Wearing lip colors dates back to the ancient Egyptian era when both men and women would color their lips using crushed gemstones and bugs. After the invention of solid lipsticks a few decades ago, only women of the upper class and actors wore lip colors and it was seen as a social status during that period. Fast forward to the present, millions of people sport a lip color every day whether it’s a special day or just a casual day. The reason is the introduction of a humongous range of colors that makes even the non-lipstick lover curious to try them. With a lot, many people using this infamous cosmetic, is it really safe to use them on a daily basis? If you are a lipstick user, here are some much-needed facts that you ought to know before using them and why you should opt for Vegan/Organic Lipsticks.

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How are lipsticks made?

Lipsticks are commonly made with waxes to give the solid structure, pigments to give color, and oils & emollients to aid in application and provide a desirable finish and moisture to the lips. The preparation is simple, domestically. The ingredients are usually ground and heated and then poured into molds to form a solid lipstick.

So here are some of the Best Lipsticks in India. Note that the first five listed are Organic lipsticks that are not Vegan but are vegetarian (meaning they contain animal-derived ingredients such as Ghee, Beeswax, Milk, etc). The last five are 100% Vegan with no animal-derived ingredients.

Best Organic Lipsticks in India

1. Ruby’s Organics Semi-Matte Lipstick

Coming from India’s first Organic Makeup Brand, this unique baby carries all the benefits of a lip balm but wears and stays like a lipstick. The semi-matte finish of these colors is made to suit everybody. It has the moisturizing butter of Mango and Shea which helps to soften lips and is combined with a rich blend of antioxidants and oils of Almond and Castor.

Ruby’s Organics lipsticks are 100% vegetarian and contain no parabens, petroleum, alcohol, artificial fragrance, chemical preservatives, and heavy metal. Above all, they are Cruelty-free and conduct no animal testing. Available in 9 shades.

2. Soultree Ayurvedic Lipsticks

Free from lead, carmine, and parabens, Soultree Ayurvedic Lipsticks are made with pure natural pigments that enhance the beauty of your natural lips. Soultree is a brand certified by BDIH, Germany which adds a special value to their products. You can read more about them in my post about Certified Organic Brands. They add no synthetic colors and never conduct tests on animals.

These creamy lipsticks are enriched with organic sweet almond oil, wild honey, and organic ghee, which makes them rich in moisture and good for your lips. They come in a variety of 24 shades that would cater to a lot of skin tones.

3. Barva Skin Therapie Lipsticks

Barva Skin Therapie Lipsticks, made with a 100% natural base, is a lipstick that takes care of your lips and prevents aging, cracking, and blackening of your lips. The creamy formulation of these lipsticks locks in the moisture of your lips instantly and keeps them soft and supple throughout the day.

Barva Skin Therapie Lipsticks are enriched with the goodness of certified organic clarified butter, kokum butter, beeswax, and honey. Furthermore, these are lead-free, chemical-free, paraben-free, and cruelty-free.

4. Just Herbs Ayurvedic Lipsticks

Infused with Vata pacifying herbs in a base of ghee and sesame oil, this natural and ayurvedic formulation provides nourishment and moisture to your lips. It’s made with natural pigments and contains no artificial colors, silicones, parabens, and other harmful chemicals.

Just Herbs Lipsticks are available in a variety of shades and you can get the micro mini-trial kit of all 16 shades for a nominal price to test it out.

5. Forest Essentials Tinted Lip Serum (Lipstick)

This certified organic lipstick is made with ayurvedic ingredients to boost moisture into your lips while giving a delicate natural tint to your lips. It’s rich in emollient healing butter to heal and deeply nourish your lips. Available in 3 beautiful shades and the shade Gulaab Jal is a hit among many lipstick lovers.

Best Vegan Lipsticks in India

6. Iba Halal Pure Lips Moisture Rich Lipstick

Iba Halal is one of the fewest brands in India that is Hala Certified. These Moisture Rich Lipsticks are purely vegan and halal and do not contain alcohol, pork, or animal ingredients. They are not tested on animals either. These lipsticks are available in 22 gorgeous shades ranging from reds to plums to pinks.

These natural, paraben, and sulphate free lipsticks have a smooth formula that is moisture-rich and color-rich in just two strokes. Their affordable price makes it a hit among college-goers.

7. Disguise Cosmetics Ultra Comfort Matte Lipsticks

Formulated with healing and nourishing oils & butter, Disguise Cosmetics Lipsticks glide effortlessly and gives a comfortable satin-matte finish. Disguise Cosmetics is PETA Approved Vegan, Cruelty-Free, and Jain Friendly as well. It’s available in 22 richly pigmented shades to give you the choice to pick one for every occasion.

8. MyGlamm LIT Satin Matte Lipstick

These cruelty-free and vegan lipsticks from MyGlamm have an intense color payoff with a 3D satin-matte finish. These lipsticks provide smooth and even application. Available in 14 shades, these long-wearing lipsticks are lightweight and comfortable on the lips.

9. Earth Rhythm Lip & Cheek Tint

This is a 2 in 1 lip balm and cheek tint that moisturizes, highlights, and gives a natural flush with its sheer, brilliant color payoff. Enriched with natural ingredients such as Grapeseed Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Pomegranate Extract, these do not contain artificial fragrances, sulphates, or parabens. Earth Rhythm is ECOCERT Certified Organic and Vegan friendly. Comes in 3 shades.

10. Daughter Earth Lip & Cheek Tint

The 100% Vegan Lip & Cheek Tint has an antioxidant-rich formula that nourishes your lips with a vibrant pop of color. It’s free of toxic chemicals and is made with clean, rich mineral pigments. These are free of talc, parabens, phthalates, silicones, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, and other harmful chemicals. Comes in 12 shades.

These are some of the Best Vegan and Organic Lipsticks in India. Have you tried any of these?

Before winding up let us why you need to choose organic lipsticks

What is lead in lipsticks?

Lead, a heavy metal, is a neurotoxin and carcinogen that causes serious health problems when overexposed. Recently lead was found in almost all leading brands of lipsticks that too in highly toxic amounts. Not all the Lead that is found in lipsticks is deliberately added, but some of them are contaminants that occur naturally during the making process. Some lead-containing lipsticks don’t even have Lead in their ingredient list.

How to find lead in lipsticks?

There is a popularly known test on how to find lead in lipsticks at home which is by rubbing a gold metal on the lip color. If it turns black, it contains lead, if not it is free of lead. BUT there is no valid proof to back up this test. The only way you can test for lead is in Labs. Or if brands have done tests and explicitly mention that their lipsticks do not contain lead.

What happens if you use these lipsticks in the long run?

Our lips having very thin skin in nature are more susceptible to harmful effects. Have you ever seen whenever there is an environmental change, you could notice a change in the condition of your lips? The ingredients used in the lip colors can easily get absorbed into the skin and cross the bloodstream. Also, it is a given that we ingest some lip color un deliberately over long hours of application which over time, can get accumulated in the body and can increase the level of toxicity thereby causing some serious damage in the long run.

How can we prevent the harmful effects of lipsticks?

1. By limiting the use of lipsticks. You can reserve them for special occasions and on other days, you can use tinted organic lip balms that are safe enough to eat.
2. By limiting reapplication throughout the day. The more you re-apply, the more you ingest, hence the more damage.
3. By choosing lighter shades as they tend to have lesser lead content. The darker the shade, it is likely to have more lead.
4. Go for brands that offer lead-free lipsticks or try organic lipsticks. Most organic brands that have genuine care for their customers make chemical-free lipsticks that would be safe enough to eat and not harm us in any way. But such brands are very small in number and we are left only with few options to try in India.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.