Lip Balms Tested for Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals” — Guide

Do lip balms contain indications of PFAS “forever chemicals?” When your lips are dry and cracked but you are worried about persistent chemicals finding their way into your lip products, what is a consumer to do? Mamavation community members asked us to start testing lip balms so they could have more confidence in their purchases of cleaner products. You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you other consumer studies like dental floss, makeup, contact lenses, and period underwear without indications of PFAS, now join us as we bring you our latest consumer study on lip balms.

Disclosure: This post was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN. Donations were provided by Environmental Health News and Mamavation community members. Note that Mamavation has only “spot-checked” the industry and thus we cannot make predictions about brands and products that we have not tested. Products and manufacturing aides can change without notice so buyer beware. This post contains affiliate links, with some to Amazon, which means Mamavation will receive affiliate commission and we will use that to pay ourselves back for the testing. You can also give a tax-deductible donation to our consumer studies here through Environmental Health Sciences. Thank you!  

Mamavation’s Lab Finds Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in Lip Balms

Mamavation’s EPA-certified laboratory found indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” inside lip balms after analyzing 20 products. PFAS are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that have been used for many decades as stain-resistant, oil-resistant, grease-resistant, & water-resistant chemicals in commerce. Some cosmetics use PFAS as waterproofing agents, while other times they are found in trace amounts from manufacturing contamination.

PFAS is also found in many other areas of our homes with some examples being cookware, makeup, drinking water, contact lenses & dental floss. These chemicals are linked to serious health effects, which we will discuss later. Because PFAS are so toxic, Mamavation has commissioned our own scientific studies on indications of PFAS in products to make recommendations for lip balms without PFAS “forever chemical” contamination. Read Mamavation’s articles (see below) on these products to find which brands are organic-fluorine-free.

For this consumer study, Mamavation sent 20 lip balms from 18 brands to an EPA-certified laboratory looking for indications of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals.”  Here’s what we found:

• 20% of total lip balm products tested had indications of PFAS “forever chemicals.” 4 detections from 20 lip balm products had organic fluorine above 10 parts per million (ppm) according to our lab.
• 16% of the brands we tested had indications of PFAS “forever chemicals,” i.e. out of 18 brands we tested, 3 brands had organic fluorine above 10 parts per million (ppm) according to our lab.
• Organic fluorine was found between 12 ppm and 2203 ppm according to our lab.
• Because lip balms are placed on the lips, they are easily digested and thus, this would be just as relevant as a food product having indications of PFAS.

PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Have Problematic Health Effects

PFAS “forever chemicals” are problematic for human health and the environment. They are considered ubiquitous, persistent, and toxic. In fact, many of these PFAS chemicals can last for years or decades in our bodies.

Pregnant women and babies are the most vulnerable to the effects of toxic chemicals like PFAS in the environment. The development of a child can be disrupted by toxic chemicals that mimic natural hormones in such a way that are permanent and profound. Therefore, it’s imperative to reduce the amount of PFAS your children are exposed to from food, water, and consumer products like diapers or lip balms. Mamavation is dedicated to helping you do that when you are shopping for lip balms

Here are some of the health effects of different PFAS “forever chemicals:”

• Reduction in immunity
• Reduced vaccination response
• Increased risk of allergies & asthma in young children
• Affected growth, learning, and behavior of infants and older children
• Increase cholesterol levels
• Metabolic diseases like obesity & diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Lowered a woman’s chance of getting pregnant
• Lowered male fertility
• Increased risk of kidney & testicular cancers
• Causes endocrine disruption
• Disrupted normal thyroid function

It’s also very clear based on biomonitoring evidence from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that PFAS are in all Americans. Therefore, these impacts can harm most Americans.

Other Chemicals of Concern Found in Lip Care Products

Traditional lip balms are used heavily when it’s cold and dry outside for deep hydration of your dry lips and to prevent dryness, cracking, and pain. Our top pick for lip balms and lip treatments avoid the ingredients we will go over below.

• Petroleum / Mineral Oil: Petroleum-based products are considered cancer-causing in general. They can also cause skin irritation from rashes.
• Undisclosed Fragrance —  “Fragrance” is either made from petroleum (synthetic fragrances) or botanical raw materials (natural fragrance) or both. It can also contain ingredients like solvents, stabilizers, UV absorbers, preservatives, phthalates, and dyes. These types of chemicals vary in toxicity. But there is lots of mystery surrounding “fragrance” in personal care products. Companies that make perfume buy chemicals from other companies called “fragrance houses.” This means it is possible for a brand to not even know the fragrance chemicals inside their own product. However, as companies and states are moving toward fragrance ingredient disclosure, this is slowly starting to change. (You can make a difference here by only purchasing from brands that are doing 100% ingredient disclosure to help!) The biggest problem is the mystery because no one has any idea what is inside the word “fragrance.”
• Phthalates: Phthalates are another class of ingredient that is also hormone-disrupting and found in many personal care products. Phthalates are commonly used as a solvent (a liquid that can dissolve other substances) and fixative (a substance that can help the fragrance last longer on the skin) inside fragrances.  The most common phthalate inside fragrance is diethyl phthalate (DEP) and it’s considered toxic by the Toxic Substances Portal of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Phthalates are linked to health impacts like obesity, and hyperactivity in children, and the kicker is infertility in men by degrading sperm quality. (In other words, wearing fragrances with phthalates around young boys is a problem.) In fact, phthalates are so problematic to male fertility, they are being restricted in places like China. Phthalates, although worse for men, is also problematic for women.
• Hydrogenated Oils: Hydrogenated oil, such as PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil which is a polyethylene glycol derivative of castor oil; may be contaminated with potentially toxic impurities such as 1,4-dioxane.
• BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole ) & BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene): These ingredients are known hormone disruptors that are linked to liver damage in animal studies. They are another example of a harsh preservative.
• Ethoxylated Ingredients — Ethoxylated ingredients are generally of low concern on their own. However, they can be contaminated with ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen, and 1,4- dioxane, reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. They may also be linked to organ toxicity and reproduction toxicity. Examples of these ingredients we found were polysorbates & propylene glycols (PEGs).
• Polypropylene: Polypropylene is a polymer of propylene monomers and classified as expected to be toxic or harmful,
• Titanium dioxide: When you find titanium dioxide in personal care products and it’s not accompanied by a “non-nano” claim, it may be made from nanoparticles. Nano-scale ingredients are used because they very easily absorb into the skin. Titanium dioxide has a long history of use as a sunscreen agent, however, it’s the nano-scale version that is the biggest concern. Nano TiO2 offers greater sun protection than larger titanium particles, but at a price we are unsure of. Comparatively little is known regarding potential health effects of nanoparticles but we do know they like to congregate around organs they do not belong next to. For reference, another example of nanoparticle is asbestos, which is known to cause specific lung cancers.
• Octinoxate (SPF): This common sunscreen ingredient is shown to have hormone-mimicking effects on laboratory animals. This chemical is found in humans, including mothers’ milk samples. Also penetration enhancer. Produces excess reactive oxygen species that can interfere with cellular signaling, cause mutations, lead to cell death and may be implicated in cardiovascular disease. significant wildlife and the environment disruption.

Other Categories of Products Mamavation Has Tested for Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals”

Before we launch into the raw data from our lab, we wanted to remind you about all the other studies we have done on indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” inside the food and consumer products you may bring inside your home. Each one of these studies were done in a similar fashion as this study with brands sent independently to the lab and raw data of those labs at the bottom of the post.

• Soft Contact Lenses
• Green Beauty Makeup
• Dental Floss
• Toilet Paper
• Laundry Detergent Sheets
• Period Underwear
• Tampons
• Sanitary Pads, Pantiliners, & Incontinence Pads
• Powdered Electrolytes
• Butter Wrappers
• Pasta & Tomato Sauces
• Nut Butters (Peanut butter, etc.)
• Cooking Oils (olive oil, almond oil, canola oil, etc)
• Ketchup
• Activewear (Yoga Pants)
• Sports Bras
• Parchment Paper
• Cupcake Liners
• Plastic-Free Straws
• Fast Food Packaging
• Diapers — Disposable & Cloth
• Children’s Probiotics
• Kids’ Backpacks
• Baby Strollers

Mamavation’s Investigation on Lip Balms — Raw Data

Lip balms were purchased between 2021 and 2023. For this consumer study, some lip balms were purchased directly by Mamavation while others were donated by community members. Each product was kept inside its original packaging, recorded in our database, and then sent directly to the lab. The lab opened the products and tested the contents inside.

Testing Method: Mamavation’s EPA-certified laboratory uses marker testing to identify the potential presence of PFAS “forever chemicals” in the within lip balms. Organic fluorine is a marker for PFAS because all PFAS chemicals are carbon-based compounds that contain fluorine. Packaging was not tested. The specific lab method used to test for total fluorine was the Determination of Total Fluorine by Oxygen Flask Combustion and Ion-Selective Electrode. If total fluorine was observed at a detection level of 10 ppm or greater, the lab did the Determination of free Fluoride Ion in the product by Ion-Selective Electrode and then subtracted that from the Total Fluorine to determine the amount of organic fluorine. This marker testing is likely to show the presence of PFAS. Organic fluorine can also capture other fluoropolymers, pharmaceuticals, and common hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants, such as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (commonly known as R-134a) and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (commonly known as HFO-1234yf), which are all also PFAS.  None of which you want around your food or personal care products.

Not Our Favorite

Our laboratory found indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” by testing for total organic fluorine (TOF) with a detection limit of 10 parts per million (ppm) inside these products. If other products had organic fluorine below 10ppm, our lab would not be able to detect it. We are sharing the raw testing results and outcome here from our EPA-certified laboratory plus the publicly available ingredients.

• Dr. Dan Cortibalm Treatment for Severe Chapped Lips — 25 ppm organic fluorine. (Ingredients: 1 % hydrocortisone, beeswax, petroleum jelly, and mineral oil.)
• EcoLips Mongo Kiss Pomegranate — 12 ppm organic fluorine. (Ingredients: *Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, *Cera Flava (Beeswax), *†Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, *Flavor, *Schinziophyton Rautanenii (Mongongo) Kernel Oil, Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E), *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, *Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract. *Certified Organic Ingredient †Fair Trade Certfied™ by Fair Trade USA 20% of Product)
• EcoLips Unflavored PlantPod Lip Balm — 19 ppm organic fluorine. (Ingredients: *Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, †*Theobroma *Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, †*Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E), *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, *Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract *Eupatorium Rebaudianum Bertoni (Stevia) Leaf Extract *Certified Organic Ingredients †Fair Trade Certified by Fair Trade USA)

Better Lip Balms

These lip balm products did NOT have any indications of PFAS according to our laboratory. However, they do have some additional ingredients that we called out above in this post as concerning. Therefore, we have placed them here in the “better” realm. Many of these products also contained “fragrance” so they cannot be called “fragrance-free.”

• Blistex Medicated Lip Ointment — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: camphor, dimethicone, menthol, phenol, allantoin, ammonium hydroxide, beeswax, calcium disodium EDTA, calcium hydroxide, cetyl alcohol, flavors, glycerin, hydrated silica, lanolin, lauric acid, mineral oil, myristic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, paraffin, petrolatum, polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate, potassium hydroxide, purified water, SD alcohol 36, sodium hydroxide, sodium saccharin, stearyl alcohol)
• Carmex Daily Care Moisturizing Lip Balm Cool Mint — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: petrolatum, lanolin, beeswax, cetyl esters, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, isopropyl palmitate, flavor, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, polypropylene, isohexadecane, polyamide-8, polyhydroxystearic acid, stevia rebaudiana extract)
• Chapstick Brand Lip Care Skin Protectant Moisturizer 2 in 1 Lipcare 8 Hour Moisture SPF15 — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: avobenzone, octinoxate, white petrolatum, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, carnauba wax, cetyl alcohol, fragrance, isocetyl stearate, isopropyl lanolate, lanolin, mineral oil, paraffin, saccharin, tocopheryl linoleate/oleate, vitamin E acetate, white wax)
• L’Occitane En Provence Stick Levres Ultra Riche Lip Balm — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Octyldodecanol, C10-18 triglycerides, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, hydrogenated castor oil, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, hydrogenated coco-glycerides, cera alba/beeswax, C18-36 acid glycol ester, C18-36 acid triglyceride, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, sucrose tetrastearate triacetate, tocopheryl acetate, parfum/fragrance, benzyl benzoate, alpha isomethyl ionone)
• Nivea Moisture Lip Care Balm Stick with Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil & Avocado Oil — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Octyldodecanol, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Beeswax, Octyl Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Flavor, BHT.)
• Sun Bum Sunscreen Lip Balm Watermelon — non-detect organic fluorine. (Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 10%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 8% Inactive Ingredients: aloe barbadensis leaf extract, argania spinosa kernel oil, bisabolol, camellia sinensis leaf extract, caprylic/capric triglyceride, calendula officinalis flower extract, cetyl alcohol, citrus grandis fruit extract, citrus limon peel extract, cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract, diisobutyl adipate, equisetum arvense extract, ethylhexyl palmitate, fragrance, ginkgo biloba leaf extract, hydrogenated ethylhexyl olivate, hydrogenated olive oil unsaponifiables, isostearyl linoleate, macrocystis pyrifera extract, mineral oil, ozokerite, panax ginseng root extract, PEG-8, polysorbate 80, propylene glycol, punica granatum extract, rosmarinus officinalis extract, saccharin, salix alba (willow) bark extract, salvia officinalis (sage) extract, silica, theobroma cacao seed butter, tocopheryl acetate, tocopheryl linoleate/oleate, water)

Best Lip Balms

These are our recommended best natural lip balms. Our laboratory did not find indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” inside their formula via total organic fluorine (TOF) testing with a detection limit of 10 ppm. They also do not have any disclosed ingredients that were concerning to our team. These products contain mostly natural ingredients, with some USDA Organic ingredients. We cannot tell if they are cruelty-free, but we can say they do not contain known endocrine disruptors, which would make them our favorite lip balms.

• Badger Organic Unscented Lip Balm — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Beeswax, Organic Castor Oil & Organic Rosemary Extract.)
• Bello Tallow Lip Balm Lavender & Lemongrass — non-detect organic fluorine. (Use discount code “MAMAVATION” for 10% off products at store!) (Ingredients: American Grassfed Association Certified Suet Tallow, Pure Texas Beeswax, Non-Nano Zinc Oxide ROCKY MOUNTAIN OILS THERAPEUTIC GRADE ESSENTIAL OILS: Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus)[updated with new lab results 10/2024]
• Burts Bees Beeswax Lip Balm with Vitamin E & Peppermint — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: cera alba (beeswax, cire d’abeille), cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, lanolin, tocopherolrosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, glycine soja (soybean) oil, canola oil (huile de colza), limonene.)
• Dr. Bronners Peppermint Organic Lip Balm — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Organic Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Organic Beeswax, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Organic Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Tocopherol *CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS)
• EOS 100% Natural Organic Lip Balm Strawberry Sorbet — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Flavor (Aroma), Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Cire de carnauba*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract*, Tocopherol, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene. Organic. Vanilla Bean Stick: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Flavor (Aroma), Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Cire de carnauba*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract *, Tocopherol, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Anisyl Alcohol1. *Organic – 1 Component of Flavor.)
• Goop Beauty Clean Nourishing Lip Balm — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire D’abeille, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Punica Granatum Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Siraitia Grosvenorii Fruit Extract.)
• Portland Bee Balm Oregon Mint — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Pacific northwest beeswax, organic cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil, organic california extra virgin olive oil, Oregon peppermint essential oil)
• Primally Pure Lip Balm Creamsicle — non-detect organic fluorine. (Use discount code “MAMAVATION” for 10% off products at Primally Pure) (Ingredients: Organic Beeswax, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil*, Organic Cocoa Butter*, Organic Tallow from Grass-Fed Cows, Organic Mango Butter, Organic Orange Essential Oil, Organic Vanilla Absolute, Rosemary Extract* and Non-GMO Vitamin E)
• Rowe Casa All Natural Soothing Lip Balm — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Organic beeswax, organic raw unrefined cold pressed coconut oil, organic cocoa butter, organic vitamin E oil, organic unrefined extra virgin rosehip oil, organic unrefined cold pressed jojoba oil.)
• True Botanicals Moisture Lock Glossy Balm — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Punica Granatum Sterols, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil. *Organic)
• Young Living Grapefruit Lip Balm — non-detect organic fluorine. (Ingredients: Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil extract, Beeswax, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet almond) oil, Citrus paradisi† (Grapefruit) peel oil, Lycium barbarum (Wolfberry) seed oil, Rosa rubiginosa (Rosehip) seed oil †Premium essential oil Contains nut, soy, and coconut/palm ingredients)