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

Product Brands We Tested

To help our community make safer choices, Mamavation evaluated a wide range of lip balm products purchased between 2021 and 2023. Some products were purchased directly by Mamavation, while others were donated by community members. Each lip balm remained in its original packaging, was recorded in our database, and then sent to our EPA-certified laboratory. The lab opened each product and tested the formula inside.

Mamavation’s EPA-certified laboratory uses marker testing to identify the potential presence of PFAS “forever chemicals” within lip balms. Organic fluorine is used as a marker because all PFAS chemicals contain fluorine. Packaging was not tested. The lab first conducted total fluorine testing, and when levels met or exceeded the detection limit of 10 ppm, free fluoride ion was measured and subtracted to determine organic fluorine. This method can also capture other fluorinated compounds—such as fluoropolymers and certain refrigerants—which are also forms of PFAS and not desirable in personal care products.

Below is the complete list of lip balm products included in our investigation.

Lip Balm Brands Tested by Mamavation

Products Tested

• Dr. Dan Cortibalm Treatment for Severe Chapped Lips

• EcoLips Mongo Kiss Pomegranate

• EcoLips Unflavored PlantPod Lip Balm

• Blistex Medicated Lip Ointment

• Carmex Daily Care Moisturizing Lip Balm Cool Mint

• Chapstick Brand Lip Care Moisturizer 2 in 1 Lipcare SPF15

• L’Occitane En Provence Stick Levres Ultra Riche Lip Balm

• Nivea Moisture Lip Care Balm Stick

• Sun Bum Sunscreen Lip Balm Watermelon

• Badger Organic Unscented Lip Balm

• Bello Tallow Lip Balm Lavender & Lemongrass

• Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm with Vitamin E & Peppermint

• Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Organic Lip Balm

• EOS 100% Natural Organic Lip Balm (Strawberry Sorbet & Vanilla Bean)

• Goop Beauty Clean Nourishing Lip Balm

• Portland Bee Balm Oregon Mint

• Primally Pure Lip Balm Creamsicle

• Rowe Casa All Natural Soothing Lip Balm

• True Botanicals Moisture Lock Glossy Balm

• Young Living Grapefruit Lip Balm

Want full access to the raw data, organic fluorine levels, and our recommendations for the safest lip balm options? Join our newsletter to access the complete buying guide with detailed lab results for every product.