Clean
Cosmetics
BUYING GUIDE
How to keep toxic chemicals out of your personal care routine
It’s personal.
People want to believe their favorite cosmetics or personal care products are safe. But most of the products Americans use every day—such as lotions, shaving creams, deodorants, and makeup—contain thousands of unregulated chemicals. For far too long, people have unknowingly been putting their health at risk by using personal care products with toxic ingredients.
The problem with
personal care products
The beauty industry generates approximately $100 billion globally in revenue each year, yet it is one of the least regulated industries in the nation, with over 10,000 chemicals in the personal care and beauty market today. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act (FDCA) has only restricted 11 chemicals since 1938, while the European Union has banned over 1,800 chemicals.
10,000+
chemicals in the beauty market today
1,800+
number of hemicals restricted in the E.U.
11
number of chemicals restricted in the U.S.
States are taking action
In the absence of strong federal protections, states are taking action. In June 2023, Oregon passed SB 546 (the Toxic Free Cosmetics Act) in conjunction with Washington and California. This means that in 2027, key chemical classes such as lead, PFAS, ortho-phthalates, mercury, and formaldehyde will be regulated.
The industry is waking up
As more states like Oregon pass laws regulating chemical ingredients—paired with a rise in consumer awareness and demand—more companies are voluntarily changing their formulas to use healthier and safer ingredients. As the trends continue, cleaner and healthier products will continue to become more affordable.
Your buying decisions matter!
Consumer
decisions
Strong
Policies
How
change
happens
Public
awareness
Advocacy
A safer future is on the horizon in Oregon!
A NEW health-forward law passed in Oregon in 2023!
Through strong advocacy from Oregon Environmental Council, Oregon’s new Toxic Free Cosmetics Act will regulate many of the most common chemicals found in personal care products.
IMPACT
Starting in 2027, thousands of individual chemicals will be kept out of products and off of shelves!
Until then, this guide can help you make safer buying decisions!
CLEAN COSMETICS BUYING GUIDE
How to select
safer products
Until Oregon’s new Toxic-Free Cosmetics regulations are in place in 2027, here are ways you can keep yourself and your loved ones safe when selecting personal care products and cosmetics.
What is “clean beauty”?
Phrases like “clean beauty” or “clean cosmetics” generally refer to products with ingredients that are safe for topical use in humans, the environment, or both. These ingredients can be natural or made in a lab and generally refer to ingredients that do not cause health harms such as skin irritation, endocrine disruption, or cancer. And notably, the term “clean beauty” goes far beyond just makeup. It refers to daily hygiene products like shampoo, moisturizer, and skincare products.
Common ingredients to avoid
When deciding which products to buy for yourself, your family, or to give as a gift, be on the lookout for some of the most common toxic ingredients.
Ingredient | Use / Often found in | Health impacts |
Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers (includes: bronopol, DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, glyoxa, imidazolidinyl urea, polyoxymethylene urea, quaternium-15, and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate) | preservative in hair dye, hair straighteners, nail polish | rashes, dermatitis, and cancer [source] |
Oxybenzone | UV protection in sunscreen | cancer, hormone disruption, skin allergies; causes coral reef degradation [source] |
Parabens | preservative in lotion, shampoo, body wash, foundation | increases tumor growth and chances of breast cancer [source] |
Parfum / fragrance | any product that has an added scent | lung irritation, thyroid toxicity, reproductive problems [source] |
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) | waterproof agent in mascara, lipstick | cancer, kidney cancer, endocrine disruption [source] |
Phthalates and ortho-phthalates | plasticizers and lubricants in lotion, shampoo, body wash | endocrine disruption, hormone disruption, and impaired brain development [source] |
Sodium lauryl sulfate | surfactant in soap, body wash, face washes, makeup remover | skin irritation, acne [source] |
Certified safe: logos to look for
It can be overwhelming to try to understand every ingredient on a label. Look for these helpful certifications on products that have undergone varying levels of testing and evaluation. Not all certifications are made equal.
Third-party/industry certifications (most rigorous)
Third-party certifications tend to be the most rigorous, comprehensive, and trustworthy.
BCPP’s Black Beauty Database is a nonprofit database of Black-owned beauty brands offering products marketed toward women of color.
EWG Verified evaluates personal care products along with cleaning and other household products.
Made Safe takes into account human health and ecosystem health in their product certification program.
Retailer certifications
Some of these companies are featured in this buying guide. Beauty brands like Credo Beauty—scientifically and rigorously vet every product they sell—and Beauty Counter pledge to sell non-toxic, clean products, and even major cosmetics chains like Sephora and Ulta have unveiled their own “clean” labels that meet certain criteria.
The Credo Clean Standard
Clean at Sephora
Conscious Beauty at Ulta
Target clean
Toxic-free products
for everyone
Whether you’re shopping for yourself and your family or looking for the perfect gift, here’s a list of certified-safe products and brands to try based on market research and some first-hand experience from OEC team members.
Note: OEC does not endorse any specific brand, product, or application, nor do we seek to be brand advocates. Not all products listed here have been individually vetted by the OEC team. All are third-party certified toxic-free.
$10-$25 range
- Axiology (refillable, plastic-free color sticks)
- Fat and the Moon (skincare)
- Honest Company (comprehensive product line; shampoo; wipes)
- Meow Meow Tweet (deodorant sticks)
- Rejuva Minerals (clean sensitive skin makeup)
- Versed (clean, vegan, retinol skincare)
- River Organics (clean lip balm)
- Well People (cruelty-free clean makeup)
$25-$50 range
- Dr. Bronners (vegetable-based castile soap)
- 100% Pure (fruit-pigmented makeup and bamboo silica face powder)
- Credo Beauty (comprehensive product line)
- Ever Eden (pregnancy skincare products)
- Honey Cup (body scrub and lotion)
- Loli Beauty (face oil)
- Omiana (titanium- and mica-free powder)
$50+ range
- Beauty Counter (comprehensive product line, shaving cream)
- Free Girl Skincare (plant-based, clean skincare)
- True Botanicals (face oil)
Oregon-based clean beauty and personal care product stores
- Alima Pure (refillable, carbon-neutral cosmetics)
- Blush Beauty Bar (Portland, OR)
- Green Heart Herbal Co.(Mt. Hood, OR)
- Oregon Soap Company
- Wild Carrot Herbals (Enterprise, OR)
Affordable nontoxic kid’s personal care ($10-$25 per item)
- Babo Botanics (sunscreen and personal care)
- Badger Balm (mineral sunscreen)
- Fat and the Moon (hand-crafted skincare)
- Healthy Baby (diapers)
- Hello Bello (talc-free baby powder)
- Maty’s All Natural (baby excema cream)
Find new favorites with these helpful apps
These free apps allow you to learn about product ingredients and shop cleaner options.
This app also offers a browser extension to notify you about unsafe ingredients in personal care and cleaning products.
From Environmental Working Group (EWG), this app also includes ratings for food products.
This database lists over 850,000 cosmetics and personal care products.
Your buying decisions are powerful!
Your choices have the power to protect your health and the health of your family while moving the market to change.
Oregon Environmental Council’s work for public health and a toxic-free future is made possible by people across the state and our partners who care about supporting Oregon’s communities and safeguarding the future.
Oregon Environmental Council | @OEConline | oeconline.org | 503-222-1963