Get exclusive shopping offers and guides
Straight to your inbox
Finder is committed to editorial independence. While we receive compensation when you click links to partners, they do not influence our content.
Top 9 clean beauty brands
Shop non-toxic skincare and cosmetics from these industry leaders.
TRENDING
Beauty & Makeup
Buying Guides
The clean beauty movement has exploded over the last few years. It got a major bump in September 2020, when California passed the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, which bans the manufacturing or sale of products purposefully containing 25 chemicals and contaminants.
Products marked “clean” are often formulated without potentially harmful ingredients like parabens, silica, talc and more while also touting helpful labels like cruelty-free and vegan. We tracked down some of the best clean beauty brands formulated without these additives and *bonus points* are free of additional unwanted ingredients as well.
Best non-toxic cosmetics brands
Plenty of companies are already manufacturing quality beauty products without additives like parabens and phthalates. Here are just a few to shop in the meantime.
| Brand | Products available | Also free of | Where to shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% Pure | Fruit-pigmented makeup, skincare, hair and body care | FD&C colorants, heavy metal dyes | 100 Percent Pure |
| Ilia Beauty | Face, lip, eye and multipurpose products | GMOs, synthetic fragrances, gluten and talc | Sephora |
| Thrive Causemetics | Skincare and makeup | Synthetic fragrance, sulfates | Amazon |
| Briogeo | Haircare | Silicones, sulfates, DEA, artificial dyes | Sephora |
| KitavaMD | Skincare developed by dermatologists | Sulfates, SLS, synthetic fragrance, petrochemicals, triclosan, artificial dyes | Amazon |
| Kosas | Makeup and deodorant | Petroleum and talc | Sephora |
| RMS Beauty | Makeup, cream, body oil and supplements | GMOs, nanoparticles, talc | Sephora |
| Sephora | Makeup, skincare, hair care and body products from Clean at Sephora brands | Coal tar, sulfates, hydroquinone, triclosan, synthetic fragrance | Sephora |
| Tower 28 Beauty | Makeup and facial spray | Coal tar, talc, essential oils | Sephora |
Which ingredients are considered toxic?
The Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act — which is set to go into effect by 2025 — requires products to be free of the following ingredients, except in naturally and artificially occurring trace amounts.
- Dibutyl phthalate
- Diethylhexyl phthalate
- Formaldehyde
- Paraformaldehyde
- Methylene glycol
- Quaternium-15
- Mercury
- Isobutylparaben
- Isopropylparaben
- m-Phenylenediamine and its salts
- o-Phenylenediamine and its salts
- Several per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their salts:
- Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); heptadecafluorooctane-1-sulfonic acid
- Potassium perfluorooctanesulfonate; potassium heptadecafluorooctane-1-sulfonate
- Diethanolamine perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS 70225-14-8).
- Ammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate; ammonium heptadecafluorooctanesulfonate
- Lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate; lithium heptadecafluorooctanesulfonate
- Perfluorooctanoic acid
- Ammonium pentadecafluorooctanoate
- Nonadecafluorodecanoic acid
- Ammonium nonadecafluorodecanoate
- Sodium nonadecafluorodecanoate
- Perfluorononanoic acid
- Sodium heptadecafluorononanoate
- Ammonium perfluorononanoate
What’s missing from this list?
Though the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act prohibits 12 toxic endocrine disruptors and their derivatives, a few controversial ingredients are notably absent — like talc. Although talc, or talcum powder, is generally regarded as safe by the FDA, it's been at the center of lawsuits filed by women who believe its use in baby powder contributed to their ovarian cancer. Some beauty manufacturers use talc in powder foundation, blush, highlighter and eyeshadow to give products slip and absorb excess moisture.
The bill also leaves off coal tar and petroleum, used in products like lip balm and to make synthetic fragrances. Studies, including one conducted by <a href=” https: />the National Toxicology Program and another by Carcinogenesis Integrative Cancer Research, have linked these ingredients to cancer.
More guides on Finder
-
CVS Epic Beauty sale
Time to act fast – CVS is hosting a beauty sale and you can save big on everything from skincare to makeup products.
-
Target 14 Days of Beauty sale
Get all the details on Target’s 14 Days of Beauty sale, including a full list of deals! And find some hacks on how to stack your savings.
-
How to get makeup delivered same-day
Need a new makeup product in a hurry? There are a few retailers that offer same-day delivery, so you can primp with time to spare.
-
Where to buy Made in USA pet food brands
Our best picks for picky eaters, grain-free formulas, low-fat diets and more.
-
Top Korean-American beauty brands
We’ve compiled a list of Korean-American beauty brands that you can find at large retailers and specialty beauty stores to achieve coveted trends like “glass skin.”
-
Top 9 Chinese-American beauty brands
Discover well-established brands and startups founded and owned by Chinese-Americans. Shop on their websites or at your local beauty retailer.
-
Herbody Cosmetics CBD skincare review
Two women with different skin tones give their reviews on Herbody Cosmetics CBD-infused skincare packed with vitamins, antioxidants and natural emollients.
-
How to treat and prevent maskne
We broke down the nitty gritty of maskne, from the skincare products that treat pimples to tips for preventing mask-related breakouts.
-
Top 10+ made-in-USA toy brands
Gear up for imaginative play with toys made right here in the USA. See our top picks for whimsical toys that support American manufacturing.
-
Top 20 candle brands made in the USA
Support American businesses with a hand-poured, high-quality candle from the heartland. Find our top 5 brand picks for scents that are all-American.
Ask an Expert