⚠️
Are Color Additives in Makeup Safe?
The FDA requires pre-approval for cosmetic colorants, but allows up to 20 ppm of lead in the very dyes used to tint your favorite lipstick.
Search for categories, articles, and products
Independent research on makeup & cosmetics — what's safe, what's not, and what to buy.
12 topics
The FDA requires pre-approval for cosmetic colorants, but allows up to 20 ppm of lead in the very dyes used to tint your favorite lipstick.
The FDA just withdrew its proposed rule for mandatory asbestos testing in makeup, leaving consumers exposed to a known carcinogen.
Many 'clean' makeup brands are swapping proven preservatives for food-grade alternatives, resulting in moldy cosmetics and shorter shelf lives.
The single word 'fragrance' on your makeup label can legally hide over 3,600 undisclosed chemicals, including known hormone disruptors.
A recent FDA report found forever chemicals in over 1,700 cosmetic products—here is the definitive list of makeup ingredients to skip.
Over half of everyday cosmetics contain toxic 'forever chemicals,' including 82% of waterproof mascaras.
FDA and independent studies found lead, cadmium, and chromium in hundreds of lipsticks—and you're eating it every time you reapply.
For 84 years, the FDA couldn't even force a recall on toxic makeup. MoCRA changes the rules, but the U.S. still only bans 11 ingredients compared to the EU's 1,600+.
RMS Beauty sets the gold standard for raw, organic ingredients, but its heavy reliance on coconut oil is a double-edged sword for acne-prone skin.
Selena Gomez's brand bans 1,600 toxic chemicals, but it still fails strict clean beauty standards due to PEGs and petroleum derivatives.
ILIA bans talc and parabens, but independent lab testing found 404 ppm of PFAS markers in their popular foundation.
63% of makeup foundations contain forever chemicals, but you don't have to sacrifice coverage for safety.