Bite Beauty earns high marks in my book as one of the first clean brands to stake a claim at cosmetics retail giant Sephora.
With enough colors to make a girl swoon, this brand boasts several different formulas from high gloss lacquers to long-lasting pigments. Shades run from nudes to deep purple vinos, so there’s something in it for everyone’s lippie preference.
Sephora staff are not exactly the most educated on “natural” formulas. When asked to be directed to a natural brand, they will point in the general direction of Caudalie, Tarte, Korres, and Josie Maran—as in the brands most often accused of greenwashing.
Since the Bite Beauty motto is: “Bite is beauty for lips that’s good enough to eat,” I thought that we better take a look at the ingredients to see if we’d actually want to nibble.
Here are the ingredients in the lipstick:
Ingredients list: Organic Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil**, Organic Cera Alba (Beeswax)**, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil**, Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter**, Polypropanediol Dimer Dilinoleate* (Vegetable-Derived), Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil**, Acacia Decurrens Wax*, Jojoba Wax*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax*, Polyglyceryin-3*, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax*, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil*, Organic Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil**, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax*, Polymethylmethacrylate, Natural Flavor*, Trans-Resveratrol*, Vitis Vinefera (Grape) Vine Extract*, Siraitia Grosvenori (Monk Fruit)* +/- May Contain: Mica (Ci 77019)*, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891)*, Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499)*, Carmine (Ci 75470)*, Fd&C Blue No. 1 (Ci 42090), Fd&C Yellow No. 5 (Ci 19140), Fd&C Yellow No. 6 (Ci 15985), Fd&C Red No. 40 (Ci 16035), D&C Red 6 (Ci 15850), D&C Red 7 (Ci 15850), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742)* (* Natural , ** Certified Organic).
Maybe Bite Beauty isn’t as bite-worthy as it claims. [Puts on nerdy magnifying glasses.] So let’s take a closer look…
Here are the goodies: organic jojoba, shea butter, argan, and sesame oils have hydrating properties so lips stay supple. The lipstick also offers antioxidant benefits from the 2 mg trans-resveratrol from red wine polyphenol and polygonum cuspidatum (a fancy name for Japanese knotweed, a perennial plant native to Asia), Grape Seed Extract (resveratrol) and monk fruit, often used as a sweetener that’s getting some media attention now.
However, it does contain titanium dioxide, which has been linked to cancer in many sources including this article. But delving further, it really is not so clear cut. This informative post by The Organic Makeup Company quotes studies which indicate that the smaller the size of the particle, the more dangerous a threat it poses, but fine or coarse particle sized titanium dioxide and other mineral pigments are safe. Often, nanoparticles of titanium dioxide are used in sunscreens because they are colorless at that size and still absorb ultraviolet light.
Finally, my go-to authority on chemicals in skin care, Stephanie Greenwood, founder of Bubble & Bee, concurs that the danger of titanium dioxide exists mainly when it comes to nano-particles that can be inhaled—as in mineral powders, not creams. Minerals like titanium dioxide and mica can aggravate the respiratory system and cause serious illnesses like pneumonia or lung cancer. It’s worth reading her post on the dangers of mineral makeup here too.
The label also says “Natural Flavor” which is pretty ambiguous. That could mean anything from insects to GMO-laced corn. Heck, they’re natural, right?
Then I had to look up Polymethylmethacrylate. Fortunately, this synthetic ingredient scores a “1” on the EWG Skin Data Base, though it does look a bit “scary.”
Polyglyceryin-3, an emulsifier, is another one that I looked up. It scores low on the Database (0), but I found more information about it on one of my favorite websites Truth in Aging. When combined with Stearic Acid, polyglyceryin-3 can be potentially irritating. That doesn’t appear to be an issue in this formula, but it’s good to be aware that even though an ingredient can get low scores for toxicity, it may not be great in combination with other ingredients. Hmmm… Definitely food for thought when researching ingredients!
Then of course there are all the colors and dyes which I’d NEVER add to food, but seem inevitable when it comes to pigments. The iron oxides invariably contain lead as well. Fortunately, I’ve been privy to many discussions about the false claim of “lead-free” to know that there are small traces of lead in all mineral makeup. It’s merely a question of the amount of trace levels per formula. Add that up collectively—and you’d probably stop using makeup altogether. (Did I just say that?!)
Lipstick is certainly one cosmetic that needs to be as clean as possible, since it’s most likely to be ingested.
So how does Bite Beauty rank overall? Frankly, I don’t think it’s THAT bad. Would I buy it again? Definitely. And it’s my fantasy to head over to the Lip Lab in NYC to concoct my own perfect color one day. #daydreambeliever
Other lip color brands that I love include: NU Evolution Cosmetics, Ilia Beauty, Nudus Lipsticks, W3LL People, and Red Apple Lipstick.
How about you? Do these ingredients look bite-worthy?
Well, they sure do look like a beautiful box of chocolates, & they look like they’d make a great gift–either individually or as a whole box. They sound nice in the way they go on sheer. I’d probably make little gift bags of the unused ones for colleagues at work (or teachers) who I knew didn’t care about green as much as I do with a few other little treats in the bags. Or I’d return the whole thing because you are allowed to return even cosmetics, especially if their packaging is deceitful and implies that the product is greener than it really is. Sephora’s a big company (unlike the small biz’s we support)–they will easily return the item & won’t mind. I enjoyed learning the details about this product–you did the research for us! 🙂
Josie, I had some time to sit with this post today and then delve into more research tonight. In the end, I looked up the ingredients in the other “cleaner” companies that I mentioned and saw that some use titanium dioxide too! I included a few more links to the research that shows that the main issue is inhaling the substance when it’s loose, as in mineral makeup. Because Bite Beauty is part of a bigger company, I didn’t feel so bad calling it out (as I do when it comes to smaller companies). However, it still didn’t sit right with me and I had to check my facts over. I am glad that I did! I will be happily using my 20 colors and sharing with my little ladies too 🙂 XO
LOL . . . I’m sticking with my calendula! You certainly did your homework and have in turn made all our lives easier . . . I’m for giving up on makeup altogether! (And yes, I DID just say that! Ooooooooh!) XOXOXO
You look so good in your calendula so keep doing what you’re doing! Did some more homework today, as this post was not sitting right with me. Sure enough, I stand corrected! Mwah. xoxo
Hi Sarita – so happy you called out bite beauty to research its claim a bit further! I picked up a few of their lipsticks, but now feel uneasy about the mica, titanium dioxide, all of the dyes (not to mention carmine!) and the fact that it contains hydrogenated vegetable oil. The other brand I used to be quite devoted to, but am now questioning is Jane Iredale ever since I saw it advertised in Vogue. It also contains a bunch of dyes, titanium dioxide and mica, which EWG gives a 2 rating. Their eye shadows also contain Dimethicone which gets a 3 rating, and their mascara contains Stearic Acid which can be quite irritating and harsh. I’m still on the fence though – what are you overall thoughts on them?
Hope you had a great weekend! xo
Sonja, after I published this post, i felt so uneasy. You know why? Because I picked up my “clean” W3LL People brand and found Titanium Dioxide in there too! So I figured I better do some more research and see what’s going on. Sure enough, I discovered that the main issue with Titanium Dioxide is in powder formula when there’s a risk of inhaling it as a nano-particle! In creams (as in Bite Beauty), it’s not really an issue. So I went in and adjusted the post. I feel very bad that I blew the whistle when it’s really not such a bad a formula after all. It shows me how careful we must be with our words because we could have such a damaging effect on a business – and we may not even be accurate! Lesson humbly learned. I believe that it’s all fine and I would comfortably continue using it. Happy weekend!! XOXO
I did the same! I picked up my kjaer weis, Ilia and rms beauty products and found they all contain titanium dioxide and mica. I did a bit more research as well and like you found that titanium dioxide only seems to be harmful in powder form – but it can seem scary non?!
When you compare Bite Beauty to the lipsticks on the market from l’oreal, estee lauder, MAC etc… I would 100% recommend it over any of those, however since I’ve been researching this industry for awhile I do have a couple of issues with it that make it ‘inedible’ in my books:
1. it contains hydrogenated vegetable oil – vegetable oils are the worst to ingest because they generally contain four different types of GMO seeds; also the very process of hydrogenating an oil causes saturated fats – don’t need any trans fats from my lip colour!
2. it “may” contain FD&C yellow 5 and blue no. 1 – both dyes are produced from petroleum and are given a 3 rating by the EWG (even though the FDA has approved its use in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals)
3. it “may” contain D&C Red 6 – depending on usage it gets a 1-4 rating from the EWG; plus it’s derived from petroleum or coal tar
3. it “may” contain carmine – crushed beetles? not very appetizing :S
I did a review of their pencil earlier in the year and quite liked the texture, colour and longevity, however as I do more and more research I feel I would be less likely to purchase it in the future. But as I said it’s a very good option for people that are just starting to steer away from toxic brands.
Hope you had a great day lovely lady! xo
I love your carefully analytical comment, Sonja. Thank you for checking out the dyes and colors.
Many green bloggers like Jane Iredale, but as you say, they aren’t so natural either. The main distinction is that they’ve managed to stay away from making any natural claims about their brand. Very wise decision, I might add, because once a company uses that term, it opens them up to scrutiny to make sure they aren’t duping anyone. Too often, the lack of integrity in marketing is the main problem, let alone the many “nebulous” ingredients.
It really becomes a question of how comfortable a person is using ANY chemicals on the body.
For someone who is happy with a good basic formula, compared to the other brands at Sephora, I agree, Bite Beauty wins by a long shot. I believe that is why I could not nix it altogether. It is one of the cleanest formulas in the entire store and still avoids many of the typical nasties in lipsticks like petrolatum, parabens, silicones, etc.
As far as carmine: Most natural brands can use carmine and still be called natural (after all, bugs are a part of nature), they’re just not vegan or cruelty free. Again, it’s a matter of preference, as well as commitment.
I’ve got a post in the works that questions some other things, so please stay tuned.
I love to hear your views on these issues, as well as respect your opinion. So thanks for piping in. As long as I’ve been evaluating products, I still always find room to learn more. XOXO
As a boutique business owner myself, I agree with both of you. At some point, you do have to decide how comfortable you are with certain chemicals. I for one decided against using both titanium dioxide AND micas, as well as lake colorants in my line of Hello Beautiful! Lipsticks. I had a customer come up to me and share a story about their sister and how she was allergic to micas.
I also agree that many companies are promoting being “natural” or “green” and as a consumer, you really don’t have the time to research everything. However, I do believe you should stay informed and start to gradually learn what to eliminate.
Another topic is lake colorants (i.e. Red Lake 40, Yellow 5). When I first entered the green beauty world, I was astonished at how many natural cosmetics include these. Especially since these dyes contain aluminium and other heavy metals that can adversely affect our health like Tartrazine which is found in Yellow 5 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22562034)
So conclusively, I believe it does depend on what you are comfortable with, but I think there should be safe options for women who do choose to wear lipstick. An example being perfume. No one really needs to wear perfume; an organic deodorant that works should be enough to prevent odor. However, some women WANT to wear perfume and so, for that reason alone, there should be options made available to them that are non toxic and safe.
The same goes for lipstick.
I went ahead and purchased Bite Beauty lipstick I was in a hurry and didn’t just took a chance. I loved the lipstick both the Blackberry color and its application and feel… Unfortunately however, I was very allergic to it. I’m allergic to corn/GMO corn.
I was so, SO curious to learn more about this brand, sarita! and now you dissected the lipstick. hm….
and you know what, I would love to ask – not judgingly, I truly want to understand their decision – to ask green brands why exactly they still use the “not so safe” compounds – not only TD, also talc, mica to name a few – in their products.
and now, a few more thoughts in no particular order:
1. yes, you’re right (and I understand your uneasy feelings!!! I do!) TD is harmful nano-sized (view this for more details > http://beautycalypse.com/2013/05/28/is-mineral-makeup-really-the-best-option/); nano-TD is eviromentally dangerous; and toxic/cancerogenic if inhaled. nano-sized TD can be most often found in sunblockers. I had a post on that, too, but I don’t want this comment to look like a BC advertorial 😀 now, can we be sure that the TD in lipsticks isn’t nano?
TD P.S.: oh, you can also be lucky and have it in your wall paint – oops, another can of toxic worms!
2. as a customer, you have no guarantee, only the promise of a brand that they don’t use nano. trust issues, anyone? (hint: YES)
3. as sonja said earlier, the green beauty products aren’t (always) perfect, and as referenced in my post (in #1), mineral makeup isn’t perfect either, but they’re still all the way better than the big brands’ formulations. I often wonder, if we cut out everything toxic, would there be stuff left?
for example: I already cut out a lot of ingredients that are even used in certified organic cosmetics: bismuth oxychloride, talcum, several natural but harsh detergents, palm-oil based compounds, allergens, nano-particles, silica… add the vegan criteria and you’ll get that desperate feeling that there’s nothing left to use except virgin oils and beetroot powder! (is it so?)
still, I use mineral makeup that contains TD and mica. it’s not perfect! and I definitely don’t overuse it. but I need an alternative until there’s a better solution.
I know, in the end I will ditch mica and TD stuff too. so this “better than the rest” approach is a transitional one, at least for me.
my hope is that maybe those brands that are serious about the non-tox approach are doing R&D right now?
maybe we, the informed “green tribe” (saw this wording on life in blush the other day 😉 and loved it) can approach green companies, ask them, work with them? I have no perfect solution yet. but it’s constantly revolving on my mind…
4. loosely related: should “natural” be more important an attribute than “non-tox”? I think no. to me, a synthetic compound that’s 100% proven safe to humans and environment (e.g. bio-degradable) is better than a highly toxic natural one!
5. and ultimaltey, alternative lipsticks: the research I did (I wanted to pick great red lipsticks, oh what a journey…) has fortifyed this conclusion: today you can’t say “all lipsticks by brand X are safe”. sadly, you sometimes end up with just one range of the brand being clean; or worse, it boils down to just one damn product. it’s a needle in a haystack reality!
black listing or green-listing the brands doesn’t work; you can only blacklist or approve of ingredients and go from there. and that, sarita, is a daily adventure.
You raise some excellent and thought-provoking questions here. I often ask myself if our green tribe (love it too!) is straddling two fences. On the one hand we want quality beauty products that have lasting shelf-life (no mold please!) and work wonders. On the other hand, we demand completely natural, non-toxic, and chemical free formulas. Can the two work together?
Also, we are trying to sift through a barrage of contradictory information, misquoted studies, and, on top of that, false claims (greenwashing) in order to arrive at some semblance of truth and a comfort zone where we can feel good about what we are using on our skin.
This is no simple task!
As far as #5, I love Stephanie Greenwood’s lists of her favorite clean products (on the Bubble & Bee blog). She states very clearly that when she mentions a product, that does not mean that she gives the thumbs up to the rest of the products for that label. So it’s true that everyone must find their comfort zone and not get too worked up about stuff either. Toxic emotions have their own issues.
Meanwhile, I’m loving this discussion and the questions raised.
Thanks for commenting! Can’t wait to hear Sonja’s response too. XOXO
indeed, no simple task. while I myself can live without hightech uberperforming products, I know that the “target group” out there does seek it. I understand how difficult it is for a brand – I work with brands who want to green up their value chain, but it’s not easy. if you want it fair, non-tox and perfect, you have to basically do it yourself. not many founders are willing to do that!
on the other hand, there is the question of who’s in charge here. is it the industry? is it the customer? as sonja says, the average customer is pressed for time and money, and doesn’t have the time, or the knowledge, or the resources to do a proper research. now, is it the customer’s “job” to do so?
you might say, there are regulations and certifications, but with all due respect: haha :/
there are more questions than answers yet!
and by the way, “chemical” isn’t the problem. everything is chemical! “synthetic” and “toxic” are the problem. then again, some synthetic ingredients are safer than their natural counterparts.
and on this point I want to add that I definitely love the discussion, but I think that comments aren’t cutting it anymore.
—
NB: personally, if a brand starts these days and they aren’t state-of-the-art- green from the beginning, I don’t bother looking at them. new lovely bag line – made of non-sustainable leather in china? bye. new cosmetics line by innovational researchers – made of petrochemicals? bye. it helps focus on greener labels and go from there. helps tremendously!
Hi Ladies!
Sorry I’m late in replying – it’s been a non-stop day and I’ve just been able to sit down now and catch up on all of my favourite blogs 🙂
BC raised an interesting point of discussion when she said that we can’t assume all lipsticks by brand X are safe. Rose-marie swift mentioned to me that HUSK wouldn’t carry her most popular lip colour “smile” because it contained 0.5% of a synthetic compound (that colour apparently couldn’t be achieved naturally). To her, it didn’t seem like a big deal because (in her words) walking outside and breathing in polluted air is much worse. While I don’t disagree that breathing in polluted air is detrimental to our bodies, just like eating processed foods and drinking water that has been chlorinated and fluorinated, I think companies walk a very fine line with consumer trust when they start to bend the rules and allow a little synthetic to creep in here and there. How many people in today’s society, who are time starved, under pressure, dealing with kids, work and finances, will really take the time to research every single ingredient on every product and wear the chemist hat to understand what they should and shouldn’t put on our bodies? As you ladies know, marketing is about increasing market share and fattening the bottom line, even if it’s at the expense of the consumer. In my opinion advertising is really all about telling people what to consume, what brands to trust and in some cases what to think because at times it feels like we’ve freely given up that power. It frustrates me to no end when I can’t blanket trust a brand because my time and my dollars are valuable to me -when I have to spend extra time questioning whether the latest product is actually up to my safe standards I feel less inclined to stay committed to them.
Sarita, you brought up a point earlier that I wanted to address – you mentioned that it’s about balance and that a lot of the products with a couple of questionable ingredients really aren’t that bad in the grand scheme of things. I agree with you, and wholeheartedly respect your opinion, that for the majority of consumers starting to shift away from big brands it is a very acceptable level of risk. I would however like to put this thought out there – our skin and our bodies is a delicate ecosystem constantly trying to maintain a level of homeostasis in the midst of everything we put on it and in it. A new branch of research, called nutrigenomics, is the study of how the RNA from the plant-based foods we eat interact with our genome to steer our adaption and evolution. We are more organisms that we are human cells – in fact human cells only comprise about 1/10 of our total make up. This blows my mind! Scientists have yet to uncover the full effect the RNA of various organisms have on us so I always try to imagine what effect the toxic and “good enough” ingredients will be discovered to have on us down the road. Will our beauty products be recognized as the cigarettes of the 50’s? Not one of us would leave the house without our cell phones (and would even trek back to get it if we forgot it) because they are THAT important to our daily lives, but how many of us place that kind of importance on what we put on our skin? If a Siberian princess 2,500 years ago was able to make an eyeliner without the use of modern-day synthetics then surely we can too.This may however kick start the deconstruction of big box beauty stores/department (which I’m in total favour of) that require products to have a 2 year stable shelf life. (http://siberiantimes.com/culture/others/features/fashion-and-beauty-secrets-of-a-2500-year-old-siberian-princess-from-her-permafrost-burial-chamber/).
As you mentioned Sarita there is so much misinformation out – all points, both good and bad can be spun any number of ways to suit a marketers needs, leaving many consumers wondering why they should bother at all? I do believe with all my heart that we can have quality beauty products with a reasonable shelf life…we wouldn’t after all expect our food to last in the fridge for a year so why should beauty products, which our skin ultimately eats, last that long too?
As a final point, while Jane Iredale does not make the claim to be natural, they do associate themselves with natural environments (i.e. spas like Pure+Simple in Toronto that carry a lot of clean brands) as well their advertising ‘suggests’ they are natural, which to me is the same as making a natural claim. A lot of consumers will look at the ads, see where the products are sold and make a decision based purely on that.
Ladies, I feel like my answer has steered in such a different and very macro level and I apologize! I also apologize for how long it is – as you may have noticed I’m very passionate about this area and can become quite the chatty cathy!
Hope you both had a wonderful day and look forward to hearing more of your thoughts!
xoxo
What an answer, Sonja! This was worth the wait… Firstly, I’m LOVING that we can have this ongoing discussion here. It is so important to have this dialogue — even if it’s just to prove that differing opinions can coexist, express themselves with love and equanimity, and still feel heard. Kudos to you and BC and all others who are reading or thinking of adding their 2 cents. Please do chime in! We won’t bite. (Ha! Bite Beauty, get it?)
Before I get to your incredibly astute observations and scientific citations (sheesh lady, what the heck do you do in real life? You one smart lady!), you mentioned “Not one of us would leave the house without our cell phones.” That comment made me think about the damaging EMF waves that come out of cellphones. They put these cosmetics to shame too, right up there with the environmental pollution you brought up. Yet we wouldn’t think about being without them. I remember a time when they did not exist and we managed just fine. By the way, an energy healer whom I respect a great deal says never to keep computers or other devices near you while you’re sleeping because of those dangerous waves. FYI. So as you’re removing your non-toxic makeup with a totally organic makeup remover, it’s a good idea to remove devices too. (Side note, I know 😉
Fascinating study on nutrigenomics. I’d love to read more about it in my down time. To be honest, I think science is nowhere near the truth of things and it will take years for them to get there. My brain isn’t quite wired for science, but I can talk matters of spirituality more easily – as in there is SO much more than meets the scientific eye. I have had experiences and read about experiences that science has not been able to prove, but I KNOW they happened. So too, when it comes to living a clean life, it FEELS like the right way to go. So regardless of any scientific study, aligning with nature is a powerful concept.
Look, if we were truly “natural” we probably wouldn’t be having this discussion as it would be totally irrelevant. We probably would embrace our natural, beautiful selves, sans makeup, and call it a day. Very simple life! Or we’d be smearing on avocado masks instead of packaged ones – oh wait! I already do that 🙂 But we love using natural brands too (at least I do) and playing with skin care and makeup is fun and makes me feel good, as we live in a world that places emphasis on our looks (well, at least in US they do, not so in Israel where I lived for 5 years and not sure about other places). In the workplace and socially, looks matter and makeup helps. So I am not quite ready to give it all up in the name of clean living. At least, not yet.
That said, your comment is understandable: “It frustrates me to no end when I can’t blanket trust a brand because my time and my dollars are valuable to me -when I have to spend extra time questioning whether the latest product is actually up to my safe standards I feel less inclined to stay committed to them.” I think we can’t put full faith in a brand, but we can put our faith in some products of a brand or in the people behind the brand.
I feel blessed to meet and interact with many people who have created their own product lines, as I’m sure you have too. I feel good about knowing the energy of the people behind the products I’m using. That’s one. Two, I do veer towards smaller businesses because they are so personally invested in each customer’s happiness AND in their formulas. There are less chances for a smaller biz to veer off the green path because they aren’t mass marketing their products.
Quite frankly, this discussion is so thought-provoking and helpful because it’s helping me define exactly how “natural” I want to go, how important it is for a company to be totally pure (very hard to achieve in cosmetics) or at least be honest in how it markets itself, and get really clear on why I want to be careful in choosing my products.
HINT: I’ve been working on a blog post to follow this discussion. Publishing soon!
LONG response too! See? It’s clear we need a pow wow “meeting of the minds” session soon.
Thank you!! XOXO
it’s an incredible comment, love. can I just draw little yes and <3 all around it?????
so, when is the green hangout yet? *drums fingers on table impatiently'
P.S. I’ve made notes to everything you say here, saving it for a more comfy way of discussion! I’m just afraid to blow the comment tree here chez sarita 😀
If you love the color and the feel – I say use it! I do wonder how the feel/wear of them is? With castor seed oil as the first ingredient and beeswax as the second, I imagine it’s more of a waxy lipstick than oily/glossy (but I obviously could be wrong – I haven’t used it!). Sometimes lipsticks with hardeners as the main ingredients can be a bit drying, but it does have some nice moisturizing oils farther down the list, so I’m curious on your thoughts :o)
As for the ingredients, honestly – lots of ingredients I consider to be very safe have a 1 or 2 on EWG. Beyond water, anything in large enough amounts, or inhaled, or ingested, can be bad for you. Even water can kill you if you drink enough of it. So if its lower than a 3 – I’m happy. Also, if possible irritation is the only concern, than I wouldn’t worry unless it actually irritates you. I’m more concerned about chemicals that negatively affect the environment, or are endocrine disruptors, etc.
And yes, mica and titanium dioxide are considered ‘natural’ and are in almost every natural makeup product there is (especially mineral makeup)! So they could have a warning for inhalation risk with an EWG score of something over 0, but I don’t sniff lines of mineral makeup so I’m not too worried ;o) heehee
Hi Cori! Lovely to find you here 🙂
Now I’m picturing rows of beauty bloggers sniffing their mineral makeup. HA!
I actually like the feel of these lipsticks a lot. Some are more hydrating than others in the range, that’s for sure, but I haven’t had
an issue with them drying my lips. Even the long-wearing ones feel comfortable on the lips.
Of course, dry lips may have more to do with hydration levels than product use, so that’s not something to overlook.
As far as water in products, it may actually be more of a problem than people think. Its use creates a requirement for a preservative of some sort, and that’s where many companies get tripped up – finding a natural one that maintains shelf life.
Suzanne LeRoux of One Love Organics also said that once water is added, the product will need emulsifiers added which can cause inflammation leading to breakouts and skin sensitivity.
Don’t you wish it were simpler? I guess that our demand for quality organic & authentic cosmetics is no simple task.
Thanks for stopping by. I smiled when I saw your name 🙂 XOXO
Yay – my comment went through! 🙂 I meant water in the general sense, not for water in products because you’re right – that opens up a whole ‘nother set of issues regarding preservation.
And that’s great they are hydrating. The color range is so pretty, I may just have to swatch some next time I wander through Sephora…
LOL! Oh dear. Don’t get me started on water! I’ve written so many posts about water lately (check out Under the Table in the menu above. Last post was about the 10 facts to know about water). Ha! Of course you know about water in products. How could I forget who I’m talking to [informed lady with blog I ADORE!!]. So happy your comment went through too!!
Hello to all! Interesting, I was lurking around here yesterday and read most of the posts. I have to say it is a great sign that there is such conversation in regards to toxin free products. It is amazing to me that companies would even put nasty ingredients into their formulations. A little research would reveal they are totally not needed and the effects on the body, eh. I for sure see a change in that though, the tide is shifting, I think mainly due to customers’ demands and knowledge of ingredients. Great to have bloggers like the sweet Sarita to help spread information and spark conversation.
Hi Kat! I’m so happy you chose to lurk around these woods. Thank you for your kind words! You’re so right that it’s a great sign that we are having this conversation. Our awareness is growing, along with our demands for cleaner products. Your wonderful formulas for Wild Honey Apothecary are a perfect testament to the fact that we can have gorgeous, effective beauty without cruelty or synthetic chemicals. Thanks for joining us here. XOXO
These are tough calls…I mean, how green do you want to go? When I see ingredients that I can’t comfortably pronounce, I have to say I’m far less interested. I always wondered about this brand, but each time I checked, I wasn’t in love with the ingredients. I still am not. Thanks for this, Sarita. I’m so swamped trying to get my posts done that unless someone tells me what’s going on, I miss it! You da bestest!
There’s definitely a mix of feedback on this one! Some yays and some nays. It really is about what makes a person feel comfortable and happy. I’m so happy whenever you visit, Lady 😉 AND OMG! Just looked at your blog and saw that you mention mine too. [Tears up] So touched!! XO
Thanks for sharing this nice and accurate post about Bite! I’d really like to try these lipsticks but haven’t found shipping in EU.
I completely understand your doubts and questions raising up, cause I have been there too. This is great because we should not buy everything blindly…this what nowadays marketing is teaching us…to become an aware customer. But at the end, I can tell from my own experience, I realized that with all my questions and doubts that had bothered me about all the green /non-green stuff I became more toxic with my perfectionism and doubt than with the “bad” product itself. The body-mind-spirit connection is still an unknown territory for most people and so once we will all come to understand that the only toxicity is inside us. With being too caught in selecting what is ok and what is not, we forget to create and enjoy. Creativity and passion are the forces that make us alive.
We should also accept the fact that we cannot change everything in an instant. At one hand we want colors, textures and long lasting effects and at the other hand we want to like the natural stuff which is ok but doesn’t have that staying power…So being in balance between everything, accepting both sides without disconnecting from each other and choosing with the heart and enjoying the process are the keys to wellbeing, health and happiness.
Your comment brought a HUGE smile to my face! It’s something that I’m working on writing myself, and you expressed it so beautifully! Couldn’t have said it better myself. I feel exactly the same way that we can get lost in a tangle when ultimately it’s our inner-toxicity that needs purging (mostly stemming from our minds). Balance is key. Also, lately I’ve become so aware of the words I say to others and myself about using or eating “unhealthy” stuff. I’m specifically thinking of the food choices my kids make. If I’m saying: “That’s really not good for you,” then imagine the energy I’m sending them! I’m aware that it’s better to be saying and thinking: “I send blessings/beautiful thoughts/healing energy that whatever you eat/use on your body will be for the highest good. In love & light.” Doesn’t that feel so much more open and expansive than thinking every little thing is going to harm us? The answer for me is a resounding YES! Thanks so much for taking the time to share such a heartfelt response. XOXO
I’m so honored that you find my comment inspiring 🙂
I just said as I feel and thought it might be ok to tell about my experience. I’m really glad we have “clicked” so well on the same frequency. Thank you so much for your feedback too! Really appreciate it!
And I’m also happy to have found your lovely blog! It really was nice to read about Bite that I was thinking to try in the future, so useful!
Lots of love and nice Sunday!
Dasha
excellent submit, very informative. I’m wondering why the
other specialists of this sector do not realize this.
You must continue your writing. I am sure, you have a great readers’ base already!
Titanium dioxide does not cause cancer. I’ve done a ton of research on this as it is a natural ingredient in certain sunscreens which I only use specifically because of it not causing cancer. I’ve also confirmed this with my dermatologist. I appreciate your information. Very informative. Thank you.
I bought Bite lipstick at Sephora. It was very irritating to my lips – actually stinging. Never had a lipstick do that before. Had to take it off & returned it.
Love organic products. Wish this one worked for me.
I came upon this trying to find out if Bite is completely GMO free. (Sephora being from France lists it as GMO free on their site) but I am extremely sensitive to even infintesimal amounts. I just get leery…no Gmo is the big thing now, but…. So yes, like you said the natural flavoring could be from GMO corn! Natural flavors tend to be!!! Also propadienol is in some of their products…I just hace a hard time believing organic corn is being grown and processed into that. from my understanding its nearly identical to propylene glycol but is its green replacement. I get really tired…as I am now.
I have seen this brand at sephora many times and even own one of the sample size somewhere. I had no idea this product was as good as it is! because it is carried at sephora I kind of shrugged it off and assumed it wouldn’t be clean. I didn’t pay attention to the claims at all. I will definitely be trying out this brand now. Even if its not the *best* I’m sure it beats the other conventional brands I have used in the past.
Loved this post! Also that lib lab now is officially on my to do list for whenever i get to NYC! So cool!!!
Hey Sarita. I genuinely appreciate the leg work that went into reviewing all the ingredients in Bite Beauty lipstick. I added your research results in my review of the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick Duos here http://www.thesemiminimalist.com/single-post/2016/12/27/Reviews-Day-Tuesday-Bite-Beauty-Amuse-Bouche-Lipstick-Duo. ( ;
Thank you so much, Sharleen! I really appreciate the mention. Loved your post too!! XO
Have you looked into Axiology? They’re on the same lines as Ilia I think in terms of being natural. RMS beauty, too, is supposed to be all natural.