My Top 5 Favorite Clean Lip Care Products of All Time

I just returned from Seattle, where my interest in clean beauty has only gotten more invested. My sister-in-law, who shares my interest in clean beauty, introduced me to the apps Think Dirty (iOS, Android) and EWG’s Healthy Living (iOS, Android) which grade your beauty products, foods, and cleaning products for toxic and potentially health hazardous ingredients.

Aside from assigning a health rating between zero and 10 (zero being most benign to 10 being the most toxic), Think Dirty actually deep dives into each ingredient and explains the usage, health impacts, and gives more information for every compound.

Meanwhile, the Healthy Living app gives less information but pulls from the Environmental Working Group’s, an organization dedicated to protecting human health, massive database of products and brands. For beauty products, Healthy Living also shows a meter for Allergy Concern, Cancer Concern, Developmental Concern; and for sunscreens, UVA/UVB Balance. Bear in mind, these two apps do have their own unique grading criteria, so the same product might be given different grades.

After learning about these apps, I decided to do some research on my favorite lip balm, and was kind of devastated to learn that my favorite product (which I won’t call out here), had a pretty horrendous grade. Namely UVB-blocker octinoxate, which some studies have shown is an endocrine disruptor and has hormone-mimicking effects. Endocrine disruptions can lead to cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders. Additionally, there is some evidence that suggests octinoxate is bad for the environment as well, and “may harm coral larvae.” While currently, there are still huge gaps in data before we can rule out octinoxate as truly hazardous, it’s better to err on the side of caution.

But for buttery smooth lips, surely there must be products out there that are safe to use but also work incredibly well. And I found them. Below are my top five favorite clean lip care products of all time (I’ve also linked all the ingredients to EWG’s database so you can check out their individual health scores).

Sara Happ The Lip Scrub ($24)

Ingredients: Sucrose, Petrolatum, Flavor (aroma), Simmondsia Chinensis (jojoba) Seed oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Yellow 5 (CI19140), Yellow 6 (CI 15985), Red 33 (CI 17200).

The exfoliant in this scrub is nothing but sugar crystals (sucrose). Simply scoop a small amount onto your lips and rub in a circular motion to slough off the dead skin. Jojoba and Grape Seed oil are both natural emollients while Tocopherol is more commonly known as vitamin E, and has shown some antioxidant activity. The highest toxicity rating in this scrub is Petrolatum. It gets a rating of 4 in EWG’s Healthy Living and a 5 in Think Dirty because it is a mineral oil jelly that can cause some mild irritation, has a low possibility as a carcinogen, and is made from a non-renewable source.

Lucas’ Papaw Ointment ($14 for two)

Ingredients: Carica Papaya 39mg/g Fresh Fermented Fruit, Pharmaceutical Grade Petroleum Jelly and Wax, Peru Balsam Gum, Potassium Sorbate 0.1mg (preservative)

This cult-favorite balm hails from Down Under, and in case you were wondering, papaw is how the Aussies say “papaya.” Dr. Lucas originally created papaw ointment as a healing balm for minor cuts, scrapes, and burns, but in recent years, the product has picked up considerable momentum as a chapped lips remedy as well. While the product only contains 4% of fermented papaw, unlike some other papaw ointments which are formulated with a powder papaw, Lucas’ is made from fresh fruit fermented in-house. The highest toxicity grade again goes to the petroleum jelly, AKA petrolatum, which acts as a carrier for the papaw. A small amount of Peru Balsam Gum is added for scent and 0.1mg of Potassium Sorbate as a preservative. It scores a five on Think Dirty, because of the petrolatum.

Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream ($8)

Ingredients: Pure Lanolin

Okay, I know you’re thinking Nipple Cream is a pretty weird lip care product but hear me out. I decided to try out Lansinoh after reading about this alternative usage in Allure, and surprise, it works. Lansinoh doesn’t add any preservatives or additives to their lanolin, and their filtration ensures such a pure product, you don’t even have to remove the cream when breast feeding. So, yeah, it’s definitely safe to use on your lips. On Think Dirty, Lansinoh scored a zero and on Healthy Living, a one.

Jane Iredale LipDrink Lip Balm ($17)

Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 1.75%, Vegetable Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Cera, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Lotus Corniculatus (Birds Foot Trefoil) Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Coconut Alkanes, Stearic Acid, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Extract, Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit Extract, Alumina, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil

I have said it before, but I’ll say it again. Jane Iredale is simply ahead of the game when it comes to clean beauty. Their LipDrink Lip Balm is packed with natural emollients like Avocado Oil and Castor Seed Oil, but also antioxidants like Tocopherol and Green Tea Leaf. It scores a very low three on Think Dirty.

Coola Mineral Liplux Organic Tinted Lip Balm Sunscreen SPF 30 ($18)

Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 3.6%, Zinc Oxide 3.0%, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (ORGANIC Shea Butter), C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract, Cocos Nucifera (ORGANIC Coconut) Oil, Copernicia Cerifera (ORGANIC Carnauba) Wax, Flavor, Helianthus Annuus (ORGANIC Sunflower) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Iron Oxides, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Jojoba Esters, Mica, Octyldodecyl Oleate, Octyldodecyl PCA, Olea Europaea (ORGANIC Olive) Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima (ORGANIC Avocado) Oil, Polyglycerin-3, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis (ORGANIC Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil (ORGANIC)*, Silica, Stevia Rebaudiana (Sweetleaf) Extract, Theobroma Cacao (ORGANIC Cocoa) Seed Butter, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter (ORGANIC), Tin Oxide

If you want a boost of color, sun protections, and hydrating balm in one, then Coola’s Mineral Liplux is the multi-tasker you’ve been searching for. Plus, Coola goes the extra mile and ensures that their ingredients aren’t just natural, they’re also organic. The Mineral Liplux also comes in eight vibrant shades, provides SPF 30 (some of the highest I’ve seen in lip colors), and scores a three on Healthy Living.

Stay in touch! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to be the first to know when I post.

While The Off Hours may at times use affiliate links, we always offer genuine editorial recommendations. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.