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Quick Answer: Which Lipsticks Are Top-Rated by EWG?
100% Pure Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick, Plume Pink rates low hazard on EWG Skin Deep in a traditional matte bullet format. Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Lipstick, Paradise and e.l.f. Sheer Slick Lipstick, Black Cherry also rate low hazard. None of the three is EWG VERIFIED®. NonToxicFinder is not affiliated with EWG.
If you're searching for non-toxic lipstick, you've probably noticed that lipstick gets less ingredient scrutiny than skincare, even though it shouldn't. A tube goes on your lips multiple times a day, some of it is inevitably ingested, and the pigments, dyes, and "long-wear" polymer chemistry that give lipstick its color and staying power are exactly the kind of ingredients EWG flags across its Skin Deep® database. Most "clean lipstick" roundups conflate "marketed as clean" with "independently rated": this guide is explicit about which shades actually carry the EWG VERIFIED® mark versus which are simply well-rated on Skin Deep's ingredient-hazard scale, and about the fact that ratings are per-shade, not brand-wide.
We looked across dozens of shades from more than twenty clean-beauty and mainstream brands to find lipsticks with a confirmed EWG basis that are also actually in stock. Most candidates fell away on stock, not certification: small-batch indie lipstick is poorly stocked on Amazon right now. Below are the three shades that cleared both bars, verified in stock as of October 2026. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with the Environmental Working Group.
How EWG Rates Lipstick
EWG runs two separate systems that both apply to lipstick, and they aren't the same thing. EWG VERIFIED® is a proactive program: a brand submits its complete formula for a specific shade, and EWG checks it against its own Unacceptable and Restricted ingredient lists before granting the mark. It's shade-specific, not brand-wide: a brand can have one VERIFIED® shade and dozens that aren't enrolled at all. EWG's Skin Deep database is broader and doesn't require enrollment: it rates ingredient-hazard levels on a 1–10 scale (lower is better) for thousands of personal care products, including lipstick, whether or not the brand ever applied for VERIFIED status.
A brand's absence from the EWG VERIFIED® registry isn't itself a bad sign: it just means that specific shade hasn't gone through EWG's full-formula review. None of the ratings below use a numeric Skin Deep score; we cite qualitative hazard bands only ("Low Hazard"), confirmed against EWG's own listing for the exact shade rather than inferred from a product line. We only include Low Hazard picks in this guide, and none of the three is EWG VERIFIED®.
3 Non-Toxic Lipsticks: Top-Rated Skin Deep Picks
1. Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Lipstick, Paradise: Rated by EWG Skin Deep
EWG Status: Rated by EWG Skin Deep: Low Hazard (not EWG VERIFIED®)
Honeybee Gardens is an independent, small-batch clean beauty brand, and Paradise is one of its Truly Natural lipstick shades that rates low hazard on EWG Skin Deep. Not every Honeybee Gardens shade clears that bar: several others in the same line come back Moderate Hazard, which is exactly why we check each shade individually rather than trusting the brand's name alone. Paradise is a traditional pigmented bullet lipstick in a pink tone, priced around $17. Honeybee Gardens has not enrolled this shade in EWG VERIFIED®.
2. e.l.f. Sheer Slick Lipstick, Black Cherry: Rated by EWG Skin Deep
EWG Status: Rated by EWG Skin Deep: Low Hazard (not EWG VERIFIED®)
e.l.f. is a mainstream drugstore brand rather than a niche "clean beauty" label, and Black Cherry rates low hazard on EWG Skin Deep, though EWG notes limited data availability on file for this specific formula. e.l.f.'s own product copy describes the Sheer Slick finish as sitting somewhere between a lipstick and a lip balm in feel and hydration, but it's sold and Skin Deep-rated as a lipstick, not a balm or tint, which is why it's included here. At around $6, it's the most affordable pick in this guide by a wide margin. e.l.f. has not enrolled this shade in EWG VERIFIED®.
3. 100% Pure Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick, Plume Pink: Rated by EWG Skin Deep
EWG Status: Rated by EWG Skin Deep: Low Hazard (not EWG VERIFIED®)
100% Pure uses fruit-derived pigments in place of synthetic dyes across its color-cosmetics line, the same approach already featured in our foundation guide. The Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick in Plume Pink rates low hazard on EWG Skin Deep and comes in a traditional matte bullet format. It's priced around $28. Worth knowing: several other shades in this same 100% Pure line came back out of stock on Amazon when we checked, so availability runs shade by shade even within one brand. Plume Pink is the one we could confirm in stock.
Shade and Finish Considerations
Every pick above was checked at the exact shade level, not inferred from a product line. That matters because EWG ratings for color cosmetics can vary shade to shade within the same product family: a different pigment blend changes the ingredient list, even when the base formula is otherwise identical. Honeybee Gardens and 100% Pure both sell other shades that rate worse or aren't confirmed in stock; the shades named above are the specific ones we verified, not a brand-wide guarantee. If you're considering a shade that isn't listed in this guide, look it up on EWG Skin Deep directly rather than assuming it matches the rating of a sibling shade from the same line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a lipstick that's actually EWG VERIFIED®?
Some shades from some brands are, since EWG VERIFIED® is a shade-specific, opt-in program. None of the three picks in this guide carries that mark; each is rated Low Hazard on EWG Skin Deep instead.
Does EWG rate every "clean" lipstick brand?
No. EWG VERIFIED® requires active brand enrollment for a specific shade, and plenty of brands that market themselves as "clean" haven't gone through that review for every product, or any product. A brand's absence from the EWG VERIFIED® registry isn't itself a bad sign: it just means no independent EWG formula review has happened for that exact shade. Many otherwise well-regarded "clean beauty" shades simply haven't been submitted.
Is EWG Skin Deep the same as EWG VERIFIED®?
No. Skin Deep is a broad ingredient-hazard database that rates thousands of products, including ones whose brands never applied for VERIFIED status. EWG VERIFIED® is a narrower, opt-in program requiring full formula disclosure and review against EWG's Unacceptable and Restricted lists. A shade can appear in Skin Deep without ever carrying the VERIFIED® mark, which describes all three picks in this guide.
Are lipstick shades rated individually?
Yes. EWG rates by exact shade, not by product line, because pigment formulations can differ shade to shade even within one lipstick collection. Check the specific shade you're considering on EWG Skin Deep rather than assuming it matches a different color from the same brand or line.
The Bottom Line
For a traditional matte bullet rated low hazard on EWG Skin Deep, 100% Pure Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick, Plume Pink is the pick in this guide. Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Lipstick, Paradise and e.l.f. Sheer Slick Lipstick, Black Cherry round out the set at two very different price points, both confirmed low hazard on EWG Skin Deep and both confirmed in stock. We earn a commission on purchases through our links. EWG's ratings, not commissions, determine what appears here. NonToxicFinder is not affiliated with EWG.
Building out the rest of your clean color-cosmetics routine? Our EWG foundation makeup guide covers EWG VERIFIED® and Skin Deep-rated foundation picks. And for lip care rather than color, our EWG lip balm guide covers the only EWG VERIFIED® lip balm pick plus a low-hazard Skin Deep option.
This article contains affiliate links. NonToxicFinder (Solved Labs LLC) may earn commissions on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. All EWG statuses referenced in this article (EWG VERIFIED® and EWG Skin Deep hazard bands) were independently confirmed against EWG's own listings for the exact shade named, not inferred from a brand's general reputation. NonToxicFinder does not conduct its own ingredient assessments. EWG's ratings reflect EWG's own review criteria and are not a guarantee of safety or efficacy. Certification status and stock availability can change; verify current status before purchase.
