I’ve tried a bunch of non toxic lip liners and I’m sharing the best ones. The best clean lip liner is made with nourishing plant goodness and without harmful toxins, fillers and synthetics.

Ingredients to Avoid

Here’s what you may want to avoid:

❌ Lead and other heavy metals: These are contamination risk and consistently have shown up in independent testing of pigments, especially in darker reds and browns, since color pigments aren’t required to be tested for heavy metal contamination the way some other cosmetic ingredients are.

❌ Synthetic fragrance (“parfum”): A single word on a label that can legally hide dozens of undisclosed chemicals, some of which are linked to hormone disruption and allergic reactions.

❌ Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben): Preservatives that mimic estrogen in the body and have been detected in breast tissue biopsies. Super easy to spot on a label – look anything ending in “-paraben.”

❌ Phthalates: Often not listed directly, since they’re sometimes used to carry fragrance ingredients — another reason “fragrance” alone on a label is a red flag. Tied to hormone disruption with regular exposure.

❌ PFAS (“forever chemicals”): Added to some long-wear and waterproof formulas. Look for ingredients with “fluoro” or “perfluoro” in the name, and watch out for any lip product marketed as completely transfer-proof.

❌ BHA/BHT: Synthetic preservatives classified as possible human carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, still common in conventional waxy lip formulas.

❌ Talc: Used as a filler in some pressed and pencil formulas. Cosmetic-grade talc isn’t supposed to contain asbestos, but talc mining has had real contamination issues.

❌ Synthetic FD&C dyes: Petroleum-derived color additives (like FD&C Red 6, 7, or 27) rather than the mineral or fruit/plant pigments used in cleaner formulas.

❌ Mineral oil / petrolatum: A petroleum byproduct that can be contaminated with PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) if not fully refined to cosmetic grade, and simply sits on top of lips rather than actually conditioning them the way plant oils and butters do.

I Tried INIKA Organic Lip Crayon (best for dry lips!)

INIKA’s Lipstick Crayon has the cleanest ingredients and is certified organic, vegan, halal, and cruelty-free. The hypoallergenic formula is simple and begins with an organic coconut oil base, and c contains carnauba and candelilla wax, and vitamin E. This is great if you have particularly reactive or sensitive lips. Out of all the lip liners I’ve tried, INIKA’s has the most balm like consistency and feels the most moisturizing, but can lose its structure during hot weather. It works amazing at filling in the lips without making lines look more pronounced. It’s a chunky pencil so it’s not the best for precision application. Mauve is a gorgeous everyday soft pink shade that’s actually wearable and doesn’t age my face. Overall, very emollient and nourishing with a truly clean formula and one of the best non-toxic makeup brands for foundation, mascara and complexion products.

Price: $28 Shades: 9

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I Tried 100% Pure Creamy Long Last Lip Liner (healthiest!)

100 Percent Pure recently brought back their Creamy Lip Liner and it’s one of the healthiest lip liners in the market, packed with superfood extracts like Dragonfruit, Strawberry, Blueberry, Pomegranate, Acai, Carrot Root, Bilberry Fruit, Blue Spiralina, Turmeric root, and Green Tea Matcha. It’s made in the USA, vegan, cruelty free and free of synthetic dyes, carmine, chemical preservatives, and artificial fragrance. This is soft and pillowy, but not super creamy, and has a matte finish. I find that it works well both as an actual lip liner paired with their Fruit Pigmented Lipstick or Lip Gloss and filled in on its own for a fuller matte lip.

It truly does glide on smoothly without tugging or dragging, and it has enough creaminess that it doesn’t feel chalky or settle into fine lines the way some matte liners do. The staying power is solid and feels and performs most similarly to RMS Go Nude Lip Pencil. 100% Pure’s lip liner shades are overall brighter and girlier than other brands, but Cognac is a very wearable everyday pink shade.

Price: $22 | Shades: 6

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I Tried RMS Go Nude Lip Pencil

RMS Beauty’s lip pencil is free of parabens, synthetic fragrance, phthalates, sulfates, and talc, PETA certified and made with meadowfoam seed oil, mango seed oil, and organic shea butter. RMS claims it gives an 8-hour, water-resistant wear, but it definitely needs a touch up during an eight hour day. Their pencil is versatile and works as a liner, a full lip color, or a base layer under gloss or balm. Application is smooth, and the texture feels nice. I wouldn’t consider it as creamy and moisturizing as INIKA’s, but it’s pleasantly soft and pillowy. Overall, rms is not my go-to for lip products and they shine more in the foundation and complexion department, but decent choice if you prefer one-stop makeup shopping.

Price: $26 Shades: 6

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I Tried Merit Signature Lip Liner

Merit’s Signature Lip Liner is Vegan and Leaping Bunny certified, EU compliant, has a lightweight gel formula with a pomegranate and jojoba complex and comes in a wide range of 14 shades. Keep in mind, this is the least natural of all the lip liners in this list. I find that it glides on so smoothly without ever crumbling, has a slick consistency and gives a natural satin finish. You can wear it as a more sheer lip liner with one swipe or build it up to a bold lip. I do need to retouch after a few hours. Coupe is a deep rose mauvey shade while Rose is a brownish nude and doesn’t really look anything like the shade shown on Merit’s website.

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I tried ILIA Lip Sketch

ILIA’s Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon contains sea succulent, hyaluronic acid, seaweed extract, and rosehip oil and is vegan, cruelty-free, and dermatologist-tested. It’s got a soft-matte finish and glides on smoothly without tugging. In terms of creaminess, it feels quite moisturizing and lies between INIKA’s and RMS / 100 Percent Pure’s level of creaminess.I find that it’s got great pigment power and I do need to reapply after a few hours. It’s got a chunky body like INIKA’s so not as precision friendly. ILIA offers the most variety of shades for a clean lip liner.

Price: $27 Shades: 15

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