The Good Trade editors endorse products we’ve personally researched, tested, and genuinely love. Learn more about our methodology and business model here.
We’ve personally tested and researched dozens of clean makeup brands that are readily available in drugstores — these are our editors’ top picks that are natural, organic, and nontoxic.
Many of us go to the drugstore for everything from toilet paper to mascara, moisturizers, and eyeshadow — so why not shop there for skincare and makeup, too? Rather than only shopping online for our natural beauty needs, we can lower our carbon footprint and invest in our local communities by shopping brick and mortar. Thankfully, clean beauty has come a long way, and now we can find many of our favorite natural and nontoxic makeup brands, just steps away from our homes!
Of course, with many of us working from home, leading busy lives, or simply not having access to nontoxic makeup nearby, shopping online for clean beauty is the preferred option. (Psst! If you do need a one-stop online spot for many of these clean beauty products, we recommend checking out Credo!) But when you find yourself running to the local drugstore (or even the occasional big box store), consider snagging some of these clean skincare and beauty products. They are as effective as they are affordable, and most can be found on the shelves of well-known shops. Instant gratification, anyone?
How to tell if a makeup brand is clean or nontoxic?
When figuring out whether a makeup brand is clean or nontoxic, the first place you should look is the ingredients. Makeup products with transparent, safe ingredients and certifications from reputable sources will be the safest for our skin and overall health in the long run. With so many unfamiliar ingredients in our makeup, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which ingredients are safe and which are not. To learn more about the most harmful substances in cosmetics that you should avoid, check out Perelel’s Unclean15 list. You can also use EWG’s Skin Deep search tool to find out which specific makeup products are safe or not.
Some of the key ingredients you should avoid are the following:
- Talc: This ingredient typically used in cosmetics is often contaminated with asbestos, which is a known carcinogen.
- Parabens & phthalates: Ingredients like methylparaben and propylparaben may interfere with hormone balance, while phthalates — often hidden under “fragrance” labels — can act as endocrine disruptors.
- Synthetic fragrances: These should be avoided, as they often contain undisclosed chemicals that may trigger allergies or skin sensitivity.
- Heavy metals: Toxic elements like lead and cadmium can build up in the body over time, posing potential health risks.
Our criteria:
Our editors have reviewed skincare and makeup for years. These are our favorite nontoxic and clean makeup brands that are both affordable and readily available in drugstores. We update this list regularly with emerging favorites that meet the below criteria.
- CLEAN/ORGANIC | These makeup brands are formulated with natural and organic ingredients that are safe for our health and skin.
- PERFORMANCE | The brands on this list offer everything from natural “no makeup makeup” looks to highly pigmented products that you could use for a night out — and all of them wear well for hours!
- AFFORDABLE | We’ve included clean makeup brands that are not only effective, but also easy on your wallet.
- ACCESSIBLE | These makeup brands are sold in drugstores and big box stores like Target and Walmart.
For more of our favorite clean beauty and makeup products, head on over to our clean and natural makeup and organic skincare guides.
Best Overall | Best Skincare | Most Affordable
1. Well People
Best For | Eyeshadow palettes
Natural & Organic | Natural & organic certified ingredients
Find This Brand At | Target, Ulta
Price Range | $12 – $30
Founded by a makeup artist, cosmetic dermatologist, and sustainability-focused entrepreneur, Well People showcases the power of plant-based makeup. Known for its Allure-winning mascara, best-selling multi-stick, and natural beauty sets, the team promises flawless coverage and effective protection using simple formulas made in small batches. You can find just about all of the products in the Well People collection at your local Target.
Our Editor’s Review | “Throughout the day, the SPF made my skin look neither greasy nor dry and flaky, which I find is a hard balance for mineral sunscreens (they’re usually one or the other on my combo skin)... The Expressionist Lengthening Mascara was not too subtle but not too intense, either. It’s easy to layer to customize your look, and it had good staying power — it didn’t flake off under my eyes the way a lot of mascaras do.” – Natalie Gale, Contributing Editor [Read the full review.]
2. ILIA
Best For | Multi-use products
Natural & Organic | Natural ingredients
Find This Brand At | Sephora, Walmart, Ulta
Price Range | $18 – $64
For nearly a decade, ILIA has been pushing the clean beauty movement forward. Skincare-powered with conscious and carefully selected ingredients, this brand offers indulgent lip, eye, and facial products — including multi-use sticks and pigments — for a radiant finish. And the team goes the extra mile to be sustainable: Packaging is made from recycled aluminum, grass, and responsibly sourced paper — all of which can be returned via their recycling program. So you can look good while doing good.
Our Editors Review | “To me, this product is absolutely worth its $48 price tag. If applied onto clean skin so the actives can do their thing, the product replaces a niacinamide serum, moisturizer, and SPF, along with adding light coverage, making the price feel almost like a steal.” – Natalie Gale, Contributing Editor [Read the full review.]
3. cocokind
Best For | Glow serum
Natural & Organic | Certified organic ingredients
Find This Brand At | Target, Walmart, Ulta
Price Range | $6 – $34
cocokind’s mission is to make “clean, conscious, and accessible beauty for all.” And it’s fulfilling that promise by offering products (like masks, oils, serums, and salves) that are cruelty-free and gluten-free — all at an affordable price. While you aren’t going to find traditional pigmented makeup here, you will find products that will give you a natural glow. Most of its formulas feature certified organic ingredients too, like blue-green algae extract, watermelon seed oil, and turmeric root powder. So expect only the best from Mother Nature, while still being budget-friendly.
Our Editor’s Review | “Since beginning to use cocokind’s serums, I feel younger. My skin feels well-hydrated and happy, and so does my spirit. I don’t know how much better my skin might look if I had been using serum (I choose not to dwell on the past), but I can say the first night I used cocokind, my skin honestly tightened and plumped and I woke up the next morning looking TAUT…which is different than HOT…but still awesome.” – Trinity Wilbourn, Contributing Editor [Read the full review.]
4. Daybird
Best For | Tinted mineral SPF with skincare benefits
Natural & Organic | Natural ingredients
Find This Brand At | Sprouts, Central Market, Natural Grocery Stores
Price | $40
Daybird is an “Anti-Beauty Beauty Club helping you show up for your day, just as you are” — this comes to life in its 4-in-1 Serum Skin Tint, a daily multitasker that combines your morning skincare and makeup steps (serums, moisturizer, mineral SPF 50, and a lightweight skin tint) into one bottle. The serums, niacinamide and bisabolol (a fancy word for chamomile extract), work together to smooth skin, reduce inflammation, and even your skin tone — all while leaving a natural glow. And zinc oxide comes in for mineral sun protection (no white cast here!), for a formula that truly works with every wear.
Our Editor’s Review | “It’s been about a month of exclusively using Daybird… as my one-stop beauty shop product, and I am converted… by the end of the day, my skin still looks as radiant as it did in the morning. Plus, I have not burnt once since wearing Daybird. I feel like I look like ME, only more fresh and dewy and even-toned.” – Trinity Wilbourn, Contributing Editor [Read the full review.]
5. RMS Beauty
Best For | Buildable concealer
Natural & Organic | Natural ingredients
Find This Brand At | Walmart, Ulta
Price Range | $15 – $65
For an ethereally light look, we love RMS Beauty. This all natural brand is a one-stop shop for makeup, skincare, and even supplements, along with everything else you may need for your personal routine. And by using only raw, food grade, and organic ingredients, the formula’s enzymes and antioxidant properties can work their magic. For a soft, dewy finish that heals as well as glows, RMS is a step above the rest.
Our Editor’s Review | “My mom and I tested RMS Beauty to see how the products fared on skin nearly thirty years apart. We have distinct skin tones, so we were particularly interested in the shades that the brand claims are “universal.” We were both impressed with the overall quality and performance of the makeup, particularly with the natural feel and look we were able to achieve. The colors were versatile and blendable, making it possible to wear shades neither of us would have necessarily chosen on our own. We were particularly impressed with how the products were moisturizing without feeling or appearing greasy. We both enthusiastically recommend RMS Beauty for any age!” – Stephanie Fallon, Contributing Editor [Read the full review.]
6. Honest Beauty
Best For | Tinted lip balms
Natural & Organic | Natural and organic ingredients
Find This Brand At | Target, Walmart, Ulta
Price Range | $8 – $30
Honest Beauty aims to provide safe, organic makeup staples that won’t irritate your skin. Formulated without talc, phthalates, synthetic oils, or fragrances so as to avoid triggering allergic reactions and breakouts, Honest Beauty products are clean enough to use even while pregnant. While their CCC Tinted Moisturizer is basically an Instagram filter IRL, we particularly love their super hydrating lip balms, which come in buildable, juicy shades like Plum Drop and Summer Melon. Yum!
Customer Review | “I absolutely love this CCC tinted moisturizer! I use a tiny bit of concealer on spots I want to cover and then I use my CCC tinted moisturizer and add my Honest powder on top. Literally the best combination ever. Super light and I can wear all day without it getting greasy. I would recommend this again and again. It also doesn’t make me break out which is a huge plus! Very breathable.” – Arizona (Read more reviews.)
7. Burt’s Bees
Best For | Bronzer and highlighter stick
Natural & Organic | Products on average use 99% natural ingredients
Find This Brand At | Target, CVS
Price Range | $4 – $18
You can find Burt’s Bees lip balm in most checkout lanes at your local grocery and retail stores — but did you know it also offers a full line of cosmetics and skincare products? This long-standing brand is dedicated to only using thoughtfully sourced natural ingredients and never tests on animals. What’s more to love than the brand’s nourishing shimmer balms? This: Burt’s Bees is landfill-free with operations waste and has been certified carbon neutral since 2015. Read more about its sustainability initiatives here.
Customer Review | “This is super easy to apply. You are able to build up the product. The price range is great. I have really sensitive skin and rosacea and I’ve struggled to find a blush that doesn’t hurt my skin. This works AMAZING! I have tried many different brands and product from all the price ranges and this one beats all of them. PLEASE DON’T EVER DISCONTINUE IT!” – Classzy (Read more reviews.)
8. Kosas
Best For | Tinted face oil
Natural & Organic | Natural ingredients
Find This Brand At | Walmart, Sephora
Price Range | $16 – $48
Makeup and skincare powerhouse Kosas can be found in many higher-end drugstores and makeup shops, like Credo. Hyaluronic lip balms, vibrant eyeshadow palettes, and inclusive foundation shades are just a handful of reasons this brand is loved by many. Crafted with natural ingredients, there’s a product for everyone, in every range, and for every skincare need.
Customer Review | “This concealer is fabulous! Many (other brands) do not provide the coverage that this product does. It goes on smoothly and is easy to blend. Love the shade selection. The product arrived quickly and it was well packaged. What’s not to love?” – Diana J. (Read more reviews.)
9. MERIT
Best For | Cheek balm
Natural & Organic | Nontoxic ingredients, irritant-free formulas
Find This Brand At | Sephora
Price Range | $16 – $42
MERIT has everything you need to perfect your daily morning makeup routine (no pun intended!). This minimalist cosmetics brand helps you do more with your makeup with fewer products, thanks to their skin nourishing, nontoxic formulas. You won’t find any irritants or synthetic fragrances in their products, ensuring a seamless stress-free wear, all day. Plus each formula is vegan, too! Not sure which products to add to your collection? Our editor raves about the hydrating and blendable Complexion Stick and Flush Balm.
Our Editor’s Review | “If you are a self-identified minimalist who wants a five minute makeup routine, this is a great set. If you are looking for clean, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients that don’t irritate your skin, these fragrance-free products fit the bill. And if all of that sounds great but the biggest thing is that you want a makeup look that highlights and complements your features, then I can wholeheartedly recommend MERIT for you. This is makeup that isn’t trying to transform, alter, or hide your face. This is makeup that celebrates your face, so that you look like you, but better.” – Stephanie Fallon, Contributing Editor [Read the full review.]
10. Saie
Best For | Tinted SPF moisturizer
Natural & Organic | Natural & organic ingredients
Find This Brand At | Walmart, Sephora
Price Range | $16 – $48
Saie was founded on the idea of creating a beauty brand that feels good and does good. Every formula meets The Feel Good Five — conscious, luxurious, earth-minded, award-winning, and innovative — ensuring high-quality ingredients, sustainable packaging, and top-tier performance. With a mission to make clean beauty better, Saie continues to push boundaries while staying committed to people and the planet.
Our Editor’s Review | “So overall, is Saie worth it? In general, I’d say yes — the formulation quality and elevated packaging made me pleasantly surprised at the fairly reasonable price points. I’m more than happy to spend around $25 on a concealer or blush that I love and that’ll last me a long time. And same with mascara. (Honestly, I’d pay a tiny bit more for Saie’s mascara — that’s how much I love it.) “ – Natalie Gale, Contributing Editor [Read the full review.]
