There's a huge misconception that natural makeup products are incapable of delivering glamorous results. That might have been true, like, a decade ago, but today there are plenty of lines creating earth-friendly, high-impact, and downright dazzling products that over-deliver in the glam department. We're talking about the best natural makeup brands, of course.
It's no secret that natural or "clean" beauty has blown up in recent years. Consumers care about non-toxic ingredients and are making a conscious effort to pay close attention to harmful chemicals—like formaldehyde, parabens, and phthalates—that could be wreaking havoc on their bodies and the planet.
"It is by pushing boundaries that we commit to the values of health and respect for the environment. [This] means going to the extremes to dismantle a model that has relied for years on synthetic chemistry and the use of petroleum and non-renewable resources," explains Élodie Carpentier, a biotech engineer and co-founder of natural makeup brand Le Rouge Français. "Clean beauty is not just about refining a formula; for me, it is about reinventing the very essence of makeup through dye plants and vegetable coloring."
Ahead, Marie Claire editors' takes on the best natural makeup brands.
Our Top Picks From The Best Natural Makeup Brands
Jones Road Miracle Balm ($38)
Westman Atelier Liquid Super Loaded Illuminator Drops ($58)
Tower 28 Beauty Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer ($22)
Le Rouge Français Lipstick ($52)
Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer ($36)
Freelance beauty writer Sophia Vilensky's well-loved collection from (some of!) the best natural makeup brands. You can find the rest in her beauty cabinet.
The Best Natural Makeup Brands
Jones Road Beauty
After leaving her eponymous brand, makeup artist Bobbi Brown launched Jones Road, a simple-to-shop brand with a lovely array of simple-to-use products. And really, we can't imagine a time before the brand's Miracle Balm. Crafted around "a lifetime of beauty knowledge, distilled," the brand's philosophy is that the world doesn't need more beauty products, it just needs better products. With that in mind, they prioritize clean, high-grade formulations that work on every skin type and have absolutely no learning curve.
Ere Perez
Australia-based Ere Perez's motto is “natural makeup for clean, conscious living.” Each of their marvelous products (their clear mascara is our overall best pick, if you're really trying to go the no-makeup makeup route) was developed with carefully selected ingredients—such as oil, plant extracts, and minerals—that are blended with antioxidants to create gentle and effective makeup that still allows your skin to breathe.
LYS Beauty
After more than a decade spent in the clean beauty industry, Tisha Thompson decided she'd had enough of the lack of diversity in natural makeup. LYS Beauty launched in 2019 on Sephora as the first Black-owned clean beauty brand to receive Sephora's stamp of approval, instantly becoming a sold-out favorite for its formula and powerful pigment targeted towards skin of color. Each product is made to be skin-focused first, ingredient wise, with focus on skin affected by hyperpigmentation and dark marks.
Milk Makeup
An offset of Milk Studios, Milk Makeup has been in the clean beauty space since the beginning, focusing their branding and message on galactic-feeing products that are made for effortless beauty vibes. Their dedication to improving their formulas and packaging (not to mention their refillable and natural ingredient-focused products) helps explain why most TikTok-ers own at least one item from the always-going-viral brand.
Le Rouge Français
Natural makeup met French girl beauty when Le Rouge Français came on the scene in 2020—and it's finally available in the US. Founded by Elodie Carpentier and Salem Ghezaili, the lovely Le Rouge Français was crafted to exceed the limits of what people think of "organic" beauty (they have 12 patents to prove it!), ultimately providing a luxurious, desirable product. "I have decided to revolutionize this industry by returning to ancient practices of using plants and their natural colors in makeup," Carpentier tells Marie Claire. "As a biotech engineer with a passion for botanicals, I felt it was my duty to develop formulations free of controversial ingredients, organic, vegan, and possessing wonderful coloring properties. I am bringing back ancestral culture, the 'savoir-faire' and the 'excellence.'"
Westman Atelier
Renowned makeup artist Gucci Westman created celebrity-loved Westman Atelier to bring a luxurious aesthetic to clean beauty. With sustainability in the foreground, natural ingredients are a major pillar in the identity of this cosmetic brand. The refillable, durable packaging and creamy formulas with plant-powered ingredients make them a favorite for IG-worthy beauty shelf shots—plus, the products work incredibly well. If you've ever wondered why a celebrity looks so glowy on the red carpet, it's probably because Westman was involved.
Wander Beauty
Multi-use products are one thing, but cosmetic items designed for multitasking take innovative packaging and dual-use makeup to a new level. Duo eyeshadows and double-sided highlighters feature cruelty-free, paraben-free, and synthetic fragrance-free ingredients that don’t cake on the skin, instead leaving a soft-touched glam. Their sustainable choices don’t stop at formulation; they’re also actively working to have more environmentally-safe initiatives in production.
Freck Beauty
What started as a desire to create a freckle cosmetic product turned into a skincare and makeup brand that is favored amongst Gen Z, influencers, and beauty-lovers alike. Founded by Remi Brixton in 2017, all of Freck's products are vegan and cruelty-free, crafted with natural ingredients like cactus, shea butter, and flower water. The brand’s website proudly states: “We are the bold, clean beauty brand for anyone that cares about ingredients, respects the process, and doesn’t care about the rules.”
Kosas
Kosas is the makeup brand for skincare lovers who want their cosmetics to complement their skincare regime. Whether you're looking to be extra hydrated, soothe irritated skin, or brighten dull skin, each makeup product contains ingredients that works with that goal while also delivering enviable color payoff. Kosas has banned the use of over 2,700 different ingredients that they swear to never put into their formulas. The Leaping Bunny certified brand claims their line is "loose, quick, active clean beauty that works the way you want it to."
Tower 28 Beauty
Tower 28 doesn't want to limit who can use their products, which is why every single item is formulated with sensitive skin in mind. This dermatologist-tested brand is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and gluten-free. From their truly poppin' lip glosses to their glowing highlights, this brand uses ingredients that are safe for even the most sensitive consumer. Tower 28 Beauty follows the National Eczema Association's ingredient guidelines, which is a rarity in the beauty world. If your sensitive skin has been holding you back from getting into the beauty world, this brand is perfect for you.
Beautycounter
Not only does Beautycounter up the game when it comes to clean beauty, but they're transparent about their progress, even going so far as to put out an annual Social Mission report listing their accomplishments. While the brand is dedicated to teaching their consumers about the benefits of clean beauty, they are also working to change laws and national guidelines for beauty ingredients. Beautycounter regularly supports nonprofits and is dedicated to constantly improving their formulas and environmental impact.
Lawless Beauty
Annie Lawless, the brains behind Lawless Beauty, has seen the benefits of clean beauty firsthand. As a child suffering from debilitating eczema and gluten allergies, she sought to create a clean makeup brand that wasn't exclusively for beauty minimalists. "I started Lawless Beauty with the mission to create highly pigmented, full coverage, and long-wearing clean makeup with a no-tolerance policy for sheer, wimpy, no-makeup makeup formulas and any kind of potentially toxic ingredients," Lawless says on the brand's website. If minimal isn't your style, then Lawless has you covered—in an ethically formulated, clean way.
Rituel De Fille
Los Angeles-based natural makeup brand Rituel De Fille knows what it takes to create a captivating glow. Seriously—their cult-favorite highlighters leave a supernatural-looking finish on the skin that'll make an onlooker do a double-take. Dreamed up by three sisters, this brand uses the magic of natural ingredients to make pigment-rich products that you can apply almost anywhere. "We approach our formulation like potion-making," the sisters write on their website. In other words, you can trust that each product is crafted with care, is completely natural, and is made with minimal ingredients.
RMS Beauty
On a one to 10 scale of fabulous lines in the natural makeup space, RMS Beauty is a big ol' 10. The company was dreamed up by esteemed makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift, who values health and wellness just as much as cosmetics. She's taken these ethics a step further, creating concealers, highlighters, and lipsticks formulated with raw, food-grade, and organic ingredients in their purest state. You can expect these good-for-you products to make your skin glow from the outside and inside.
ILIA
It's important to be intentional about what you're putting on your face, and ILIA makes it easy to be mindful with makeup choices. The luxurious packaging is made from recyclable aluminum and each product is carefully crafted with health-conscious ingredients. They're on a mission to make clean beauty the norm, and are aware that not all natural products are created equally. With shades that range from neutral to vibrant, trust that these will do right by your skin.
Well People
Well People combines skincare and makeup to create something oh so special. If you're a no-makeup makeup lover, you'll appreciate how their products will enhance your natural beauty. Staying true to its natural roots, all products are handcrafted in small batches, which means when you receive your haul you can trust that it's been made to ensure the safest, freshest experience.
Kjaer Weis
One look at Kjaer Weis's shiny, chic packaging will convince you that natural makeup products can indeed look sophisticated and deliver results. As a long-time makeup artist, founder Kirsten Kjaer Weis experienced the struggle of not having high-performing organic products for clients with sensitive skin. This brand is a crowd favorite because it uses only top-tier organic ingredients that won't ever compromise the health of your skin. You get elegant and clean formulas without any parabens, silicones, petrochemical emulsifiers, or synthetic fragrances.
The Lip Bar
Natural makeup products should be accessible and inclusive, period. Melissa Butler, creator of The Lip Bar, recognized a need after growing incredibly frustrated with the beauty industry's lack of diversity. Her brand offers 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free ingredients in an array of shades suited for all skin tones. Oh, and did we mention everything is under $20?
Saie
Clean beauty brand Saie is known for their surprisingly long-lasting and flake-free oil-based mascara, but that doesn’t mean their other products can’t share the spotlight. With their tinted, SPF-enhanced Slip Tint moisturizer, dewy highlighters, and glassy lip balms, Saie lets you paint your face without worrying about harmful additives or lackluster performance.
What Is Natural Makeup?
Let's get real: What does "natural" beauty even mean anymore? Around the world (and even from seller to seller!), beauty brands are held to different standards when it comes to included ingredients and formulation practices. "Clean" can mean two completely different things depending who you ask.
"There is no LEGAL definition of natural/clean makeup. There is consumer perceived and retailer mandated natural/clean makeup," explains cosmetic chemist Ginger King while noting that a number of retailers— Sephora and Credo are great examples—set up their own standards of what's "clean." Generally, their definition is "using ingredients that are non-toxic to humans or the environment and have no irritation potential."
At Le Rouge Français, for example, the label means not including controversial ingredients like titanium dioxide, which Carpentier says "is ubiquitous in cosmetics yet banned in food products" and ensuring everything that goes into their products is organic.
"A product is not just a formula; it is also about the desirability of its packaging, with no compromises on eco-responsibility and the protection of our Mother Earth," adds the founder. "Therefore, our packaging is plant-based, recyclable, refillable, and certified by independent organizations. We no longer speak of clean beauty or naturalness; instead, we focus on positive actions for the planet—we talk about regeneration."
King adds that, as far as the "natural," label is concerned, many use COSMOS certification as the standard, using ingredients certified by a European organization, not a governmental body. "Thus, when it comes to natural, even if you have products that contain natural extracts, some companies claim natural. This is also known as green-washing in beauty," she adds.
Does Natural Makeup Work?
Like we said before, there are plenty of natural makeup products that supply amazing efficacy and color payoff—this whole list is proof. Still, if you're looking for a bright blue eyeshadow or green eyeliner you might be disappointed.
"Most pigments, especially the blues and greens, are synthetic," explains King. And no, pink isn't always any easier: "If the brand wants to abide to clean beauty, they can not use carmine because it is from dead beetles. Carmine gives the pink shades. So, yes, there will be pay-off differences and shade limitations. Additionally, the so called natural/clean makeup [brands] tend not to use silicones which can hinder a product's spreadability and feel."
How Can You Tell If Your Makeup Is Natural?
Now, about that green washing. Increased demand for clean, cruelty-free, and vegan makeup and beauty products has sadly caused brands to use suspicious marketing tactics, slapping "natural" and "organic" labels on their products without legitimate certifications. Thus, it's difficult to decipher if "natural" makeup brands are being completely transparent when it comes to refraining from harsh chemicals and animal testing.
Organizations like PETA and Leaping Bunny offer tools to search which brands are truly using organic, cruelty-free, and ethically sourced ingredients. You can also use apps like Yuka to scan your products and find out how they hold up against natural beauty standards.
Does Natural Makeup Expire Faster?
According to King, it really depends whether or not your natural makeup will last as long as your traditional formulas. But generally, you will have to replace your products more frequently.
"If it is truly from natural origins and organic (without any process), it can go bad faster," she says. "Case in point, organic avocado oil is dark green and has an odor compared to refined avocado oil which is light yellow and no odor. As a general rule of thumb, naturals may have a shorter shelf life, like one year compared to traditional products having 2 to 3 years of shelf life."
Meet the Experts
Ginger King is a cosmetic chemist who has been passionately creating beauty products from concept to finish since 1995. She is well versed in innovative concepts, creative product formulation, advanced technology applications, ergonomic package development and impactful competitive analysis. Ginger has developed over hundreds of products from hair care to skin care, and sun care to color cosmetics. Her claim to fame products include the revolutionary first to market Joico ICE SPIKER, water resistant hair glue, Freeze 24.7 Ice Shield, SPF 15 face wash and Avon Advance Techniques Color Protection series.
A biotechnology engineer with a passion for entrepreneurship, Elodie Carpentier is behind a veritable plant revolution. Her career spanning more than 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry and the arrival of her daughter June led her to focus on uncompromising products for her own health and that of her child. Passionate about the world of botany and art history, she became interested in plant pigmentation derived from dye plants with coloring properties and health benefits.
In 2019, Elodie created Le Rouge Français with her husband and partner Salem Ghezaili: the first makeup House specialising in plant-based pigmentation. Elodie then embarked on formulating her own cosmetic products thanks to an in-house R&D structure with Cosmos Organic BIO certification, Vegan certification by PETA, and no controversial ingredients.
