Burt's Bees Review, Is Burt's Bees Non-Toxic?
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
Across 17 graded products, Burt's Bees averages Good (70/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. 15 of its products grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab results.
Does Burt's Bees have PFAS, by category
Worth buying from Burt's Bees Good or better, safest first
Burt's Bees
Lipstick Iced Iris
wax, oils, pigments (standard lip color base)
Fragrance allergens and essential oils
Burt's Bees lipsticks contain natural fragrances and essential oils (often including…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Burt's Bees does not disclose preservative chemistry in full detail on standard…
Rancidity and microbial growth in wax-oil base
Natural wax-and-oil formulas are prone to oxidation and spoilage without synthetic…
Lower concern. Conventional lipstick with no known PFAS risks identified.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
100% Natural Moisturizing Lipstick, Fuchsia Flood, 1 Tube, Size: 0.12 oz, Pink
Natural waxes and oils (beeswax, plant oils, pigments)
Lead
Natural mineral mica and iron oxide pigments can occasionally carry trace heavy metal…
Fragrance allergens and skin sensitization
The product contains natural fragrance from essential oils and plant extracts. While…
Beeswax or plant oil rancidity and microbial growth
Natural oils oxidize over time and can develop off-odors or create an environment for…
Lower concern. Natural lipstick with no known PFAS risks.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
LIPSTICK
wax, oils, pigments, natural base
Fragrance allergens
Burt's Bees lipsticks contain natural fragrance components (beeswax scent plus essential…
Oil rancidity and microbial growth
Plant oils (jojoba, castor) in the formula can oxidize or support microbial growth if…
Lower concern. Bare lipstick formula, no waterproofing or coatings flagged.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
3 Burts Bees Liquid Lipstick 802 Niagra Nude 0.2oz Ea
Liquid lipstick, likely pigments, oils, and waxes
Fragrance allergens or sensitizers
If the formulation contains essential oils or fragrance compounds, individuals with…
Lower concern. Liquid lipstick has no known PFAS exposure pathway.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
Suede Splash Lipstick
Wax, oils, pigments, beeswax base
Fragrance allergens (essential oils, fragrance compounds)
Burt's Bees formulas typically include beeswax fragrance and botanicals; the brand does…
Oil rancidity and skin irritation over time
Natural oils in the formula may oxidize after 12-18 months of storage, potentially…
Lower risk for standard lipstick formula with no known PFAS trigger materials.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
Calming Day Lotion SPF 30
water-in-oil emulsion base; mineral/mica filters (SPF 30 active)
Fragrance allergens (essential oils)
Burt's Bees uses essential oils and natural fragrance compounds instead of synthetic…
Emulsifier or preservative sensitivities
Water-in-oil emulsions require emulsifiers and preservatives to prevent bacterial or…
Lower-concern cosmetic with no known PFAS triggers, though brand offers no explicit confirmation.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
BB Cream SPF 15 Burt's Bees
Water-based emulsion with mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide/titanium dioxide) and botanical extracts
Formaldehyde / VOCs
While Burt's Bees avoids parabens, the full preservative system is not always disclosed…
Fragrance allergens and essential oil irritation
Botanical extracts and fragrance components (likely from natural essential oils) can…
Lower concern; conventional formula lacks PFAS-prone ingredients, but brand does not publicly commit to PFAS-free sourcing.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
SPF 30 Lip Balm
beeswax, oils, natural wax blend
Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components
Burt's Bees SPF 30 lists 'natural flavors' and essential oils (often lavender or mint)…
Oil rancidity and microbial growth
Natural oils (coconut, jojoba) can oxidize and support mold growth if stored in warm or…
Zinc oxide skin irritation (rare)
Mineral sunscreen actives are generally well-tolerated on lips, but zinc oxide can cause…
Lower concern; lip balm formulas rarely require PFAS despite brand silence.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
Sunscreen SPF 30
mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide/titanium dioxide) in lotion base
Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components
Burt's Bees formulas often include essential oils or fragrance agents for scent; the…
Formulation stability under heat or UV
Emulsified lotion bases can separate or degrade if left in direct sun or high heat for…
Oil or wax buildup on sensitive skin
Mineral sunscreens often use plant oils to improve spreadability; individuals with…
Lower PFAS concern; mineral sunscreens typically avoid water-resistant coatings that trigger PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
Sensitive Gentle Day Lotion
Water, glycerin, botanical extracts, emollients
Fragrance allergens (botanical essential oils/extracts)
Chamomile and calendula are generally mild but documented as contact allergens in…
Botanical extract oxidation or microbial growth
Water-based formulas with plant extracts and minimal preservatives can degrade or support…
Lower-concern formula without PFAS-prone ingredients, though brand offers no explicit commitment.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
Renewal Firming Day Lotion SPF 30
water-based emulsion lotion with mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide)
Fragrance/botanical allergens
Formula includes green tea extract, gotu kola, and fragrance oils; while plant-derived…
Skin irritation from mineral residue or white cast
Zinc oxide-only sunscreens can leave noticeable white cast and feel heavy on skin; some…
Photostability and UVA coverage uncertainty
SPF 30 with zinc oxide does not guarantee full UVA protection without additional UVA…
Lower PFAS concern; conventional lotion lacks waterproofing or water-repellent coating triggers.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
Daily Defense SPF 30 Moisturizer
water-based emulsion, mineral sunscreen actives, plant oils
Fragrance allergen or sensitizer
Burt's Bees formulas typically include essential oils or botanical extracts for scent.…
Emulsifier or stabilizer leachables (if synthetic)
Plant-based emulsifiers (lecithin, polysorbates) used in natural sunscreens are generally…
Lower concern; mineral sunscreen cosmetics rarely contain PFAS without public disclosure either way.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
Avene Mineral Multi-Defense Sunscreen Fluid
mineral sunscreen (likely zinc oxide/titanium dioxide), fluid base
Fragrance allergens or undisclosed fragrance components
Sunscreen fluids often contain fragrance to mask earthy or mineral notes. Burt's Bees…
Heavy metals
Burt's Bees does not publicly disclose independent testing for lead, cadmium, or other…
Lower PFAS concern; mineral UV filters are low-risk despite absent public disclosure or testing.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
100% Natural Nourishing Mascara, Black Brown
Wax, pigments, natural oils (typical mascara base)
Fragrance allergens and undisclosed sensitizers
Burt's Bees products often contain essential oils and botanical extracts for scent and…
Bacterial growth and contamination in wax formula
Wax mascaras are more hygroscopic than synthetic polymer mascaras and can dry out or…
Lower concern; conventional non-waterproof formula with no identified PFAS drivers.
⚠Risky category by default
Burt's Bees
Lip Shimmer
Natural waxes, oils, and pigments (beeswax, jojoba oil, mineral mica)
Fragrance allergens (essential oils)
Product contains essential oils (lavender, peppermint reported in variants); these are…
Oxidation of natural oils (rancidity)
Jojoba oil and beeswax are susceptible to oxidative degradation over extended shelf life…
Lower PFAS concern, natural lip colorant with no waterproofing claims or synthetic coatings typical of PFAS use.
⚠Risky category by default
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Burt's Bees
Natural Nourishing Mascara
Wax, oils, and pigments (waterproof mascara base)
1,4-dioxane (processing contaminant)
Wax-and-oil mascaras are lower-risk than synthetic polymers for 1,4-dioxane, but Burt's…
Bacterial growth and contamination (mascara brush)
Wax-based formulas with minimal synthetic preservatives may have shorter shelf-life and…
Eye irritation from formula or removal difficulty
Wax mascaras can flake and require vigorous removal, which increases mechanical…
Lower concern than synthetic waterproof cosmetics; no PFAS disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Burt's Bees
All Aflutter Waterproof Mascara
waterproof film-forming polymer coating (unspecified)
PFAS
Waterproof mascaras frequently use fluorinated compounds or undisclosed synthetic…
Eye irritation and sensitization from polymer film
Film-forming mascaras can accumulate on the lash line and eyelid margin, potentially…
Fragrance allergens
Burt's Bees products often contain fragrance blends. Waterproof formulas may include…
Bacterial or fungal growth in the tube
Mascara tubes are a known vector for microbial contamination if not replaced regularly.…
Skip until brand improves transparency; waterproof cosmetics contain PFAS risk.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →