lot to do with what's not inside. Take synthetic preservatives, for one. "Synthetic preservatives like parabens, sodium benzoate, benzyl alcohol, BHA, and BHT would not be found in organic makeup products," says Maria Velve, makeup artist and green beauty expert. "Many of these ingredients are important in the product formulation (mainly to keep the product from going bad), but can be drying on the skin and lips." Instead, organic makeup brands can "turn to powerful antioxidants like tocopherol, a type of vitamin E, which is not only beneficial to the skin, but helps to preserve the product as well," explains Velve.

Other ingredients you won't find in organic makeup are GMOs, parabens, PEGs, mineral oil, phthalates, synthetic fragrance, silicones (or anything ending in -cone), talc, sulfates, and colorants. All of these ingredients can be irritating for those who are sensitive, says Velve, which makes organic makeup a good choice for this skin type in particular.

By removing such ingredients, there's more room for skin-nourishing compounds. "When makeup is made with high-quality, organic ingredients, it actually nourishes, protects, and benefits the skin in more ways than just adding color," says Velve. One such ingredient is jojoba oil, which "resembles our skin’s sebum, making it great at balancing the skin," says Zoe Omozuwa, a makeup artist for The Detox Market. "Rosehip oil is another common ingredient found in organic makeup, and is great for firming and smoothing skin — some even call it nature’s retinol since it has anti-aging benefits without being as harsh on the skin."

Values

Generally speaking, an organic makeup brand is more likely than a conventional brand to have clearer missions. While not always the case, several organic makeup brands are also cruelty-free and vegan, and many of them offer recyclable packaging and refillable options in an effort to be more sustainable. "I think it stems from the entire mission of the brand: To offer a better, healthier, and more beneficial product to consumers," says Velve. "This mission will ripple through their other values towards the planet, people, and systems of doing things."

Certifications

Take a glance at an ingredient label or product description and you may see a whole host of certifications. But what do they all mean? According to Velve, EcoCert "certifies that the product contains 99 percent ingredients of natural origin" while COSMOS "requires that 95 percent of the products' agro-ingredients be certified organic." Finally, B-Corp focuses less on the ingredients and more on how the company does business. It measures the company's entire social and environmental impact, such as how it monitors or records its universal waste production, says Velve. Our best overall organic brand, Juice Beauty, is both PETA and Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free, certified organic from the USDA, and certified vegan by the American Vegetarian Association.

Your Questions, Answered

What is organic makeup?

There are no FDA regulations on what's considered organic. "The only way organic means anything on a product label is when it accompanies the 'USDA Organic' seal, and even then, unless it's certified as 100 percent Organic, it's allowed to have five to 30 percent nonorganic, nonagricultural ingredients (depending on the certification level)," says Ericka Rodriguez, CEO and founder of Axiology. "Many makeup products don't qualify for the agricultural and supply chain components necessary for USDA organic certification, and those that do may find the process to be too long and onerous."

Bottom line: "If the whole product is certified organic, it will have the symbol of the certification somewhere on the front of its packaging," says Velve.

How can you tell if makeup is organic?

You'll be able to tell a makeup product is organic if it has the certification on the label. Velve explains that "100% organic" on a label means the entire product is made of organic ingredients while "organic" means that some or all of the ingredients are organic. "Made with organic ingredients" is similar to the "organic" explanation in that "the ingredients could be certified organic but this does not mean the product is," says Velve.

According to Rodriguez, the best way to find plant-powered, healthier makeup is to look for short ingredient labels that include mostly plant products, like oils and butters. Keep in mind that organic makeup — especially creams and liquids like lipsticks, mascara, and lip gloss — have a shorter shelf life than conventional makeup due to the lack of synthetic preservatives.

Why Shop With Us

Michelle Rostamian is a freelance beauty, wellness, and lifestyle writer with nearly 10 years of experience in the beauty industry and bylines at PEOPLE, Byrdie, Real Simple, InStyle, and more. With help from writer Erin Lukas, she interviewed makeup artist and green beauty expert, Maria Velve; The Detox Market makeup artist Zoe Omozuwa; and CEO and founder of Axiology, Ericka Rodriguez, to learn more about organic makeup.