My 4 Favorite Non Toxic Foundations!
Below, you can find each product’s safety scores according to the Environmental Working Group and the Think Dirty app, as well as links & downloads to each product’s safety report from EWG. I also triple check them with the Switch Natural app, as even some cosmetics that are EWG Verified contain potentially harmful ingredients…
I use this multi-step approach to ensure that the clean beauty products I use and recommend are actually clean. Why?
There are many makeup brands that claim to be “clean” or “non toxic,” but they still use toxic ingredients like fragrance, peg compounds, siloxanes, or other potentially toxic ingredients.
I only list products here that I love!
I may receive a commission for purchases made through the links in my shop.
See below for my 4 favorite non toxic foundations!
Medium to Full Coverage
My shade: Nude
EWG Score
Ingredients:
Active Ingredients: 15% Zinc-Oxide (non-nano)
Inactive Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Purified Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C13-15 Alkane, Glycerin, Lauroyl Lysine, Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Melanin, Bisabolol, Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phospholipids, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Propylene Carbonate, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Titanium Dioxide (C.I.77891), Iron Oxides (C.I.77492, C.I. 77491, C.I.77499)
Why I Love It
I am blown away by this foundation. It literally plumps up my skin! To me, it is a clean dupe for the Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream. However, it is definitely not as affordable, though a little goes a long way. If you have normal to dry skin, this is a good investment for a daily foundation. Though it is technically medium coverage, I find that I can build it up to full coverage.
Tips
It will look quite dewy when you apply it. I get oily as the day goes on, so I definitely need setting powder with this one.
Pros
Gives skin a dewy, plumped appearance
Has SPF
Provides blue light protection
Contains skincare ingredients/skincare makeup
You can purchase a $3 sample set from Suntegrity to find your shade
- A little goes a long way
Cons
There could be more shades.
On the pricier side.
Medium to Full Coverage
My shade: F2
EWG Score*
*I think this EWG score is misleading. I confirmed personally with Fitglow that the Chromium Oxide Greens they use do not contain the chromate ion (and that they follow the tighter cosmetics regulations required in the EU). Additionally, I do not think Licorice or Green Tea deserve a score of 4. Nevertheless, here is the EWG report. I used EWG’s Build Your Own Report feature.
Ingredients:
*Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, *Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, *Heartleaf Houttuynia Herb, *Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Glyceryl Stearate, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, *Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Water, Dipotassium Glychyrrizate (Licorice Root Extract) , Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Saccharomyces Ferment, *Phyllostachys Bambusoides (Bamboo) Juice, Glycerin, Cantella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Extract, Artemisia Capillaris Dried Herb, Amber Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi (Bearberry) Leaf Extract, Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phosopholipids, Caffeine
May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Yellow Iron Oxide, Red Iron Oxide, Black Iron Oxide, Ultramarine Violet, Chromium Oxide Green, Manganese Violet, Mica. *Certified organic ingredients
Why I Love It
As claimed, the Fitglow Foundation+ is actually like a photo filter with a natural finish. Also, as someone who tends to get oily after a couple of hours, I noticed that I do not get very oily even after 5 hours! It also makes my skin look more luminous and hydrated. This foundation is medium coverage, but buildable to full coverage.
Tips
Though this foundation does not have SPF, Fitglow makes a lovely color-correcting primer with SPF 30.
Pros
A little goes a long way
Blurring, photo-filter effect
Doesn’t feel heavy
Helps control oil (for me)
18 different shades
Fitglow follows the EU cosmetics safety regulations (much stricter than the US). I confirmed this with Fitglow customer service.
Cons
On the pricier side.
No SPF (they make a primer with SPF)
Ingredients:
Mica, Cetyl Palmitate, Octyl Palmitate, Silica, Kaolin, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Fruit Extract, Zinc Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lecithin, Crithmum Maritimum (Sea Fennel) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide.
Why I Love It
This is one of the best powder foundations I have used. While many powder foundations highlight texture and settle into fine lines, this one does the opposite! I noticed it gave my skin a smooth appearance and I looked airbrushed. The coverage appeared to be medium to full coverage, and it evened out my skin tone. It comes with a foam puff in the bottom section of the compact and a mirror in the top section.
Tips
For even coverage, I usually use this brush to apply it. If I want extra coverage, I use the puff that comes with the foundation or these puffs.
Pros
A little goes a long way
Smoothing, airbrushed effect
Doesn’t feel heavy
Helps control oil (for me)
Affordable/Mid-Range
Long-wearing
- Refillable compact, comes with foam puff.
Cons
Could be more shades (There are 7)
No SPF (they make a primer with SPF)
Ingredients:
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil*, Jojoba Esters, Tapioca Starch, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Quaternium-90 Sepiolite, Quaternium-90 Montmorillonite, Blakeslea Trispora Mycelium Extract/C30-45 Olefin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Phytosterols, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower Seed) Oil, Tocopherol
May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Castor Oil/IPDI Copolymer, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
*Certified Organic
Pros
-
A little goes a long way.
-
Blurs lines
-
Doesn’t feel heavy
-
Customizable coverage
Easy to blend
Makes skin look perfect
Cons
-
Can break up in the t-zone after a few hours.
-
No SPF
- Settles into lines/Need to sweep product out of lines before setting.
Why I Love It
For an in-depth review of this product, see this post. After applying this foundation for the first time, I noticed right away that my skin looked beautiful and my lines were blurred! This foundation seemed to work very well with any other products I used on my face including SPF.
Tips
3 drops gave me medium coverage and 5 drops provided full coverage. I used my fingers to lightly apply it like then blended it further using my 100% Pure Non Latex Makeup Blender. I think this product would be particularly fabulous if you have dry skin.
To combat the product settling into lines, I show the method I use to combat this in this video and this video.
For coverage longer than 4 hours, especially if you have oily/combination skin like mine:
-For full coverage, I recommend using a primer, 4-5 drops of foundation, and a setting spray.
-For medium coverage, I would use a primer, 2-3 drops of foundati0n, a setting spray, and bring a tinted touch-up powder (for t-zone or wherever makeup tends to break up for you).
If you have dry skin, this foundation could be your new best friend 🙂