Is it safe to wear makeup while pregnant?
It can be, as long as you’re wearing pregnancy safe makeup.
Because your skin absorbs about 64% of what it comes in contact with, so when you’re expecting, you start to consider everything—what foods you eat, what you drink, how much sleep you get, how close to the microwave you stand…
Which is a good thing but actually finding beauty products that are legit safe for pregnancy is not all that straightforward.
That’s why we looked for makeup brands that use non-toxic, natural, and organic ingredients that are not only recognizable but also backed by certifications. We also want formulations to be cruelty-free and vegan-friendly.
In the next few months, we’ll be launching our new Brand Rating System, broadening our assessment to cover 22 criteria, such as chemical use and product packaging. To learn more about this system, take a look at our explainer.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
What To Expect From The Best Makeup For Pregnancy
100% Pure’s natural maternity makeup is pigmented with only natural fruits and plants, meaning you won’t have to worry about coating your face in FD&C synthetic colorants. We’ve tested several of their products and have been impressed with their performance.
Whether pregnancy leaves you itching to get glam or keep it simple with some herbal pregnancy safe eyeliner, Dab Herb’s entirely natural range takes the guesswork out of safe cosmetics shopping.
Index: Makeup Brands Safe For Pregnancy
- 100% Pure Jump to brand
- RMS Beauty Jump to brand
- Dab Herb Jump to brand
- Axiology Jump to brand
- Elate Cosmetics Jump to brand
- HAN Skincare Cosmetics Jump to brand
- Eco Minerals Jump to brand
100% Pure
100% Pure’s Makeup
Sustainable makeup brands have a leg up in making makeup pregnancy safe, but 100% Pure goes above and beyond.
Their 100% Pure guide makes it easy for expecting moms to look for makeup.
Their Fruit Pigmented adheres to strict purity standards, utilizing pigments from only fruits, vegetables, tea, and cocoa—instead of synthetic and heavy metal-based pigments.
This line includes clean mascara, foundation, lipstick, eyeshadow, concealer, primer, BB cream, tints, and blush.
Jam-packed with vitamins and processed completely naturally via “fermentation, distillation, and cold processing”, everything is safe for mom (and dad) and baby.
You’ll see ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, and vitamin E.
They’re aiming to have all packaging be free of petrochemicals by 2024, but currently, some products are contained in plastic—along with recycled glass, tin, and cardboard—which can be recycled curbside or in via their in-store bins in exchange for a free sample product.
About 100% Pure
100% Pure is 100% committed to Fair Trade, USA-made cruelty-free makeup and other skincare essentials.
Aside from ethically sourced mica in their makeup, their non-toxic products are free from minerals and are sourced in compliance with the Ethical Training Initiative (ETI).
They do use palm oil and beeswax in some products, so double-check if you’re trying to avoid these ingredients.
You’ll receive your order in recycled packaging with compostable packing peanuts.
To reduce emissions and work toward a carbon-positive status, their main office runs on 100% solar energy.
My Personal Review of 100% Pure’s Creamy Long Last Liner:
“I like to pop 100% Pure’s eyeliner in my handbag for quick fixes. Made with moisturizing ingredients like jojoba oil, shea butter, marula oil, sunflower oil, and vitamin E, I know that it’s good for my skin, too. Just a little tip: it’s not going to last all day like chemical eyeliners, but I’ve figured out that a sprinkle of foundation powder underneath and on top makes it stick around much longer.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
RMS Beauty
RMS Beauty’s Makeup
RMS Beauty’s entire line of cosmetics is free of soy, silicone, GMOs, and parabens.
It’s also cruelty-free and only includes consciously chosen natural and non-toxic ingredients, including ethical mica and titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide to highlight your pregnancy glow.
They do use some ingredients (like carnauba wax) that are sustainably harvested from Brazilian palm leaves and Moriche palm trees, but these should be distinguished from the practices associated with other palm species in Southeast Asia.
RMS Beauty is not 100% vegan, and a few products contain a small amount of food-grade synthetic color. But the ingredient is very easy to avoid.
If you’d prefer to stick with raw, food-grade ingredients (like shea butter, cocoa butter, and jojoba seed oil), you won’t miss out.
In fact, you’ll still have a healthy selection of nearly every makeup product you could need: natural lipsticks, oils, lip balm, mascara, eye polish, lip shine, cruelty-free concealers, powders, bronzers, and blush—to name just a few.
When it’s time to take the makeup off, their Raw Coconut Cream is just about the safest makeup remover for pregnancy available. It contains 100% raw, unrefined organic coconut oil—that’s it!
About RMS Beauty
In addition to meeting our criteria for pregnancy-safe cosmetics, Sephora classifies RMS Beauty as a Clean at Sephora brand, bringing better makeup to more people.
They’re one of the few “mainstream” safe makeup brands for pregnancy.
The brand was founded by Rose-Marie Swift (RMS, get it?), who’s been working in the beauty industry for four decades. Suffice it to say that those years left her yearning for something better.
Clean for faces, clean for Earth. RMS Beauty opts for clean ingredients and clean containers. Their packaging is minimal, recyclable, or reusable, like cardboard made using 100% wind power.
Dab Herb
Dab Herb’s Makeup
Dab Herb is a zero waste beauty brand that brings zero worries for expecting parents.
Their makeup is natural enough to eat (though we personally wouldn’t test this).
Check them out for eyes (liquid eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow), pregnancy safe lipstick (gloss, tint, lip balm), and face (primer, contour powder, blush, cheek pinch, luminizer, concealer, moisturizer), as well as brushes and tools.
If you’re trying to overhaul your vanity in one fell swoop, check out their prebuilt multi-product kits, like the Organic Minimalist Makeup Set.
They use mostly food-grade, certified organic ingredients that come from plant roots, leaves, petals, and seeds.
To keep those plants healthy, Dab Herb packages in plastic-free containers and shipping materials (many of which are reused from their suppliers).
About Dab Herb
“Nature to Nurture” is Dab Herb and founder Crissy’s driving force.
The brand was born out of the motivation to create a beauty alternative to the standard chemical-laden products.
Not only are their beauty products safe for pregnancy, but they’re safe for animals and workers, being cruelty-free, vegan, palm oil-free, and mostly fair trade.
They do use some zinc oxide and mica, the latter of which is mined and processed ethically in the USA.
Not only does Dab Herb source and sell products consciously, but they also support Made in A Free World to combat human trafficking. Did we mention they’re one of the few organic eyeliner brands, too?
Axiology
Axiology’s Pregnancy Safe Makeup
Let’s keep the baby bump rolling with another of our favorite zero waste makeup brands.
Out to minimize your makeup bag, Axiology has completely cut out packaging except for compostable paper thanks to their innovative “lip-to-lid” Balmies.
They can be used as pregnancy safe eyeshadow, blush, and organic lipstick, all in one compact, travel-friendly crayon.
For pregnancy peace of mind, they’re made with just ten vegan and cruelty-free ingredients that consist of mostly organic fruit extracts and natural oils (like hemp seed oil).
There’s no palm oil, fragrance, soy, gluten, nanoparticles, or other potentially harmful chemicals.
About Axiology
Axiology started in a kitchen when its founder, Ericka Rodriguez, couldn’t find a single cruelty-free lipstick brand.
On the one hand, we’re thankful she didn’t because the world got this pregnancy safe makeup brand out of it.
They source from fair trade producers (shea butter and moringa oils, for example) when possible, and use profits to donate to animal welfare organizations like PETA and Orangutan Foundation International.
Even their outer packaging has been carefully considered, which is why it’s made from recycled paper by a woman-owned boutique in Indonesia.
My Personal Review of Axiology’s Makeup:
“Axiology’s Multi-Sticks and Balmies have been my favorites for ages. They’re made with simple, nourishing ingredients, and I appreciate how versatile they are for adding lip, cheek, and eye color. I mainly use them for my lips and love how moisturizing they feel, especially the Multi-Sticks.
I recently tested their new Shape Stick and if you find contouring a bit challenging like I do, this super creamy stick is here to save the day. It’s light enough that it provides nice subtle shading to the face, without looking super obvious. Basically, it does the blending for you, without all the brushes and fancy know-how…that I most definitely do not have!”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Elate Cosmetics
Elate Cosmetics’ Makeup
Elate Cosmetics wants to protect mothers and Mother Earth alike.
They’re doing so with 100% vegan, cruelty-free ingredients, 90% of which is also organic.
Their range includes pregnancy safe lipstick, eyeshadow, concealer, a literal base with their Uplift Organic Creme Foundation, and more.
While they do use minerals like mica and titanium dioxide (sourced from Responsible Mica Initiative suppliers), they only use non-nano-sized particles.
Items come in sustainable glass bottles, FSC-certified bamboo, or recyclable aluminum tins. Anything powdered can be refilled via a plantable seed paper pouch.
About Elate Cosmetics
Not only is Elate Beauty one of the best pregnancy safe makeup brands and a Certified B Corp, but they’re an affordable organic makeup brand, too.
The Canadian company is conscious of five beauty principles: impact, ethics, community, future, and mission.
Makeup ingredients are largely sourced fair trade, and all are certified by PETA and Cruelty-Free International.
You may see stearic acid in their ingredient lists. This is a derivative of palm oil and, in Elate’s case, sourced from RSPO-certified suppliers.
They want our makeup routines to have a positive impact, so they donate 1% to charity, another 1% to the environment, plant trees, and offset products with Bullfrog Power.
Carbon-neutral concealer, anyone?
HAN Skincare Cosmetics
HAN Skincare Cosmetics
“Skincare enHANced positive beauty” is what you get from HAN Skincare Cosmetics.
Providing safe makeup for pregnancy and our planet, HAN says “no” to over 2,700 harmful chemicals like coal tar, phthalates, animal fats, nanoparticles, talc, and mineral oils.
Instead of parabens, BHA, and BHT, they use vitamin E and grapefruit seed extract as preservatives.
Using mostly certified organic and entirely cruelty-free makeup ingredients, they offer bronzer, blush, concealer, lip gloss, CC cream, mascara, eyeshadow palette, and a restorative face oil and serum.
Pregnancy might make you feel pretty busy and overwhelmed, so for a “multi-tasking stick for color anywhere on the face”, check out the HAN Multistick.
Available in eight shades and suitable for all skin types, this combined pregnancy safe blush, lip balm, and eyeshadow combines antioxidant-rich acai oil, shea butter, and fruit and vegetable pigments.
About HAN Skincare Cosmetics
“Radical Fragrance Transparency”: that’s what HAN aims for across their line of affordable pregnancy-safe cosmetics. They’ve been doing so since 2015, before there were many safe brands of makeup, as founder Susan discovered when trying to find them for herself.
It means they disclose every single ingredient, including the oft-generalized “fragrance” you’ll find on other ingredient lists.
Products are made in the USA and are PETA-approved and Leaping Bunny certified.
Not only will their products support a healthier pregnancy, but a healthier planet for your baby to grow up in, too.
Through a partnership with the climate action consulting group Greenspark, they’re working to reduce their carbon footprint via carbon offset programs, tree planting (one for every full-size order), and sponsoring ocean plastic removal through Plastic Bank.
They are currently converting all packaging to either compostable recycled paper or post-consumer recycled plastic. For any hard-to-recycle tubes, drop them in one of Credo’s Pact Bins for proper recycling.
Eco Minerals
Eco Minerals’ Makeup
Is it safe to use mascara during pregnancy?
When it’s from Eco Minerals it is, as is the rest of their line of lipsticks, eyeshadow, and face makeup.
What makes their makeup safe for pregnancy?
The fact is that it’s free from chemical fillers, preservatives, talc, bismuth oxychloride, magnesium stearate, palm oil, and parabens.
What they do contain are non-nano, non-color coated minerals, like zinc oxide to calm skin, iron oxide for pigment, titanium dioxide for SPF 24 sun protection, and mica for a stunning shimmer.
You’ll find no talc, bismuth oxychloride, carmine, ferric ferrocyanide, parabens, or dimethicone.
There are just four key ingredients (like shea butter) in their BB cream, primer, radiance oil, blush, bronzer, powder foundation, and concealer.
Refills are available for some of the products. Just send back the jar or get powder refills in a 100% biodegradable envelope.
About Eco Minerals
Coming from beautiful Byron Bay in Australia, Eco Minerals is exactly that—safe pregnancy makeup that’s made from 100% pure, natural minerals.
The ingredients are ethically sourced, and their products are handmade and shipped in eco-friendly containers.
Fill your makeup bag with products that are vegan, palm oil-free, and cruelty-free, as certified by PETA, Palm Oil Investigations, and Choose Cruelty-Free.
Makeup Ingredients To Avoid During Pregnancy
When you’re pregnant, cosmetics brand choices (and all choices, for that matter) suddenly become more about your own health.
You’re eating for two, and you’re also wearing makeup for two.
To ensure you’re not absorbing anything toxic that will then be absorbed by the growing bundle inside, choosing safe makeup during pregnancy is key.
But how do you know which ones are safe makeup brands for pregnancy? Is bareMinerals safe for pregnancy?
Sometimes, finding out can be harder than touching your toes in your third trimester, considering most popular makeup brands use any number of ingredients to avoid in skincare—bun in the oven or not.
When it comes to a safe pregnancy, beauty products shouldn’t contain any of these potentially harmful chemicals linked to birth defects and any number of women’s health problems:
- Beta hydroxy acids: Used in anti-aging creams these will show on the ingredient labels as 3-hydroxy propionic acid, trethocanic acid, tropic acid, and salicylic acid
- Diethanolamine (DEA): Used as an emulsifier in creamy makeup products. Look for any ingredient with ‘DEA’ in it.
- Dihydroxyacetone (DHA): Used as a color additive in bronzer. Look for any ingredient with ‘DHA’ in it.
- Formaldehyde: This can be found in nail polish, blush, mascara, and lotion. Look for quaternion-15, hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, dimethyl-dimethyl (DMDM), imidazolidinyl urea, and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate.
- Hydroquinone: Often found in lightening creams and brightening serums.
- Parabens: Propyl, butyl, isopropyl, isobutyl, and methyl.
- Retinol: Found in foundations and lipstick. Look for Vitamin A, retinoic acid, adapalene, tretinoin, tazarotene, isotretinoin, retinyl palmitate, and retinaldehyde
- Toluene: Often found in nail polish. Hence our insistence on non-toxic nail polish.
- Parabens: Used as a preservative, these have been associated with hormone and reproductive system issues and breast cancer. The risks are even greater for pregnant women. The most common in cosmetics are methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben.
- Phthalates: These are petrochemicals linked to birth defects.
Fragrances In Pregnancy Safe Makeup
Remember that earlier stat how 64% of chemicals are absorbed by the skin?
Well, with fragrances, that goes up to 100%.
This is especially concerning considering most synthetic fragrances contain hormone disruptors or phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive defects.
So just as you should seek non-toxic perfume, you should be sure the rest of your makeup and sustainable skincare don’t have sneaky synthetic fragrances, either.
Fragrance-free is your best option, followed by those scented with natural, organic essential oils.
Minerals In Pregnancy Safe Makeup
What about minerals like mica, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide? Is titanium dioxide safe during pregnancy?
On one hand, these natural minerals can replace otherwise toxic ingredients in chemical sunscreens, like zinc oxide in zero waste sunscreen.
However, while studies are limited, nanosized particles in minerals may be toxic due to their ability to pass through the skin barrier.
For this reason, if you do opt to wear cosmetics with titanium dioxide during pregnancy, stick to non-nano-sized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
In general, if it sounds chemical, it probably is. Instead, look for terms you understand, like shea butter, essential oils, avocado seed oil, cocoa butter, vitamin E, jojoba oil, and hyaluronic acid (which contrary to the sound, is naturally found in human tissue and is considered safe)
If you’re ever in doubt about the ingredients spotted on your favorite natural foundation, you can always look them up using the EWG’s Skin Deep database, which contains a concise toxicity rating.