Lipstick Iced Iris vs Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm: which is safer?

Burt's Bees Lipstick Iced Iris is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Our pick

Burt's Bees Lipstick Iced Iris

Burt's Bees

Lipstick Iced Iris

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 63/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

wax, oils, pigments (standard lip color base)

Confidence

78%

PossibleFragrance allergens and essential oils

PossibleFormaldehyde releasers and preservatives

PossibleRancidity and microbial growth in wax-oil base

Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm

Clinique

Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 61/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

wax, oils, pigments in stick form

Confidence

72%

PossibleHeavy metals in iron oxide pigments

ReportedFragrance allergens and sensitization

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Fragrance allergens and essential oils, Formaldehyde releasers and preservatives and Rancidity and microbial growth in wax-oil base on the Burt's Bees and not on the Clinique.
  • We flag Heavy metals in iron oxide pigments and Fragrance allergens and sensitization on the Clinique and not on the Burt's Bees.
  • The Burt's Bees is wax, oils, pigments (standard lip color base) where the Clinique is wax, oils, pigments in stick form, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More lip balm & long-wear lipstick: see the full ranking