Buying “Green” lipstick simply means that you are buying ecologically correct lipstick.  According to the National Geographic Green Guide there are definitely some steps you can take to make sure that you are buying lipsticks that are safe for you and also safe for the environment.

One tip from the National Geographic Green guide that is a good rule of thumb to go buy is to buy a lipstick with as few ingredients in it as possible. This is because the more ingredients that appear to be in it the more likely it is to contain a component that is toxic.

Ingredients to avoid when you purchase lipstick are antibacterial, coal-tar dyes, 1,4-dioxane (a contaminant of “PEG,” sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate and other -eth ingredients), formaldehyde, fragrance, mercury, nanoparticles, parabens and petroleum distillates. These ingredients are bad for the environment and they are also bad for your health.

If you are concerned that a product may have been developed through the torturing of animals then one of the labels that you need to look for is the Leaping Bunny Label.  The label “cruelty-free” is not enough as there is just no guarantee that the product was not harmful to animals. Cruelty-free is a label that anyone can smack on a cosmetic.

There are quite a few companies that make these healthy lipsticks. Brands that are known to be “green are Coastal Creations, Maia’s Mineral Galaxy, Green Beauty, Herbal Choice, Beauty With a Cause, Johnny Concert, Zosimos Botanicals, Boots, Afterglow Cosmetics. Cargo, Hemp Organics, Honeybee Gardens, Inika Mineral Lipstick, RMS Beauty and Cleure.

All of the companies listed above have a -1 rating of toxicity on an EWG scale. EWG.org is a non-profit organization that tastes the safety of consumer products and then relates them on a scale of one to ten. If you are not certain about lead levels or the levels of chemicals like BHA , BHT and chemical fragrances which can have toxic side effects.

How is it that women are sold these types of cosmetics in the first place?  There is limited government regulation internationally to govern the use of low dose hazardous chemical toxins.  In fact, the long-term effects of many of these products on the body is not really known and may be responsible for all kinds of cancers and auto-immune issues.

Many of the companies that make green lipsticks also sell hair, skincare, body, baby and other make up products.  If you are concerned about the environment and animal-cruelty issues it is a good idea to do a bit of research about these matters.