The Good Trade editors endorse products we’ve personally researched, tested, and genuinely love. Learn more about our methodology and business model here.

We’ve personally tested and researched dozens of clean makeup brands — these are our editors’ top picks that are natural, organic, nontoxic, and safe to use daily.

Have you noticed ‘natural’ and organic’ seem to be on every cosmetic label these days? We have, too. Unfortunately, lack of regulation means these marketing buzzwords don’t always reflect a product’s ingredients. (Check out what goes into an organic certification here). 

Don’t worry, though — we’ve searched far and wide for the very best organic makeup brands and natural skincare products that are truly clean and cruelty-free, ranging in price and product. 

Why consider clean makeup?

Unfortunately for decades, makeup has been plagued with toxic chemicals that can have serious implications on our health. Ingredients like PFAS, formaldehyde, parabens, and SLS are prevalent across many of our beloved makeup products and can absorb through our skin causing adverse reactions like allergies, eye injuries, or worse. 

Fortunately, many clean makeup brands are leading the way of crafting effective and safe makeup products that won’t harm your health. (And actually perform well, if not better than your conventional makeup go-tos!) Clean makeup brands avoid the use of harmful chemicals and instead formulate their cosmetics with natural and organic ingredients like fruit and vegetable pigments, aloe vera, and cornstarch which are gentler and safer for our skin. Clean makeup brands also prioritize animal welfare and environmental initiatives as many are vegan, cruelty-free, and use sustainable packaging that minimizes harm to animals, the planet, and us!

Our criteria

Our editors have tested, researched, and scoured thousands of customer reviews to determine the very best clean makeup brands that are gentle enough to use daily. We update this list regularly with emerging favorites that meet the below criteria.

  • CLEAN/ORGANIC | These makeup brands are formulated with natural and organic ingredients that are safe for even the most delicate areas of our face.
  • AFFORDABILITY | We’ve included clean makeup brands that are not only effective, but also easygoing on your wallet.

Be sure not to miss our guides for natural skin care brands, organic foundations, natural lipsticks, and organic mascara!


Best OverallMost Affordable | Best Glam  


1. ILIA

1% for the planet
Cruelty free
Plant trees
Recycled materials
Vegan
Woman owned

Best For | Multi-use sticks, serum foundations
Natural & Organic | Natural & USDA-certified organic ingredients, safe synthetics
Price Range | $24 (eye primer) – $54 (foundation)

The best makeup brands blend natural, effective ingredients with nourishing vitamins and oils. Enter ILIA. This natural cosmetic line is making formulas from scratch to ensure your makeup is the cleanest it can be, while being dedicated to sustainability and ethics every step of the way. We love the multi-purpose sticks for travel and the compact makeup collection. You can read our review of ILIA’s Super Serum Skin Tint here.

ILIA Review | “Ilia’s Skin Tint ticked all the right boxes for me. Between the brand’s ethos, the packaging’s recyclability, and the product’s clean formulation and excellent performance, I’ll happily repurchase. The skincare lover in me embraces an excuse to turn part of my makeup routine into a skincare step, too.” – Natalie Gale, editor at The Good Trade (Read the full review)

ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
Credo
The Detox Market


2. Well People

American made
Budget friendly
Cruelty free
Fair trade
Vegan

Best For | Minimalist makeup
Natural & Organic | Natural & plant-based ingredients
Price Range | $10 (mini mascara) – $30 (moisturizer with SPF)

If you’re going for the perfect no-makeup look, Well People is the brand for you. The cruelty-free and natural cosmetics in this collection are designed to nourish and soothe your skin while also giving you the color and coverage you desire. Plus, the line includes many vegan products we adore. We love how versatile and affordable Well People’s handcrafted cosmetics are, especially since 100+ products are EWG-verified. (You can find Well People in major drugstores!)

Well People Review | “This is very moisturizing and has a good bit of color. Not sheer but light. There is a slight herb-y taste but no scent. It’s been good for cold weather when I want color and moisture.” – Anonymous (See all reviews)

ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
Credo
The Detox Market
Target
Thrive Market


3. RMS Beauty

Cruelty free
Recycled materials
Small business
Woman owned

Best For | Concealers & highlighters
Natural & Organic | Natural, food-grade, & organic ingredients
Price Range | $15 (mascara) – $58 (cover-up foundation)

RMS Beauty is renowned in the beauty world, and it’s clear why. The brand’s cosmetic collection is produced with raw, food-grade, and organic ingredients that hydrate and illuminate your skin while enhancing and improving your already beautiful complexion. RMS is dedicated to transforming the way people use makeup, creating products that are not only nontoxic and GMO-free, but also healing and nourishing.

RMS Beauty Review | “Eyeshadow is very nice. It goes on very easily and has a lovely glow much easier than the powders. I really love it.” – Marlene P. (See all reviews)

ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
Credo
The Detox Market
Thrive Market


4. Merit Beauty

Cruelty free
Recycled materials
Vegan
Woman owned

Best For | Minimalist makeup
Natural & Organic | Clean & EU compliant ingredients
Price Range | $24 (lip oil) – $38 (complexion stick)

Merit makes exactly what we need — no more, no less. The Los Angeles-based beauty brand offers a highly curated line of “well-edited essentials” (including a lengthening mascara and highlighting balm) that is free from over 1,400 potentially unsafe ingredients. Instead, its products boast skin-loving formulas that include plant-based squalane, vitamin B5, kaolin clay, and sea daffodil extract. Its shipment packaging is recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable; and Merit also volunteers, donates, and supports the nonprofit Baby2Baby.

Merit Review | “I have incredibly sensitive skin, and finding makeup products that don’t irritate my skin or cause creasing and patchiness has always been a challenge. However, I can confidently say that these products are absolutely fantastic! They blend seamlessly, like butter melting into my skin, and the result is a beautifully natural no-makeup look that I am absolutely obsessed with. It’s rare to find products that not only work well but also cater to sensitive skin, and these have truly exceeded my expectations. I can’t recommend them enough” – Sogand M. (See all reviews)


5. Jones Road

Cruelty free
FSC
Woman owned

Best For | Miracle balm
Natural & Organic | Clean, safe ingredients without phthalates, sulfates, petrolatum, PEGs, cyclic silicones, EDTA, or BPA
Price Range | $25 (neutralizer pencil) – $44 (foundation)

Makeup pioneer Bobbi Brown created Jones Road just four years after leaving her namesake company. “Why can’t I find makeup products that are both clean and high-performance- that don’t sacrifice one for the other?” she asked. Jones Road seeks to fill that gap in the market, with easy, multi-purpose products that can be used to achieve any look— from a natural, no-makeup look to a high-drama, ultra-glam one. Using even stricter guidelines than the E.U.’s, the carefully curated range of balms, sticks, and creams are the best of the best in high-impact clean beauty. You can read our full Jones Road review here.

Jones Road Review | “The products all feel fantastic and wear well throughout the day, and my skin has felt and looked great over the past few weeks. I love that a little goes a long way, making the price tag feel completely worth it.” – Stephanie Fallon, editor at The Good Trade (Read the full review)


6. 100% Pure

Cruelty free
Plant trees
Recycled materials
Vegan

Best For | Fruit-pigmented lip & cheek tint
Natural & Organic | Naturally pigmented, nontoxic ingredients
Price Range | $8 (lip balm) – $55 (palette)

100% Pure aims to create the world’s purest line of all-natural cosmetics, beauty products, and skincare. The brand’s vegan cosmetics are formulated with high-performing antioxidants, naturally occurring vitamins, and essential oils to give your skin maximum benefits. The brand even offers soaps, shampoos, and conditioners to complete your (nontoxic) beauty routine! Affordable, safe, and stunning.

100% Pure Review | “I’m a studying Nutritional Therapist, and quality/ clean ingredients are a must for me. I can’t get over the ingredients of the Fruit Pigmented mascara, plus the brown shade smells like hot cocoa! I’m looking forward to trying more products, but I think this mascara is going to be a staple item for me!” – Darby J. (See all reviews)

ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
The Detox Market
Thrive Market


7. Kosas

Cruelty free
FSC
Recycled materials
Vegan
Woman owned

Best For | Cream blush & highlighter duos, lipsticks & glosses
Natural & Organic | Botanical formulas & safe synthetics
Price Range | $13 (mascara) – $42 (skin improving foundation)

Kosas is on a mission to reinvent our beauty routines through intentional formulas. Founded by a chemist dedicated to clean and quality cosmetics (sans 2,700 harmful ingredients), the brand’s natural beauty collection is filled with nourishing botanical ingredients. We especially love the dimensional colors you can achieve with the cream blush duos and the inclusive shades of their skin improving foundation.

Kosas Review | “At long last, I have found MY foundation. I have finicky combinations skin, and this foundation does not irritate me and is hydrating without making my skin oily as the day wears on – a rarity for me. I adore the finish – soft, natural, almost air-brushed – and the way it makes my skin look and feel. Thank you, Kosas!” – S.L. (See all reviews)

ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
Credo
The Detox Market


8. Alima Pure

1% for the planet
B corp
Cruelty free
Plant trees
Woman owned

Best For | Powder foundations & primers
Natural & Organic | Natural, nontoxic ingredients
Price Range | $20 (eyeshadow) – $52 (liquid primer) 

Alima Pure products are formulated with the purest ingredients for maximum impact — and the natural makeup brand never uses synthetic dyes or tests on animals. The B Corp also gives back each year to green initiatives and is fully carbon-free. We love the diverse shades and the team’s dedication to affordable natural and organic beauty. If you’re not ready to commit to its best-selling powder foundation, try a sample first!

Alima Pure Review | “I Love this primer! I have sensitive and reactive skin so look for products with no irritating ingredients so Alima Pure is a great brand for this. I especially love this primer. I have oily skin too and this primer helps my foundation stay looking great all day at work and doesn’t irritate at all, in fact it feels very comfortable. I know it is pricey but I use a tiny amount and I will pay for this brilliant product. Thanks Alima Pure for such a great primer with no fragrance, alcohol etc!” – Michelle (See all reviews)

ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
Credo
The Detox Market


9. Saie

1% for the planet
Climate neutral
Cruelty free
FSC
Recycled materials
Woman owned

Best For | No-makeup makeup
Natural & Organic | Organic & dermatologist-tested ingredients, fragrance-free, paraben-free
Price Range | $16 (mini mascara) – $40 (serum foundation) 

Saie is shaking up the beauty scene with its skin-loving makeup products. From their Glowy Super Gel to their Brow Butter eyebrow styler, these minimal and lightweight products will be your next holy grail cosmetic staple. Made with organic, fragrance-free ingredients and absolutely no allergens, carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and parabens, you can breathe a sigh of relief that you’re only using the best of the best on your skin. For lovers of the no-makeup makeup look, this one’s for you. Read our detailed review here

Saie Beauty Review | “Honestly, this is a holy grail mascara for me. I used to be a firm believer in drugstore superiority when it came to mascaras, but I’ll happily shell out an extra ten or fifteen bucks for this in the future. It somehow leaves my lashes both extra long yet natural looking, with zero clumps ever.” – Natalie Gale, editor at The Good Trade (Read the full review)


10. Cheekbone Beauty

1% for the planet
B corp
BIPOC Owned
Climate neutral
Cruelty free
Fair trade
Plant trees
Recycled materials
Vegan
Woman owned

Best For | Makeup that gives back
Natural & Organic | Natural & plant-based ingredients
Price Range | $11 (setting powder) – $30 (lipstick)

Cheekbone Beauty got its start when founder Jenn Harper was inspired to create a makeup brand that centered Indigenous Youth, in a space where Indigenous faces are not represented nearly enough. With strong values and the backing of an Indigenous investment firm, Cheekbone Beauty’s mission is to provide sustainable, high-quality, and cruelty-free cosmetics that are more than just beauty products–they are a symbol of hope and success for people from marginalized communities. Cheekbone Beauty gives back to organizations that support Indigenous communities including the Dig Deep Navajo Water Project and the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society. 

Cheekbone Beauty Review | “Goes on nicely and stays on! But it is also sooo moisturizing. I have had terrible times finding a lipstick that starts on more than half an hour but does not dry out your lips. This is it!” – Carla P. (See all reviews)


Bonus: Lip Colors


Axiology

Cruelty free
Plastic/Pfas free
Recycled materials
Vegan
Woman owned

Best For | Multi-use balms
Natural & Organic | Organic & minimal ingredients
Price Range | $14 (lip balm) – $36 (eyeshadow)

For makeup that’s as fun as it is Earth-friendly, Axiology does it best. The California-based brand makes creamy and colorful multi-use balms and lipsticks, and does so using only 10 (!) ingredients, consisting of clean oils, extracts, waxes, and butters. The entire collection is vegan, palm oil-free, and comes in boxes made by women in Bali from paper waste collected on the island.

Axiology Review | “I love this set. I am a fan of stick makeup to begin with. These are smooth, fun, and have a lovely color range. I am quite fair and even the darker tones look good on me because you can control how much you use. I can do my makeup in about 5 minutes if I’m in a rush with these.” – Sherry (See all reviews)

ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
Credo
The Detox Market


NOTO

Cruelty free
Fair trade
Recycled materials
Small business
Vegan
Woman owned

Best For | Multi-use stains
Natural & Organic | Organic & botanical ingredients
Price Range | $26 (multi-use sticks)

Based in Los Angeles, NOTO’s gender-fluid makeup was developed with minimalists in mind. From its pigmented lip & cheek stains to its highlighter for the face & body, the collection is vegan, crafted in small batches, and made from organic plant-based ingredients (like olive fruit oil and rosemary leaf extract). Its bottles are made of glass, the plastics of PCR material, and the boxes are biodegradable. If you’re in LA, NOTO offers a refill program so you can replenish your emptied bottles.

NOTO Review | “Wears beautifully on eyes, cheeks and lips, and the intensity can be adjusted by applying more or fewer layers. Peppermint scent that smells like heaven. My favorite color stick” – Juliette T. (See all reviews)


Featured image is from Noto