Why Your Lip Gloss Actually *Shouldn’t* Be Clear

Graphic: Well+Good Creative
There was a time in the early aughts when every girl was wearing lip gloss (thanks, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera). Welp, much like all things fashion and beauty, the shiny pout has made a resurgence (and everybody's singing "My Lip Gloss Be Poppin' all over again).

The thing is, as you slather it on your lips, there's something you should pay attention to: the color. Despite so many being clear, it might be an indicator that the gloss could be filled with synthetics—some of which may not be so good for your pout. "They can contain a number of proven irritating synthetic silicones (like dimethicone), polymers (like polybutene), and other questionable ingredients," says Charlie Denton, founder of Crop.

That's exactly why brand Crop Natural just introduced a COSMOS Standard-approved gloss that's yellow—because it's the natural shade of the ingredients and nothing else. "It's yellow in color because of the combination of castor oil and various vegetable and plant oils within the product," says Denton. "These oils are rich sources of vitamin E and not only protect the lips, but will repair damage to the lips as well."

The COSMOS Standard formulation is a pretty big deal to obtain. The process starts with the raw ingredients (and the conditions they're grown in) and is overseen by regulatory bodies including EcoCert, Soil Association, BDIH, Australian Certified Organic up until the time formulas go to customers. This certification ensures the cleanest, most sustainable standards have been met on beauty products and that the ingredients are pure and full of integrity. And what's more: To bear the seal, you have to go through *tons* of auditing to be approved.

The certification means a lot for every beauty product you buy, but it's especially important when it comes to your lips. "You do ingest some quantity of whatever you put onto your lips," explains Denton. "Unlike any other body part, to me—products used on the lips should really be using natural or 'proven-safe’ ingredients. Even though I have a preference for natural products, the only part I strongly recommend using natural is on the lips." So, learn to embrace the yellow because A) it'll actually go on clear and B) turmeric.

If you're looking for lipstick, on the other hand, here are 7 natural red lipsticks that perform. Or you can opt for a pumpkin spice shade

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