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Did you know some lip balms that claim to hydrate your lips are actually drying them out? That’s not a conspiracy theory — many conventional lip balms use petroleum and other synthetic ingredients that do more harm to your lips than good.
And considering we put lip balm directly onto our lips and end up ingesting it through licking, drinking, and eating, the last thing we want on our mouths is toxic ingredients that are harmful to our health.
Fortunately, there’s a solution to both these problems with non-toxic lip balm.
Non-toxic and organic lip balms rely on natural, hydrating, plant-derived ingredients to nourish and hydrate your lips. They use safe ingredients that you’ll feel good about putting on your mouth.
If you’re ready to embrace natural skincare, read on for a closer look at the best non-toxic lip balms for smooth, supple, hydrated lips.
Conventional vs. Non-Toxic Lip Balms: What’s the Difference?
Lip balm does a pretty important job, especially if you live in a cold or dry climate. The topmost layer on our lips is thinner than the skin on the rest of our body and prone to chapping and peeling. With non-toxic lip balm, you can soothe and nourish your lips and transform them from dry to hydrated.
Unfortunately, some conventional lip balms are made with synthetic ingredients and chemicals that can actually make your lips dryer (good for the company’s bottom line perhaps, but not so good for the consumer). They may also contain toxic ingredients that can disrupt hormones and cause other health issues.
Non-toxic and organic lip balms, on the other hand, are made with natural and biodegradable ingredients like beeswax, candelilla wax, coconut oil, and shea butter. They use natural flavors and scents, like essential oils, rather than artificial fragrances and dyes.
Ingredients to Avoid in Your Lip Balm
You might be surprised to discover that an unassuming little lip balm can contain a host of harmful chemicals. Here are some common lip balm ingredients to steer clear of:
- Petroleum jelly and mineral oil: Whether listed as petrolatum, mineral oil, liquid paraffin, or paraffin oil, these ingredients are non-biodegradable and a byproduct of oil refining. They can be contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some of which are carcinogenic. Petroleum jelly can also contain xenoestrogens, which can cause hormone disruption in the body.
- Parabens: These preservatives have been linked to hormone disruption, breast cancer, and reproductive issues. Many parabens have been banned from cosmetics in Europe, but not in the U.S.
- Chemical sunscreen: A lip balm may advertise that it protects your lips from UV rays. While this might sound like a great perk, it’s not so healthy if the sunscreen is chemically-based. Examples are oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone, and octisalate, all of which can disrupt hormones. Non-toxic sunscreens are generally made from zinc oxide or a blend of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, rather than chemical ingredients.
- BHA and BHT: These are petroleum-derived preservatives that have been linked to endocrine disruption and cancer.
- Menthol, camphor and phenol: These give you that tingly sensation that may feel refreshing but can actually dry out and irritate your lips.
- Synthetic fragrances: These fragrances can contain all sorts of toxic chemicals, including hormone-disrupting phthalates.
- Synthetic dyes: Some of the main culprits to avoid are FD&C Blue 1, Yellow 5, and Red 33, as they can contain carcinogens.
The Problem With Petroleum Jelly
Despite the long-standing popularity of Vaseline and other petroleum jelly products for lips, this ingredient is not so great for your lips, health, or the environment. Petroleum jelly can’t be absorbed by your lips – it may lock in moisture temporarily, but the effect wears off when the petroleum wears off, meaning you’ll just have to keep applying it.
As mentioned above, petroleum jelly can also contain carcinogenic and hormone-disrupting ingredients. Plus, it’s not exactly eco-friendly, since it’s produced from crude oil, a non-renewable resource. Petroleum processing can contribute to climate change. It’s also not biodegradable and can harm soil health and disrupt ecosystems for many years to come.
Ingredients to Look for in Non-Toxic and Organic Lip Balm
So, obviously there are some pretty sketchy ingredients lurking in conventional lip balm, but don’t despair. There are plenty of natural, biodegradable, and healthy ingredients that perform much better at moisturizing and nourishing your lips.
Here are some ingredients to keep an eye out for:
- Natural hard waxes: Waxes like beeswax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, and soy wax all help lock in moisture. Note that beeswax would not be considered vegan, so vegans may prefer to opt for one of the other kinds of waxes.
- Liquid or solid oils: Non-toxic lip balms may contain oils like coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, or sweet almond oil for lip moisture and repair. You might also see shea butter, mango butter, or coco butter.
- Essential oils: Rather than relying on artificial dyes or fragrances, non-toxic and organic lip balms use peppermint and other essential oils for scent and flavor.
Organic lip balms are not just good for your health, but they’re also generally better for the environment. To be certified organic, farms must use sustainable and eco-friendly practices and avoid harmful pesticides. By being mindful of the ingredients in your lip balm, you can make choices that prioritize the well-being of both your lips and the planet.
13 Best Non-Toxic Lip Balms for Happy, Hydrated Lips
Now that you know what ingredients to look for (and which to avoid), let’s dive into the list of the best non-toxic and organic lip balms. All of the lip balms on this list have been verified by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), meaning they meet high standards for non-toxic ingredients and environmental sustainability.
1. True Botanicals Moisture Lock Glossy Balm
2. Attitude Lip Balm
3. Honest Beauty Tinted Lip Balm
They work for all skin types and are made with antioxidant-rich acai extracts and avocado oil. Along with giving you a natural swipe of sheer color, these lip balms also lock in hydration to keep your lips smooth and moisturized.
Honesty Beauty’s vegan lip balms are made without petrolatum, paraffins, parabens, synthetic fragrances, silicones, and mineral oils. They’re cruelty-free and tested by dermatologists and physicians.
Honest Beauty also makes some of our favorite non-toxic lip glosses.
4. Organic to Green Great Barrier Chap Guard
This moisturizing balm is made with organic coconut oil and has a calming herbal lavender scent.
5. Isoi Lip Treatment Balm
Another colorless option, Isoi’s Lip Treatment Balm is great for sensitive skin. It moisturizes and hydrates dry, flaky lips and come in an easy-to-apply lip balm stick. Its ingredients include castor oil, jojoba seed oil, candelilla wax, and beeswax.
6. Skin Perfection Organic Lip Balm
This USDA-certified organic lip balm from Skin Perfection is made with all natural and organic ingredients, including spearmint, rosemary, calendula, coconut oil, sunflower oil, rosemary, and nourishing vitamin E. It has a fresh minty scent and is free of mineral oils, parabens and preservatives.
7. Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm
Biossance’s clean lip balm is vegan and petroleum-free. Although it contains luxurious rose wax and plumping wakame algae, the lip balm itself is fragrance free. It also blends ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and sugarcane-derived squalane for extra nourishment and moisture.
This cruelty-free, paraben-free vegan lip balm comes in eco-conscious packaging made from renewable sugarcane.
8. Qēt Botanicals Lip Balm With Green Tea and Vitamins
Qēt Botanicals offers a nourishing little tube of plant nutrients and vitamins to hydrate and protect your lips. You can also spread this good stuff on cuticles, hands, or other rough patches to nourish your skin.
It doesn’t use any animal or bee waxes, instead relying on botanicals and butters to make your lips soft and supple. More specifically, it contains matcha green tea, avocado, shea butter, coconut, wild raspberry, and carrot.
If you’re looking for a glossy finish, Qēt Botanicals also makes a lip gloss with olive and avocado.
9. Marin Bee Lip Repair
Derived from 99% natural and organic ingredients, Marin Bee’s Lip Repair is an extremely nourishing and moisturizing lip balm that’s perfect for dry, chapped, or cracked lips. It’s free of parabens, synthetic dyes, petroleum, phthalates, and other toxic and synthetic ingredients.
Instead, this lip repair uses natural ingredients like California wildflower honey, organic shea butter, and organic olive fruit oil to rejuvenate lips. This organic chapstick has a glossy finish with a subtle pink tint, so it’s great to use over or under lipstick to protect your lips while adding a touch of shine.
10. Beautycounter Clean Swipe Hyaluronic Lip Balm
If you’d like a choice of color tints, Beautycounter’s Clean Swipe Hyaluronic Lip Balm is a great option. While you can get it in Nada (its translucent shade), it also comes in Pinch (a rosy pink), Bitten (warm berry), and Plush (warm pink).
This vegan and cruelty-free lip balm is supercharged with skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, jojoba seed, and avocado seed oils, and mango and murumuru seed butters.
This lip balm melts into your lips with its creamy, conditioning formula for instant moisture and conditioning. It’s lightweight, comfortable to wear, and mega-moisturizing.
11. Lowen’s Natural Skincare Lip Balm
Lowen’s Natural Skincare makes a variety of non-toxic lip balms, including the Be Local Lip Balm pictured above. This natural lip balm is made with 80% local and 60% certified organic ingredients and flavored with honey.
This 100% natural lip balm uses locally sourced ingredients, including rosemary oil, vegetable hyaluronic acid, and organic fair-trade shea butter.
If you prefer other flavors, you can find a variety of other options from Lowen’s, including brown sugar, cool mint mojito, creamsicle, vanilla, gingerbread, peppermint, and salted caramel coffee bean.
12. Whamisa Organic Fruits Lip Moisture
13. Be Green Bath and Body Lip Balm
Made with natural and organic oils and infused with beeswax, Be Green’s Bath and Body Lip Balm locks in moisture and helps to condition lips. There are three clear options: unscented, sweet orange, and peppermint (the latter two are scented with organic essential oils). Be Green also makes a tinted peppermint lip balm with subtle red color.
Along with beeswax, this rich, soothing lip balm contains organic sunflower oil and castor oil to soften your skin. It’s free of parabens, phthalates, and petrolatum.
Embrace Natural Care With Non-Toxic Lip Balm
Before purchasing a lip balm, read over the ingredients to make sure it’s free of nasties like parabens, phthalates, artificial dyes, and petroleum. Look for non-toxic lip balms that are transparent about their ingredients and prioritize your health and safety.
Your lips deserve nourishment and protection without the potential risks associated with harmful ingredients. By opting for organic lip balm, you can hydrate, protect, and love your lips the natural and eco-friendly way.
For more clean beauty products to add to your makeup bag, check out our favorite non-toxic and natural eye shadows.
