Burt's Bees · Lip Balm & Long-Wear Lipstick
Burt's Bees Gloss and Glow Glossy Balm
Low risk. No PFAS triggers found, though brand makes no explicit claim.
Burt's Bees Glossy Balm is wax-based without disclosed water or grease-resistant treatment typical of PFAS formulas. The simple ingredient profile suggests lower PFAS risk.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Wax-based balm (beeswax, plant oils, minimal synthetic content)
Lab data
No public lab test
What Burt's Bees Gloss and Glow Glossy Balm is made of, ingredients and materials
Burt's Bees Gloss and Glow is formulated primarily from beeswax, plant-derived oils (such as jojoba or sunflower), and natural waxes, with minimal synthetic emulsifiers or colorants. This material profile means fewer potential sources of heavy metals, phthalates, or synthetic polymer breakdown compared to highly pigmented or silicone-based glosses. Wax-based balms are inherently occlusive and stable at normal lip temperature, reducing leaching risk from thermal stress.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Allergenic fragrance compounds
The gloss may contain fragrance or essential oils (common in Burt's Bees products). While plant-derived, some individuals report contact sensitization to beeswax, honey derivatives, or certain essential oils; always patch test if fragrance-sensitive.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Heavy metals
No independent testing or recalls have established heavy metal contamination in this specific product. Beeswax and plant oil bases do not naturally concentrate metals, though cosmetic-grade pigments can vary by supplier.
Source, FDA ↗Formaldehyde / VOCs
Burt's Bees typically avoids DMDM hydantoin and imidazolidinyl urea in this product line. Check ingredient label for any preservative system; none_known issues on record for this balm.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microbial contamination (bacteria, mold)
Wax-based formulations are inherently resistant to microbial growth due to low water content and wax's antimicrobial properties. No recalls or safety alerts linked to contamination.
Talc contamination
This wax-based formula does not list talc as an ingredient; talc risk is not applicable to this product type.
The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Burt's Bees markets itself as a natural personal care brand and lists ingredient transparency on packaging and online. The brand does not explicitly claim PFAS-free status or provide third-party safety certifications specific to this product. No recalls or regulatory warnings have been issued for this particular gloss. The company's ingredient sourcing is not independently verified by external chemical audits.
How it compares in its category
Lip glosses typically range from high-pigment, silicone or synthetic polymer bases (higher chemical complexity and leaching risk) to plant-oil or wax formulations (lower complexity). Burt's Bees positions itself in the simpler, plant-forward segment, which generally carries lower hazard loading than cosmetic-grade glosses with synthetic gels, plasticizers, or heavy pigmentation. However, it lacks the independent certifications (e.g., NSF, EWG verified) that some competitor brands in the natural segment carry.
If you buy it
Apply as directed on lips; no special heating or storage precautions are needed beyond room temperature. Beeswax-based balms are stable and do not degrade easily with normal use or skin contact. Replace when depleted or if discoloration or odor changes occur (sign of oxidation or microbial growth). If any irritation develops, discontinue use; individual sensitivities to beeswax or plant oils, though rare, have been documented.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 78% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Burt's Bees has made a specific claim
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More lip balm & long-wear lipstick grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.