We absorb up to 4kg of lipstick over our lifetimes, so it’s a good idea to consider your cruelty-free lipstick choices if what you eat matters as much as what you wear!
If you’re looking to go cruelty-free with your makeup, lipstick is the easiest and most accessible place to start.
Simply removing some of the unpleasant ingredients, like carmine (made from crushed beetles) - which gives many ranges their ‘red’ colour - is a great start.
But the cruelty-free label is often accompanied by a host of other ethical claims. - Natural, vegan, organic. What's better?
At Odylique, we formulate our own organic, cruelty-free lipsticks, so we’re experts at knowing what to look for. Here’s our inside guide to choosing the best cruelty free lipstick for you.
What Makes a Lipstick Cruelty-Free?
To be cruelty-free a lipstick must be free from animal derivatives and produced without any animal testing in the manufacture process or supply chain.
Nowadays, most lipstick made and sold exclusively in Europe should not be tested on animals as it is against the law. Cosmetics sold in certain Asian countries may still be tested on animals due to legal requirements.
How Do I Know if My Lipstick is Cruelty-Free?
The easiest way to tell if your lipstick is cruelty free is to look for certification symbols that assure you.
Some you can choose are:
The leaping bunny programme formed by several animal protection groups. Lipsticks with the ‘leaping bunny’ logo have had third party checks for cruelty-free compliance.
PETA also has a logo that assures you your lipstick is not tested on animals.
Many brands do put their own made-up ‘bunny’ on packaging, so you have to take this kind of self-certification on trust.
If My Lipstick is Vegan, is it Also Cruelty Free?
If makeup is labelled Vegan it means it doesn’t contain any animal bi-products.
A bi-product can be an animal ingredient or animal-derived ingredient.
But it doesn’t mean that the lipstick is cruelty-free. It can still be tested on animals, so you need to look for both.
What about Organic Lipstick?
Usually, organic, mineral, and natural lipsticks pay more attention to ethical ingredient sourcing.
An organic lipstick is made of botanical butters, waxes and oils such as shea butter, candelilla wax and sunflower oil.
The colour is also natural; minerals such as iron oxides provide a stunning array of colour. In a truly organic product, the botanical butters, waxes and oils will have been grown and produced without harmful chemicals and certified so by an independent party.
A certified organic lipstick does also mean cruelty-free, as animal testing and animal bi-products are banned under organic standards.
What is Natural Lipstick?
Like organic lipstick, natural lipstick is usually also made from plant-derived ingredients and mineral colours.
Unlike a genuine organic lipstick though, the plants may not have been grown or processed organically, i.e. without artificial pesticides or solvents. There is also no guarantee of cruelty-free unless you see leaping bunny, PETA etc.
What is Mineral Lipstick?
Mineral lipstick gets its colour from natural minerals like iron oxides.
That differs from traditional lipsticks which use artificial dyes like ‘Red 6 Lake’ or ‘Yellow 5 Lake’ and are usually coal-tar derived.
Just because it’s a mineral lipstick doesn’t mean that it’s cruelty-free or natural though. ‘Mineral’ only refers to the colour, and the rest of the lipstick might contain paraffin, silicone, or artificial fragrance. And it's not cruelty-free unless you see the leaping bunny, or PETA logo.
Which Cruelty Free Lipstick is Good for Lips?
Look on the ingredients label for botanical ingredients high up on the list.
Plant oils and butters provide some healthy vitamins, protection and moisture. So the more natural and organic the better.
Traditional lipstick ingredients like paraffin won’t provide any active nourishment. In mineral lipsticks also look out for zinc oxide (CI 77947) which brings a multitude of skin benefits (see below).
What is the 'Safest' Cruelty Free Lipstick?
To really be sure what you’re buying is as ‘clean’ as possible, choose a certified organic lipstick.
This guarantees that the lipstick is free from any ingredients proven to be - or suspected of being - harmful to people or the environment. - Out with parabens, artificial fragrance, paraffin, silicone, acrylics, GMOs and more.
Certified organic lipsticks also must use mineral colours that are free from heavy metal contamination - which is something to be wary of with mineral makeup.
Currently Odylique is the only makeup brand certified organic by the UK’s largest independent certifier, the Soil Association. Certified organic brands from elsewhere in the world can be found on the Cosmos database here.
Why Else Choose Cruelty Free Lipstick?
It’s Kinder to the Environment
Amongst the numerous benefits of going organic, the environment is one of the key beneficiaries. Using organic ingredients helps to reduce the amount of polluting chemicals in the farming industry.
This allows for the soil to remain healthy and full of natural nutrients, reducing toxins in the earth and subsequently helps reduce the levels of soil erosion.
The Soil Association concluded that over 16,600 tonnes of pesticides were used on British farms each year to kill weeds, insects and control crop disease.
Further suggesting that if all UK farming was organic, pesticide use would drop by 98%. This decrease in pesticides would increase the available land for wildlife to flourish.
Currently, the use of pesticides is damaging the natural habitats of bees, butterflies and other insects which has resulted in a serious decline in the population.
It might seem far-fetched, but just small switches, like to organic lipstick will help support the organic farming industry and collectively move us in the right direction towards a more sustainable, eco-friendly future.
How Else Can I Choose a ‘Safe’ Lipstick?
1. Reduce Your Heavy Metal Exposure
Heavy metals are often present in non-mineral lipsticks. Although only presumed an urban legend until 2007, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics concluded that there is lead in 61 percent of the 33 most popular lipstick brands.
However, these metals aren’t actually added to the lipstick, but are present as contaminants in the synthetic dyes (those ‘Red 6 Lake’ or ‘Yellow 5 Lake’ that we mentioned earlier).
But also note that heavy metals can contaminate impure mineral colours. Hence why minerals in certified organic lipsticks have to comply with a strict level of purity.
2. Lower the Risk of Allergy
As lipstick is applied directly to our skin, and unintentionally consumed! It is quite common for people to have allergic reactions to lipstick formulas.
Artificial colours and fragrances in lipstick are common culprits as numerous studies have shown.
If you find your lips constantly swelling up after you have applied your lipstick, then it might be time to switch to a truly natural alternative.
In general, truly natural and organic lipstick tends to have more natural, botanical ingredients.
These naturally occurring molecules, rather than synthetic chemicals, are easier for the body to process and recognise and can lead to fewer allergic reactions.
3. Enjoy Nutritious Botanicals
Vitamin-rich sunflower oil and skin-loving shea butter versus slippery silicone and petroleum.
It’s a no-brainer really, organic lipsticks will leave your lips feeling genuinely amazing!
4. Get Some Skin-Love from Zinc Oxide
OK, so you get this benefit from a mineral lipstick too, but all organic lipsticks are likely to include this great mineral.
It is very often one of the key minerals used in mineral lipstick.
And it is no wonder considering the benefits Zinc oxide (CI 77947) brings to your skin. Zinc oxide helps skin repair, is antibacterial, and can contribute to the sun-shielding effect of a cosmetic product.
So, a lipstick that uses zinc oxide can be used as a 2-in-1 product - both as a lipstick and active skin care repair cream for dry or cracked lips.
5. Choose from Great Colours
Mineral colours are beautiful and offer a great array of colours, even if you might not be able to achieve the perfect red.
These days the ‘payoff’ and colour duration are often as good as with the synthetic colours, so there’s no need to compromise.
Try Our Award-Winning Organic Lipstick
They’ve been compared to MAC for look and feel, and they’re guaranteed free from all artificial chemicals, lead, and other toxins.
Odylique’s lipsticks are bursting with soothing organic herbs and butters that naturally nourish your lips and enhance your natural beauty.
And with a gorgeous selection of 10 mineral shades, you’re bound to find one that you love.
More Advice?
If you’re looking for cruelty free lipstick, and need any help choosing your makeup, or have further questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Email us – customercare@odylique.co.uk
Call - 01638 491022
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