The Best Non-Toxic Lip Balm of 2026
We scored 55 lip balm for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. The top pick is Burt's Bees Burt's Bees Lipstick Iced Iris at 75/100. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.
25% of the 55 lip balm we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free lip balm we have scored
- 1
Burt's Bees
Lipstick Iced Iris
wax, oils, pigments (standard lip color base)
PFAS Grade75ExcellentOverall Grade63Good⚠️70Fragrance allergens and essential oils
Limited concern
💨70Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
⚠️70Rancidity and microbial growth in wax-oil base
Limited concern
Lower concern. Conventional lipstick with no known PFAS risks identified.
⚠Risky category by default
- 2
Burt's Bees
100% Natural Moisturizing Lipstick, Fuchsia Flood, 1 Tube, Size: 0.12 oz, Pink
Natural waxes and oils (beeswax, plant oils, pigments)
PFAS Grade75ExcellentOverall Grade63Good🧠70Lead
Limited concern
⚠️70Fragrance allergens and skin sensitization
Limited concern
⚠️70Beeswax or plant oil rancidity and microbial growth
Limited concern
Lower concern. Natural lipstick with no known PFAS risks.
⚠Risky category by default
- 3
Burt's Bees
LIPSTICK
wax, oils, pigments, natural base
PFAS Grade75ExcellentOverall Grade67Good⚠️70Fragrance allergens
Limited concern
⚠️70Oil rancidity and microbial growth
Limited concern
Lower concern. Bare lipstick formula, no waterproofing or coatings flagged.
⚠Risky category by default
- 4
Burt's Bees
3 Burts Bees Liquid Lipstick 802 Niagra Nude 0.2oz Ea
Liquid lipstick, likely pigments, oils, and waxes
PFAS Grade75ExcellentOverall Grade71Good⚠️70Fragrance allergens or sensitizers
Limited concern
Lower concern. Liquid lipstick has no known PFAS exposure pathway.
⚠Risky category by default
- 5
Lip Smacker
Party Pack
wax, oils, pigments, standard cosmetic base
PFAS Grade75ExcellentOverall Grade67Good🏷️70Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components
Limited concern
⚠️70Oil rancidity and oxidative byproducts
Limited concern
Lower concern. Lip balm formulas rarely require PFAS treatments.
⚠Risky category by default
- 6
Lip Smacker
s Liquid Lip Smacker Lip Party Pack
liquid cosmetic formula, typical ingredients are glycerin, oils, waxes, colorants
PFAS Grade75ExcellentOverall Grade49Poor⚠️701,4-dioxane (solvent/contaminant)
Limited concern
💨70Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
🎨70Heavy metals
Limited concern
⚠️45Fragrance allergens
Moderate concern
Lower concern cosmetic product with no PFAS red flags identified.
⚠Risky category by default
- 7
Lip Smacker
Marvel Lip Balm
wax blend, oils, emollients
PFAS Grade75ExcellentOverall Grade67Good⚠️70Fragrance allergens (flavoring compounds)
Limited concern
⚠️70Mineral oil purity and refining
Limited concern
Lower concern; no PFAS-prone treatment typical for lip balm.
⚠Risky category by default
- 8
Sigma Beauty
Infinity Point Lipstick
wax, pigments, oils (standard lipstick)
PFAS Grade75ExcellentOverall Grade53Good🧠70Lead
Limited concern
🏷️70Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance ingredients
Limited concern
🏭701,4-dioxane (manufacturing residue in emulsifiers/surfactants)
Limited concern
⚠️45Lip irritation or allergic reaction from fragrance or wax components
Moderate concern
Lower concern. Standard lipstick formulation unlikely to contain PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
Every lip balm that passes, side by side
Sorted by score. Higher is safer. Scored against 4 hazards that apply to this category.
| # | Lip Balm | Score | Rating | Made of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burt's Bees Burt's Bees Lipstick Iced Iris | 75 | Excellent | wax, oils, pigments (standard lip color base) |
| 2 | Burt's Bees Burt's Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lipstick, Fuchsia Flood, 1 Tube, Size: 0.12 oz, Pink | 75 | Excellent | Natural waxes and oils (beeswax, plant oils, pigments) |
| 3 | Burt's Bees BURT'S BEES LIPSTICK | 75 | Excellent | wax, oils, pigments, natural base |
| 4 | Burt's Bees 3 Burts Bees Liquid Lipstick 802 Niagra Nude 0.2oz Ea | 75 | Excellent | Liquid lipstick, likely pigments, oils, and waxes |
| 5 | Lip Smacker Lip Smacker Party Pack | 75 | Excellent | wax, oils, pigments, standard cosmetic base |
| 6 | Lip Smacker Lip Smackers Liquid Lip Smacker Lip Party Pack | 75 | Excellent | liquid cosmetic formula, typical ingredients are glycerin, oils, waxes, colorants |
| 7 | Lip Smacker Lip Smacker Marvel Lip Balm | 75 | Excellent | wax blend, oils, emollients |
| 8 | Sigma Beauty Sigma Beauty Infinity Point Lipstick | 75 | Excellent | wax, pigments, oils (standard lipstick) |
The lip balm we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Lip Smacker
Recode Lip Smacker Liquid Lipstick - 18 Say My Name - 3 ml
liquid lipstick, waterproof formula
1,4-dioxane (solvent contaminant)
Limited concern
Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components
Limited concern
Polymer film-forming agent irritation and accumulation
High concern
Waterproof cosmetic with no disclosed ingredients; PFAS presence uncertain.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Sigma Beauty
Liquid Lipstick
liquid pigment blend, waterproofing agents unspecified
Lead
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components
Limited concern
1,4-dioxane contamination (from ethoxylated emulsifiers)
Limited concern
No public PFAS disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
MAC
Locked Kiss Ink
silicone-based liquid ink, waterproof coating
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Fragrance allergens
Limited concern
1,4-dioxane as a trace contaminant
Limited concern
Waterproof cosmetic ink; PFAS risk unclear without disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on lip balm
- Heavy metals. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and others that accumulate in the body. FDA
- Lead. A heavy metal with no safe exposure level, especially for children. ATSDR
- Endocrine disruptors. Chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormone system. NIEHS
- Parabens. Cosmetic preservatives studied for weak hormone activity. FDA
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The lip balm brands that will not say
14 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Bobbi Brown, Burt's Bees, Charlotte Tilbury, Clinique, ELF, Estée Lauder, Huda Beauty, L'Oréal, Lip Smacker, MAC, Maybelline, NYX.
Common questions about PFAS-free lip balm
Is lip balm PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 55 lip balm we have scored, 25% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 41 that pass. The highest scoring is Burt's Bees Burt's Bees Lipstick Iced Iris at 75 out of 100. The lowest is Lip Smacker Recode Lip Smacker Liquid Lipstick - 18 Say My Name - 3 ml at 30.
What is the safest lip balm you have scored?
Burt's Bees Burt's Bees Lipstick Iced Iris, at 75 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is wax, oils, pigments (standard lip color base). The runner up is Burt's Bees Burt's Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lipstick, Fuchsia Flood, 1 Tube, Size: 0.12 oz, Pink at 75.
Which lip balm should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Lip Smacker Recode Lip Smacker Liquid Lipstick - 18 Say My Name - 3 ml at 30, Sigma Beauty Sigma Beauty Liquid Lipstick at 30, MAC MAC Locked Kiss Ink at 30. The problem with the first is that waterproof cosmetic with no disclosed ingredients; PFAS presence uncertain.
How can you tell if lip balm contain PFAS?
In this category we check for heavy metals, lead, endocrine disruptors, parabens. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and others that accumulate in the body. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which lip balm brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
14 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Bobbi Brown, Burt's Bees, Charlotte Tilbury, Clinique, ELF, Estée Lauder. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test lip balm?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
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We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Lip Balm & Long-Wear Lipstick: Which Brands Grade Best and Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 55 lip balm.