“Organic” is often associated with “expensive”. This is for the most part true because, let’s face it: you get what you pay for. Our list of organic makeup brands mean quality ingredients, ethical sourcing, and reduced impact—all of which cost money.
That said, affordable organic makeup does exist. Smaller, values-driven brands are creating cleaner cosmetics at prices that are accessible compared to many luxury organic lines. And they do this without cutting corners or using the kind of cheap, questionable ingredients often found in drugstore makeup.
Sure, that 99¢ lipstick might seem like a bargain, but how cheap do the ingredients have to be to make it at that price? And what price might you pay for exposing your body to that later on? Investing in safe and sustainable products is well worth the extra bucks. Clean beauty products should not be out of reach though, which is why we’ve prioritized the all-natural makeup brands that will give you pouty lips without needing to pout over the price.
So what do we look for in the best organic makeup brands? For this article, we prioritize the following:
- All natural and organic ingredients that are recognizable, and non-toxic
- Ethical sourcing of those ingredients
- No animal testing and ideally vegan friendly
- Relative affordability compared to most organic cosmetic brands
See more on why this is important and how we found these brands at the end of this article.
Additionally, you may notice “rated” brands on this list – this means that we have personally rated the brand against our Brand Rating System’s range of 22 criteria, including things like chemical use, product performance, customer safety, and product packaging. Look out for these rated brands and find others on our directory.
These alternative guides may help you further: Non-toxic Makeup Brands; DIY Makeup Recipes
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. We explain this further in our Terms of Use.
The Best Affordable Organic Makeup Brands
River Organics offers lip gloss, blush, concealer, eyebrow products, bronzers, highlighters, facial oils, brushes, sets, and more. Most are made with ~75% organic ingredients and all are recognizable and safe for customers. River Organics has been comprehensively rated by us on their sustainability credentials – see the the full rating.
Dab Herb creates affordable cosmetics using almost entirely organically grown ingredients. We’re seriously impressed with all of the products we’ve tried and award top points for performance.
Axiology makes multi-use organic makeup products that come packaged in compostable cardboard tubes or boxes. We’re big fans of their Balmies, a 3-in-1 paper-wrapped crayon made from simple, nourishing ingredients – we use and love them for lips, eyes and cheeks.
Index: Budget-friendly Organic & Natural Makeup Brands
- River Organics Jump to brand
- Axiology Jump to brand
- Dab Herb Jump to brand
- Elate Cosmetics Jump to brand
- INIKA Organic Jump to brand
- 100% Pure Jump to brand
- Well People Jump to brand
- RMS Beauty Jump to brand
- Bee You Cosmetics Jump to brand
- Moonrise Creek Jump to brand
- Ilia Beauty Jump to brand
River Organics
Compostable
All or some products are compostable, either in an industrial facility or at home
Cruelty-free
Products are not test on animals at any stage in their production.
Handcrafted
Products have been made by hand, typically by an artisan or group of artisans.
Locally Made
Products are made local to the brand's headquarters.
Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxic
Organic
Products are made from organic materials.
Plastic-free
All products are entirely plastic-free
Recycled materials
Some or all products are made with recycled materials
Small business
This brand is a small business run by less than 15 people
Sustainable Materials or Ingredients
Either all or most products are made with sustainable materials or ingredients.
Thoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.
Vegan
This brand does not use any animal products or by-products in their products
Woman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
Zero Waste
Products are made with a low or zero waste approach where ideally no or limited waste is created throughout the production process or at the end of life.
Certified Vegan
Leaping Bunny
Certified Vegan
The Certified Vegan logo, managed by the Vegan Awareness Foundation (Vegan Action), ensures that products contain no animal ingredients or by-products and have not been tested on animals. It’s one of the most recognized vegan certifications, helping consumers identify items that meet strict vegan and cruelty-free standards across food, cosmetics, clothing, and household products.Leaping Bunny
The Leaping Bunny certification, managed by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), is the globally recognized gold standard for cruelty-free products. It ensures that neither a company’s finished products nor their ingredients are tested on animals at any stage of development. Brands must also agree to independent audits and supplier monitoring, guaranteeing genuine cruelty-free commitment across their entire supply chain.Price Range: $
River Organics has a little bit of everything you could need to look and feel your best without the hidden cost. Their affordable organic makeup range covers it all: lip gloss, blush, concealer, eyebrow products, bronzers, highlighters, facial oils, brushes, sets, and more.
We love keeping our lips simple and supple with their Nourishing Lip Balm that truly does just what the name claims thanks to cacao butter, coconut oil, and delicious mango butter.
Imperfect or not, you’ll see a lot of recognizable, organic, and EWG-verified ingredients in the product descriptions like shea butter, arrowroot powder, moringa seed oil, apricot kernel oil, cocoa seed butter, and conflict-free lab-made mica.
Inspired by trips to the Middle East and Europe, this independently-owned brand prioritizes plant oils over the traditional use of creams. Products are vegan, cruelty-free, and free of palm oil. Most products are housed in eco-friendly paper packaging and shipped in recycled envelopes with sugarcane labels.
River Organics has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. See the the full rating.
Axiology
Axiology has not been rated.
Price Range: $–$$
As far as cruelty-free and vegan organic makeup brands go, Axiology is the balm. Their award-winning 3-in-1 lip, cheek, and eye crayons are made of only nine natural ingredients—crayon you believe that!?
These “Balmies” come in several shades, ranging from cool, icy shimmers to warm hues, and are best for those with oily skin who want a moisturizing semi-matte finish. However, their multi-sticks are made with a trifecta of oils (coconut, avocado, and grapeseed) that result in a subtle, dewy finish and a needed hydration boost for those with dry skin.
Axiology is one of the best organic makeup brands in general but the multi-use design of their products means they’re also much more affordable than your average product given you simply need to buy less things to get the same result.
Their products have always been ethically sourced, cruelty-free, and vegan, and are now 100% plastic-free. They partner with a women’s cooperative in Bali that turns paper trash into beautiful recyclable packaging.
My Personal Review of Axiology’s Balmies & Multi-Sticks:
“I absolutely love Axiology’s 3-in-1 makeup crayons. I live in a (literal) tiny house so I’m a big fan of multi-use products in general. These brightly colored lipsticks are so versatile—they work on my lips, cheeks, and eyes – it’s like having a mini makeup kit in one stick! With just nine simple ingredients for the Balmies and ten for the Multi-Sticks, I can feel good about what I’m putting on my skin. Plus, they’re small enough to toss in my purse for easy touch-ups.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Dab Herb
Dab Herb has not been rated.
Price Range: $–$$
This next affordable natural makeup brand has cult status and for good reason. From lips to lids, Dab Herb Makeup has all your organic makeup needs covered. Like compostable paper tube lip tint and an innovative mascara bar.
Their formulations are made from natural and organic ingredients like raw shea butter, unrefined avocado oil, red raspberry, cornflowers, spirulina, and coffee seed extract. Many of which are certified organic, food-grade, or wildcrafted. Any mineral pigments like mica—such as that in their stunningly colorful plant eyeliners—are ethically sourced in the USA.
Making our world a little healthier, Dab Herb only use recyclable paper mailers and plastic-free shipping materials, on top of the glass or metal containers their products are housed in. They also support Made in the Free World, a global organization working to end human trafficking and support those who have fallen victim to it.
My Personal Review of Dab Herb’s Fragrant Jasmine Cream Eyeshadow Palette:
“I hate the cakey, creased look most eyeshadows give me, but these eyeshadow creams are a serious game changer! They blend perfectly into my skin and give a beautiful shimmer that stays put all day —no more annoying powder mess. I love that they contain only recognizable natural ingredients, and the floral scent is an added bonus.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Elate Cosmetics
Elate Cosmetics has not been rated.
Price Range: $–$$
We hope your sustainable makeup bag is ready—because Elate Cosmetics is one of the best organic makeup brands to fill your bag with all you could need for eyes, face, and lips. Things like mascara, eyeliner, brow balm, pressed eye color, foundation, primer, concealer, blush, bronzer, natural lip balms, glosses, and sticks.
Each product is made with 100% vegan and cruelty-free ingredients, many of which are also fair trade and/or certified organic (about 90%). They only use responsibly sourced mica and titanium dioxide, which are free of nano-sized particles.
Elate believe a makeup routine can have a positive global impact and they’re making it possible through transparency, sustainable packaging, consciously chosen ingredients, inclusion, and the desire to continue reducing their impact.
Their inexpensive natural makeup products are packaged in compostable or recyclable containers, like glass bottles, aluminum tins, bamboo compacts or seed paper palette refills.
INIKA Organic
INIKA Organic has not been rated.
Price Range: $$–$$$
INIKA Organic is one of our favorite organic makeup brands. They believe natural products should not compromise on quality and performance. Rather than synthetic fragrances and additives, they craft their natural makeup with botanical extracts and rich mineral pigments.
With organic primers, concealers, foundations, blushes, bronzers, contours, mascaras, eyeliners, shadows, brow fillers, organic lipsticks, lip glosses, and more, INIKA has something for every step of your beauty routine. Each item is certified by Vegan Society, COSMOS Natural, and PETA.
The award-winning Australian natural makeup brand is available from their US store and their earth-friendly packaging is made mostly from sustainable and recycled materials, such as aluminum, glass, sugar cane, PCR plastic, and glass.
Better still, they fund the collection and repurposing of plastic via CLEANHUB.
My Personal Review of Inika’s Liquid Foundation:
“I have been wearing this foundation for years (since at least 2017 but likely long before). I love it because it creates a dewy, natural look – and given my skin tone is in between shades, I go slightly darker to add a bit of color. I find if I apply a light layer of jojoba oil underneath, I don’t need anything on top (unless I want to look super matte). Definitely a huge fan of this product.”
Review by Joy McConnochie, SJ Co-founder
100% Pure
100% Pure has not been rated.
Price Range: $$
100% Pure has an extensive catalog of cruelty-free, and certified organic mascara, lipsticks, eyeshadow, foundation, concealer, lip balm, primer, and blush. They use the magic of plant-based ingredients and pigments to craft high-quality organic vegan makeup.
The team goes through a strict process to ensure none of the ingredients are animal-sourced or contain toxic materials, FD&C colorants, or heavy metal dyes. All of their makeup products are shipped in recyclable boxes containing biodegradable packing peanuts.
And for every purchase, 100% Pure donates one bowl of vegan dog food or plants a tree, depending on the customer’s choice.
My Personal Review of 100% Pure’s Creamy Long Last Eyeliner:
“100% Pure’s eyeliner pencil is a simple essential that’s small and easy to keep in my bag for use on the go. It’s made with moisturizing jojoba oil, shea butter, marula oil, sunflower oil, and vitamin E. Keep in mind this isn’t going to have the all-day ‘stick’ that a lot of chemical eyeliners have, but I found I can easily remedy that and give it much more long-lasting wear by applying a little bit of foundation powder under and on top.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Well People
Well People has not been rated.
Price Range: $–$$
When it comes to affordable organic makeup brands, Well People is a worthy choice. It offers over 35 EWG-approved products covering everything you need for a full-face beat down including full-coverage foundation, concealer, blush, highlighter, contour, bronzer, and setting spray.
Their vegan products are made from antioxidant-rich natural ingredients like green tea, pomegranate, rosehip, and broccoli seed oil—rather than synthetic fragrances, fillers, and preservatives. We’re stuck on their Supernatural Stick, whose gentle jojoba and sunflower seed oil base makes it suitable for a hydrating blush or lip tint alike.
In our minds, Well People is one of the best natural organic makeup brands out there not least because they produce their products in a Fair Trade Certified factory, meaning they promote sustainable livelihoods and safe working conditions for their workers and suppliers.
RMS Beauty
RMS Beauty has not been rated.
Price Range: $$
RMS Beauty is committed to providing safe cosmetics made from raw, food-grade, certified organic, wildcrafted, and naturally derived ingredients. As part of the organic makeup brand’s clean commitment, over 2,600 ingredients are banned from their cosmetics.
Naturally, this means that their products are free from parabens, synthetic fragrances, gluten, GMOs, sulfates, and talc. Your face will be left with a natural glow after you try their foundations, eyeshadows, lipsticks, and more.
RMS Beauty was born out of the desire to make beauty and personal care sustainable and attainable. With 30 years in the field as a master makeup guru, Rose Marie Smith had her lightbulb moment when she realized cosmetics could be made with better, safer ingredients.
Their packaging is made from post-consumer recycled papers and plastics, and easily recyclable materials like aluminum.
Bee You Cosmetics
Bee You Cosmetics has not been rated.
Price Range: $–$$
Whether you’re after mascara, foundation, blush, eyeshadow, lip stain, BB cream, or brushes, Bee You Organics will have you buzzing. Every single item is free from water, alcohol, gluten, palm oil, alcohol, water, synthetics, fragrances, preservatives, fillers, SLS, SLES, parabens, talc, and more.
In other words, they only use natural and organic ingredients. Rest assured knowing the mica in makeup by Bee You is locally sourced non-micro, cosmetic-grade, and has a traceable supply chain that backs up ethical work practices.
Similarly, their beeswax comes from local suppliers or their own apiary, and proceeds help fund both tree planting and sustainable bee research at WSU. Many products come in paper board, tin, or glass containers (which can be returned for refills) and the clean beauty brand is well on its way to getting rid of plastic completely.
You will receive your order carbon-neutral in recycled or handmade seeded paper, along with recycled/recyclable shipping labels.
Moonrise Creek
Moonrise Creek has not been rated.
Price Range: $–$$
If you’re looking for long-lasting, inexpensive natural makeup, Moonrise Creek has you covered—just like their matte and pregnancy safe mineral foundation powders, cream concealers, and liquid foundations.
Face makeup aside, tint sticks, nutrient-rich clear mascara, and botanical lipsticks are just a few of the natural and organic beauty products that the Mountain Moon Tribe offers. Their cruelty-free botanical cosmetics are handcrafted in small batches with love, intention, and earth-friendly ingredients like jojoba oil, cocoa seed butter, and organic coconut oil.
Moonrise Creek has you covered from sunrise to moonrise with their cosmetics and skin care. The whimsical family-owned shop also stocks aromatherapy, healing herbal apothecary, and cosmetic tools. They describe themselves as a planet wise, animal friendly, low-impact, earth conscious company—resulting in over 122,000 5-star average rated sales on Etsy
Ilia Beauty
Ilia Beauty has not been rated.
Price Range: $$
ILIA Beauty is one of the clean makeup brands out there offering Leaping Bunny-certified face, lip, eye, skincare, and multi-use products that are thoughtfully formulated without gluten, parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, talc, and chemical screens.
Their products are made with a mix of natural and organic ingredients, active botanicals and safe synthetics – they believe synthetic ingredients are not all black and white: not every synthetic is bad, and not every natural skin care ingredient is good. That said, some of their products do contain synthetic dyes so it’s worth checking the ingredient list.
They also only use recycled aluminum, glass components, and responsibly sourced paper packaging, and partner with the Pact Collective to help recycle difficult-to-recycle products.
Why Consider Buying From Organic Makeup Brands?
Why make the switch to organic makeup in the first place?
- Health and safety: Conventional cosmetics often contain toxic chemicals—like parabens, phthalates, PFAS, and synthetic fragrances—that can build up in the body and disrupt hormones. Affordable non-toxic makeup avoids these risks, favoring safer, skin-friendly alternatives.
- Animal welfare: Many mainstream makeup products are still tested on animals or contain animal-derived ingredients. Organic and ethical beauty brands are leading the way in cruelty-free and vegan practices.
- Environmental impact: Harmful chemicals in conventional makeup can wash off into waterways, polluting ecosystems. Organic ingredients, paired with sustainable farming and eco-friendly packaging, help reduce your beauty footprint.
- Affordability that matters: By choosing affordable organic makeup from some brands on this list, you’re supporting small businesses that are proving clean beauty doesn’t need to be a luxury. These brands balance price with purpose—offering safer products without sacrificing sustainability.
How We Found The Best Affordable Organic Makeup Brands
Which is the best organic cosmetic brand—and how do you know? With so many brands using words like “natural,” “clean,” and even “organic” loosely, we cut through the greenwashing using our sustainability framework for beauty products.
Here’s what we looked for:
- Non-toxic formulas: No harmful ingredients, with a preference for natural or certified organic ingredients. We allow safe synthetics but rule out toxic ones.
- Vegan-friendly: Avoiding animal-derived ingredients like squalene, lanolin, and carmine whenever possible.
- Cruelty-free: No animal testing.
- Palm-oil: We prefer palm-oil-free products or brands that use certified, traceable palm oil alternatives.
- Ethical ingredient sourcing: Prioritizing fair labor practices, especially around controversial ingredients like mica.
- Thoughtful packaging: Recyclable at minimum, with compostable, reusable, or refillable options being even better.
- Affordability: Brands that keep prices accessible relative to the organic beauty market, without compromising on ingredient quality or ethics.
Curious how we evaluate makeup brands? Watch our video where we test four sustainable, organic makeup brands, including several featured in this article
Video: What does sustainable makeup look like? We tested four brands (Dab Herb, Axiology, Terra Stoma, and and 100% Pure) to find out.
FAQ: Best Natural Makeup Brands
What is the main purpose of this article?
To spotlight affordable natural and organic makeup brands that use non-toxic, recognisable ingredients, ethical sourcing and cruelty-free practices so readers can build a safer, more sustainable beauty routine.
What defines “natural & organic makeup brands”?
Brands prioritizing ingredients that are recognisable and plant-based, a high percentage of organic content, avoid harmful chemicals, use ethical sourcing, are cruelty-free (and often vegan), and offer relatively affordable options compared to typical luxury organic cosmetics.
Why does the article emphasise affordability in organic makeup?
Because sustainable and clean beauty often comes at a premium, so we aim to show that it doesn’t have to be out of reach — promoting brands that deliver clean formulations, ethical credentials and good value.
What criteria did the article use to select the featured brands?
Criteria include recognisable and organic/natural ingredients, non-toxic formulations, ethical sourcing of ingredients, cruelty-free/vegan status, packaging and affordability. The article’s authors also rate brands based on a 22-point system including chemical use, safety, packaging and more.
How can someone evaluate whether a makeup brand is truly sustainable or organic?
The article suggests looking beyond marketing and checking for verified credentials, ingredient lists you understand (plant oils, butters, simple names vs long synthetic chains), cruelty-free certification, ethical sourcing disclosures, minimal/eco-friendly packaging, and whether the brand backs up their claims with transparency.
Final Thoughts On The Best Natural & Organic Makeup Brands (Budget-friendly)
We’ll admit: affordable isn’t the first word most people associate with organic makeup. But the brands in this list prove that natural beauty can be clean, ethical, and budget-friendly.
These affordable organic makeup brands check all the right boxes: ethical sourcing, sustainable business practices, mostly organic ingredients, and cheaper prices that make clean beauty accessible.
Small shifts in your makeup bag, like swapping out one product at a time, can have a surprisingly big impact on your health and on the planet. If you know someone still stuck on toxic, low-cost cosmetics, share this list and show them that safe, sustainable beauty doesn’t have to break the bank.
Editor’s note: This article on affordable organic makeup was originally published in May 2021 and has been updated several times since. The most recent major update was in June 2025 to include new brands, updated ingredient standards, and expanded guidance on affordability and sustainability.
Joy has been a passionate advocate for the environment since she was a small child. She grew up in South Africa and has been lucky enough to be exposed to the wonders of nature not just in Africa but all over the world. She founded Sustainable Jungle (together with her husband Lyall) back in 2017 after becoming enraged by the devastating impact of palm oil. She then founded the Sustainable Jungle Podcast and together with Lyall interviewed remarkable people from all over the world who were finding ways to create positive impact. Outside of Sustainable Jungle, Joy has always worked in the corporate world, starting out as an auditor and later moving into management consulting. More recently she specialized in Climate Investing for the Asia Pacific region. Given her experience, her current passion is Brand Ratings. She is very much enjoying going deeper on what it really means to drive sustainability performance and true impact through business operations.
Happy New Year to all at Sustainable Jungle. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to helping the rest of us be inspired to do more, in large and small ways, to caretake our world.
We would be honored if you would take a peek at our preliminary line of body care items we have just released. We are very small, but committed to uncompromising standards. As such, we are always researching and learning – what a journey this has been! We are eager for questions, advice, comments, guidance. Blessings on you and your Mission.
Kelly Layne – founder and formulator,
Wiley Women Body Care,
EvoQuelle.com and WileyWomen.com
Hey Kelly, please shoot us an email on this 🙂
i would love to see some brands that are actually affordable. i understand there probably aren’t many, if any at all. but still, i wouldn’t label $20 for a 5oz “sample” of mascara or $35 for foundation as affordable when all the of them brands that were giving me headaches costed half that price. i honestly cannot afford $20 for each of my separate makeup products.