Red lipstick is a must in every woman’s make-up bag. At once sexy and playful, a crimson pout can also be an instant mood-booster for the wearer.
The best clean red lipsticks are a superior breed of makeup too. Did you know that the FDA has not updated its cosmetic safety regulations since 1938? And that in a 2010 study, the FDA found undisclosed traces of lead in 100 percent of lipsticks they tested? One more cringe-worthy lipstick fact: Most rely on petrochemicals – materials derived from petroleum and natural gas (hello, diesel fuel!) – for shine, feel and long-lasting wear.
Yikes.
But let’s get back to the literal good stuff.
Clean red lipsticks are mindfully created and non-toxic. And like other clean beauty products, they include ingredients that are ethically sourced and made with the health of our bodies and the environment in mind.
Which is excellent news for your overall wellness as well as your gorgeous face.
Let’s uncap the best clean red lipsticks available on the market right now.
RMS Beauty Wild with Desire Lipstick in Rebound- $28
Renowned makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift created RMS Beauty to offer wellness and beauty in one. Everything in the line is non-toxic and made with all organic ingredients.
Their Wild With Desire Lipstick in Rebound is a true red, offering maximum color pay-off with a touch of shine that really lasts.
OGEE Tinted Sculpted Lip Oil in Zinnia – $26
2. OGEE Tinted Sculpted Lip Oil in Zinnia
OGEE was founded by a collection of fashion and beauty industry leaders who strived to create a brand that connected the worlds of luxury and organic.
Their mission was certainly accomplished with the Tinted Sculpted Lip Oil. The packaging alone purrs luxe. The crayon is creamy and makes application a snap (perfect for lipstick newbies!), and the color while sheer is super moisturizing and lovely on the lips.
Rituel de Fille Forbidden Lipstick in Written in Blood – $24
3. Rituel de Fille Forbidden Lipstick in Written in Blood
Meet your new brand and lipstick obsession. Rituel de Fille was founded by three sisters “who were inspired by the magical side of natural ingredients and the ritualistic, ceremonial power of pigment.”
Their semi-matte Forbidden Lipstick in Written in Blood is made with a carmine pigment from the cochineal insect, an ingredient word by women for centuries for its universally flattering red shade unmatched by other dyes.
Beautycounter Give ‘Em Color Intense Lipstick in Vibrant Red – $34
4. Beautycounter Give ‘Em Color Intense Lipstick in Vibrant Red
Beautycounter’s mission is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. And their Give ‘Em Color Intense Lipstick nails that ethos while giving optimal va-va-voom drama.
This pick is the perfect poppy red for summer and delivers a lush satin finish. The natural formula also includes peppermint oil for a subtly refreshing flavor.
L’Occitane Fruity Lipstick in Red-y to Play? – $20
5. L’Occitane Fruity Lipstick in Red-y to Play?
L’Occitane has been providing natural beauty items since 1976, when founder Olivier Baussan launched the brand to celebrate and preserve the traditions of his native Provence, France.
Red-y to Play offers buildable intensity and moisture and is infused with cold-pressed pomegranate oil, organic carrot oil from Provence, and hand-picked Corsican pomelo oil.
RODIN olio lusso – Luxury Lip and Cheek Oil in Red Hedy – $35
6. RODIN olio lusso – Luxury Lip and Cheek Oil in Red Hedy
The RODIN manifesto is “Use pure. Use less. And keep it simple.” The brand incorporates its “olio lussos,” or luxury oils, into each one of their luxurious products. And their Red Hedy is a positively lovely clean red lipstick that you can use on your lips and your cheeks—Double score here, ladies.
The texture is luscious and it leaves a fresh dewy finish. This is an excellent pick for those with fair complexions as the color is more buildable and versatile than other truer reds.
BITE Beauty Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayon in Negroni – $24
7. BITE Beauty Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayon in Negroni
Wow-worthy. That’s definitely the best way to describe this next clean red lipstick.
Bite Beauty consistently delivers clean products that also perform too. Their products are clean, vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free. They also incorporate superfoods into their ingredient mixes and put each one through rigorous toxicology testing before releasing any formula.
And while that’s impressive on its own the Negroni Lip Crayon takes everything next-level. Its creamy, bold color is more of a poppy red than a true red, but it’s perfect for summer date nights or outdoor get-togethers by the beach. It also has a pointed tip so you can line and color in with ease, perfect for on-the-go touch-ups.
Glossier Generation G in Zip – $18
8. Glossier Generation G in Zip
Glossier is the current It Girl of the millennial cosmetics world. Everything they put out is an immediate hit. It’s easy to see why though when you take a closer look: Each product is thoughtful, wearable, and just a tad quirky.
Their Generation Z lip colors demonstrate this perfectly: They provide diffused, not-too-much- color-color, are a snap to apply (no mirror needed!), and are cruelty-free, vegan, paraben-free, hypoallergenic, allergy tested, dermatologist tested. Whew!
Zip is your pick if this sounds right up your alley. It’ll make you look polished without all the effort that other red lippies require.
Kosas Weightless Lip Color in Electra – $28
9. Kosas Weightless Lip Color in Electra
Kosas sources product “ingredients for two reasons: extreme nourishment and supreme luxury. We choose only the ones that deliver both.” The brand believes that what you put on your body should be as good as what you put in your body. How could anyone disagree with that, especially when the lipstick is this good?
And so: Feast your eyes on Electra, “A cool, neutral, Parisian red with a hint of moody blue.” This clean red lipstick is all chic French personality. It’s a semi-matte low-maintenance red that stays put all day and won’t bleed past your lip line (really!).
lilah b. Divine Duo Lip & Cheek in Fearless – $46
10. lilah b. Divine Duo Lip & Cheek in Fearless
lilah b. blends healthy, high-performance ingredients to create a minimalist collection of color. The brand aims to deliver innovative and multipurpose formulas so that you can achieve a finished look with fewer products (another way to be sustainable!).
Their Divine Duo Lip & Cheek in Fearless provides a long-wearing, creamy, matte color. It’s supremely blendable and buildable so you can choose to go a little red or more full-on, which makes it a fantastic go-to for both day and night.
Ilia Color Block High Impact Lipstick in True Red – $28
11. Ilia Color Block High Impact Lipstick in True Red
Ilia’s mission is to provide clean, skin-centric beauty. They see skincare and makeup as one and design potent formulas with protective ingredients for every product.
As its name suggests, their True Red is a “real red with a cool undertone.” Its rich pigment delivers long-lasting color with one swipe too. What’s also so incredible about this clean red lipstick is that it’s crafted by hand and milled with customized pigments in organic castor seed oil in order to include four times more pigment than any other Ilia has made.