Body & beauty

The best natural makeup products and how to use them right

Confused about what to look for and how to use natural makeup? We dispel myths around organic, cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics

Did you know that legally, a beauty product can be labelled as ‘natural’ even if only 1% of its ingredients come from natural sources? Here, we’ll explore the true meaning of natural makeup and cosmetics to help you make more informed choices when it comes to what you put on your skin. Plus, we’ve got advice from beauty experts on their top natural makeup brands and how to use the products to achieve the best results.

What does natural makeup really mean?

First thing’s first, let’s talk formulas. Here at Natural Health, we have a decades-long history of banging the ethical beauty drum, so for us, natural makeup will always be, first and foremost, about the ingredients.

Yes, we love a natural makeup look in when it comes to the overall style (more on this, later). But we believe that no makeup result is natural unless the ingredients used to create the look are, too.

Here on this site, you won’t find recommendations for beauty products that contain problematic chemicals. In fact, the makeup range category (and every category) in our annual Natural Health Beauty Awards has a list of ingredients that we don’t accept. For example, our no nasties policy excludes products made with substances like paraffins, mineral oil and silicones.

Yet there’s another layer to the world of natural makeup, too (excuse the pun). Once you’ve considered what’s on the ingredients list of your cosmetics, then there’s the question around a brand’s ethics and how their products are made.

Cruelty-free and vegan makeup

Animal testing is of course a major no-no, not least for those of us following a plant-based lifestyle. Yet what do all the different labels really mean? According to PETA: ‘cruelty-free’ means a product was developed without any tests on animals.

Animal testing was banned in the UK in 1998, but it still happens in other parts of the globe. Look out for the Leaping Bunny logo issued by Cruelty Free International on product packaging to be sure that a brand has gone over and above laws on animal testing.

On the other hand, ‘vegan’ means that the product is free from any animal-derived substances. The vegan trademark featuring the iconic sunflower symbol tells you it’s a certified vegan product. Although, remember that even without the vegan label a product can still be natural and organic – think honey, beeswax, lanolin and so on.

Organic makeup and beauty products

Of course, vegan makeup does not equal organic, either. So, what exactly does it mean for a beauty product to be organic? According to the Soil Association, an organic product is defined as one that contains ingredients grown on an organic farm. To achieve the Soil Association COSMOS Organic certification (an international standard for organic cosmetics), at least 20% of the overall ingredients in the product must be from organic farming.

The problem is, the use of the term organic is unregulated for beauty products. Legally, makeup and cosmetic brands can label their products as organic even if they have just 1% organic ingredients!

The answer? Check the labelling for a symbol from an independent certifier, like the Soil Association COSMOS logo. This guarantees a higher percentage of organic ingredients. And, ensures that it contains no controversial chemicals, GM ingredients, parabens, phthalates, synthetic colours, dyes or fragrances. As well as no animal testing, any palm oil used must come from sustainable sources – and the packaging must be recycled and recyclable where possible.

“Looking for third party accreditation like Soil Association COSMOS Organic to back up environmental claims is really important,” says Paige Tracey. Paige is business development manager for beauty, wellbeing and textiles at Soil Association Certification.

“If a brand is making a claim such as ‘organic’, but they do not have any third-party certification to back this up, you should ask yourself why that is.”

Shopping online? “Some retailers and brands work with Provenance. This is a technology that shows evidence on the product page of certifications that back up claims. This includes ‘organic’, ‘vegan’, ‘cruelty-free’ as well as any clinical trials the product has gone through,” explains Paige.

What are the benefits of using organic cosmetics?

Firstly, there are environmental benefits. “Organic farming is better for the health of our planet,” Paige points out. “It releases less greenhouse gas emissions compared to non-organic farming. Artificial fertilisers and pesticides are not allowed to be used. This keeps our air and our waterways cleaner.

The leading cause of oceanic dead zones (areas of the ocean where no life can survive) is run-off from nitrate fertilisers used in non-organic farming. These zones have massively increased over the past 30 years.”

Ditching the nasties in favour of organic makeup can also help you feel and look your best. Cosmetics made with high quality, responsibly farmed ingredients are less likely to contain irritants that can damage your skin. Particularly for sensitive skin types, as organic skincare supports your skin’s microbiome. What’s more, it offers benefits to your hormone health.

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Many people report positive results after making the organic switch; but what makes them so good, exactly? Justine Jenkins is a makeup artist and cruelty-free beauty ambassador and thinks it’s all down to the formulations.

“Organic is the highest quality product you can buy in terms of purity. Products are formulated using organically farmed ingredients which are grown without the use of GM, herbicides, pesticides, synthetic fertilisers and more,” she says.

“Remember, what we put on our skin can be absorbed into our bodies. So, it makes perfect sense that we should avoid harsh chemicals and use ingredients as natural as possible.”

Best natural makeup brands

Natural and organic makeup used to mean having limited choices of products and colours, but not anymore!

“I remember never being able to find a good or better natural alternative to the products I loved,” says Keisha East, professional makeup artist, founder of The Kurl Kitchen and No Knot Co and Natural Health Beauty Awards judge. “Now that couldn’t be further from the truth, one of my favourites for example, Milk makeup, has an amazing high quality range; they’re certainly changing the narrative of the natural makeup category.”

Is there any difference in the results you get from using natural makeup compared to those containing chemical ingredients?

“If you had asked me 5-10 years ago I would have said yes. Now however, I can say there are so many amazing natural brands that are as good results-wise as the main contenders,” affirms Keisha.

Makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur and influencer Keisha East

Top 3 natural makeup brands

Below are the ranges that scored the highest in the 2023 Natural Health Beauty Awards, as judged by highly respected vegan and cruelty-free make-up artist Em-J.

INIKA Organic

The Australian brand was the overall winner of our Makeup Range category, as it’s easy to see why. “INIKA is leading the way as a modern ethical brand,” says Em-J. “Many people would buy the brand because of the performance of the products and look of the brand without realising the wonderful ethics behind it which is great because it opens up to a wider audience. The packaging is beautiful and highly recyclable, and the products work beautifully.”

Shop INIKA Organic here.

Dr Hauschka

“Dr Hauska products always feel super high quality,” Em-J enthuses. “The illuminating fluid may be one of the best I have tried and the bronzing drops are so versatile.”

Shop Dr Hauschka here.

The English Mineral Make-up Company

“I love the finish of EMM products on the skin, they are packed with great pigment and blend beautifully. I really enjoy using EMM.”

Shop the English Mineral Make-up Company here.

How to do a natural makeup look

When you’re going for a natural makeup look, “I think it’s really important to focus on the skin,” Keisha advises.

“The better your skin looks, the better the makeup will look. I recommend using a face sheet mask (time dependent), a toner, then a great moisturiser and primer before even beginning the makeup. If you’re someone whose skin tends to be on the oilier side, I would also recommend taking a translucent powder with my in my bag, so I can top up my makeup throughout the day. It keeps your makeup looking fresher for longer.”

Want some insider tips that makeup artists use to lift your facial features naturally? Makeup artist and blogger, Wayne Goss, shares his techniques for a fresh faced look:

1. Apply blusher to the high points of your cheekbones

“By applying blusher to the highest points of your cheekbones, rather than all over your cheek, it should give the impression that your facial features are higher than they are.

A common tactic that I highly do not recommend would be to apply blusher to your face as you smile. Anything that goes up, eventually has to come down, and therefore will actually drag your facial features down rather than raise them.

This is why ensuring that your blusher is only on the high parts of your cheekbones will make sure that your cheeks look raised.”

2. Apply highlighter subtly above the brow

“Using your ring figure or a highlighter brush, such as one from my new range of vegan makeup brushes, the White Gold Collection, to apply highlighter just above the arch of your brow is a shortcut to lifting your facial features.

This highlighter technique aims to lift your brow and facial features visually, giving off the impression that your features are more lifted than they are.

Highlighter in the right places really do give the face an extra glow and always looks beautiful when done correctly.”

3. Reverse contouring

“The clue is in the name of ‘reverse contouring’ – it’s the opposite of contouring. It works as a simpler process to raise your facial features and give your face a slimmer look.

This process works by applying concealer in a few specific places on your face and then blending it out, rather than applying contouring shades on your skin.

Some of the key places to apply concealer includes under your eyes, where it’ll lift and brighten the under-eye area, and on your cheekbones, that will lift the entire face.

Just ensure that you’re using the right colour concealer to match your skin tone; nothing too dark, and nothing too light. Makeup isn’t meant to be seen and is meant to be subtle.”