What You Need To Know 

Lipstick can provide a quick pick-me-up if you enjoy wearing makeup. Since you can’t avoid ingesting some of what you put on our lips—and you don’t want to kiss your baby and leave a residue of harmful ingredients on baby’s skin—here are some quick tips to keep your lips colorful and toxic-free: 

AVOID  

• Certain preservatives, like parabens, and other antibacterial and antimicrobial agents work to prevent bacterial and microbial growth by releasing formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen (a substance capable of causing cancer).

• Synthetic fragrances  that  contain  phthalates boost the scent’s staying power. The  word ‘phthalate’  won’t  be listed on a product label, so be cautious  if you simply see  ‘fragrance’ as an ingredient. Some phthalates are known to be carcinogenic and others may contribute to reproductive and neurodevelopmental problems. 

• Chemical UV filters  effectively absorb UV rays, but can cause dermal sensitization, persist in the environment, and can cause harm to aquatic life. Certain UV filters, particularly  oxybenzone,  octinoxate, or  sulisobenzone, have been shown to interfere with normal hormone function in humans and wildlife. 

• Synthetic antioxidants, like butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), are ethoxylated ingredients and can contain trace amounts of carcinogenic byproducts, notably 1,4-Dioxane. They can be tricky to spot on a label, but checking for polyethylene glycol compounds (PEGs) or ingredients such as sodium laureth sulfate and chemicals that end with ‘-eth’ (like laureth, ceteareth or steareth) is a good start. 

• Heavy metals  are common  in  both mineral and synthetic pigments used in color cosmetics.  Lead, a heavy metal,  can be found in small amounts  in  some lip balms and lipsticks. Lead is  readily absorbed when ingested and can have adverse effects on brain development and behavior.   

BETTER CHOICES  

• Pure shea butter, cocoa butter and jojoba oil without additives or fragrances generally do not contain any harmful contaminants. Note that the production of these butters and oils can have adverse environmental impacts. 

• Buy fragrance-free products.  

• Choose from our list of vetted recommendations.

DIY 

Safer choice recipes generally include some combination of: sweet almond, coconut, or grapeseed oils; shea or cocoa butters; and/or bees wax. Be sure to choose ingredients without harmful additives.