When it comes to makeup and cosmetics, there are tons of options to choose from. Unfortunately, a bunch of products just aren’t all that great because they either don’t look good, are too expensive, or potentially have ingredients that aren’t safe for your skin. However, more and more cosmetics brands are popping up that are fully transparent about their materials and production process, many of which are made in the USA. We did the research to find all of the cosmetics brands made in America; our findings are below. Happy searching!
Complete List of Makeup and Cosmetic Brands Made in the USA
Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve is a family-owned business out of Ohio making some incredibly high-quality natural soaps. Their soaps range from hand soap to body scrubs, shampoo bars, and many other varieties. They use fresh, safe ingredients that are free of harmful chemicals and help clean (obviously) and protect your skin. They come in so many different smells and formulas too!
Green Tidings produces natural deodorant from its completely solar-powered facility in California. Their deodorant sticks are actually all-natural, too – the magnesium oil and baking soda used to make them are naturally mined with zero chemical alterations. Green Tidings come in a few different scents, with lavender and unscented being their most popular varieties. If you’re unsure, you can also get their sampler pack with five scents to choose from.
Big shampoo brands put a lot of crazy ingredients in their soaps, but not Innersense Organic Beauty. Their shampoos are made from certified organic plant ingredients that provide excellent support and health for your hair. Their Pure Harmony Hairbath is designed to be smooth and feel great. Innersense Organic Beauty also has a Color Awakening Hairbath, Hydrating Cream Hairbath, and dry shampoo to choose from.
If you’re struggling to get the right volume or texture in your hair, try Herbivore Botanicals Sea Salt Mist. Made in Washington, this natural hair spray is non-toxic, safe, and highly effective with just a few ingredients. The coconut and vanilla sea mist spray seems to be one of their most popular products.
The Kinky Moves Curl Defining Cream from a company called “Not Your Mother’s” is infused with natural grape seed and jasmine designed to add the extra oomph to your hair that really makes it stand out. It’s known to have a lengthy application process but is made to hold well throughout the day.
Susan is a well-known holistic health coach who has spent over 40 years studying skin issues and their remedies. Her company’s facial cleansers work on virtually any skin type, helping moisturize and energize your face and body. Some major ingredients are honeysuckle, chlorophyll, seaweed extract, coconut extract, and sea salt, which are organic and have their own cleansing properties. Susan has facial cleansers for men and women in a few different varieties.
Mother Dirt makes a variety of skin products, including a probiotic spray, AO + Mist, which uses Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) to restore clarity and balance to your skin. This bacteria naturally occurs on our skin but is washed away quickly with modern skincare products. Since it is a probiotic, it has a shelf life, so be sure to use it within six months if you store it in the fridge, which will extend its shelf life.
Clarisonic assembles all of their facial brushes in the USA, which help you clean a lot deeper than a standard makeup removal pad. The brush accomplishes a deeper clean through oscillation – it oscillates back and forth up to 300 times per second and uses water to remove the dirt and other debris on your face, so you go to bed feeling clean. Be sure to check out all of Clarisonic’s different attachments in addition to their basic brush head.
Mineral Fusion began as a small mineral cosmetics brand in 2007 and has blossomed into one of the most renowned natural cosmetics brands in America today. In that growth, they haven’t forgotten their roots – all of their products are made in the USA, and many are still handmade. Their Intense Hydration Face Cream is a moisturizer made with Shea Butter, Rosehip Oil, and Hyaluronic Acid that helps hydrate your skin and make it noticeably softer. It has soothing properties and natural antioxidants to help firm and restore your skin as well.
Alpha Skin Care makes an Intensive Rejuvenating Serum that helps restore youth to your skin. Its concentrated formula is made with 14% Glycolic AHA which helps release dead skin cells so that healthier ones can easily grow in their place. It helps to support collagen production and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and lines.
Sia Botanics lets the plants they use in their products do all the talking. Plants that can withstand harsh conditions with longevity, beauty, and adaptability can have the same effect on your skin. Their Deep Hydration Night Cream is made for revitalizing and replenishing your skin while you sleep, even if you have dry skin. The main ingredients are Jojoba, Evening Primrose, Vitamin E, and Desert Botanicals, all of which help towards the cause. One note to caution: since there are no artificial binders in this cream, it will melt in the heat, so make sure to keep it in a cool environment.
Skin Owl Eye+ treatment is designed to work like a charm for under-eye circles and puffiness. Each active ingredient has its own effect: the cucumber reduces puffiness, aloe smooths everything out, and their botanical hyaluronic acid “lightens and tightens” everything up.
Eslor makes a skin-tightening mask that you can use twice weekly. It’s a dried film of natural milk proteins, plant extracts, seaweed extracts, and minerals that helps blood circulation, reduces lines, and tightens skin. Eslor’s Chlorophyll Lifting Mask is also 100% free of parabens.
Vapour Organic Beauty Luminous Foundation is a stick foundation made to go on easily, blend well, be breathable, and last throughout the day. The stick also comes in handy when you’re on the go, so it’s a great traveling companion. Luminous Foundation is also 100% natural, chemical-free, and made in a wind-powered facility in sunny New Mexico.
2250 is a skincare company that makes customizable formulas based on your skin’s needs. They source 95% of their ingredients from US partners and are committed to using safe and natural ingredients.
SpaGoddess Botanicals (also known as The Apothecary) creates face and body oils out of their facility in Santa Cruz, California. They have been getting their ingredients from the same local farmers and suppliers for over ten years and are cruelty-free, meaning they only test their products on people, not animals. All of their plant extracts are made in-house from those fresh ingredients they get from local suppliers. Some of their facial products are eye elixir, vitamin boost elixir, and pear nectar.
Endlessly Beautiful has a natural mascara that is all organic, vegan, cruelty-free, and made in the USA. Their mascara is designed not to clump up, stay on all day, and resist all water, sweat, and tears. It’s also gluten-free and paraben free.
Shaped like a cone, the Beautyblender Makeup Sponge is made for makeup application. All you have to do is wet it (it will grow to about twice the size), squeeze, bounce it in your powder or liquid foundation, then apply. This sponge is designed to be easy on the skin and applies makeup well, leaving zero smudges.
These reusable pads from Facekins are for quick makeup removal. They are super soft, even on the edges, so you can get to that sensitive area under your eyes. Facekins are pretty easy to wash as well, although you’ll probably want to grab a fresh one after a few uses.
Axiology lipsticks come in various color options, using safe ingredients, with a smooth application. They are 100% natural, vegan, and cruelty-free, and their packaging is even made of recycled paper! It’s also designed to help keep lips soft and moisturized.
Essie is an icon in nail polish and salons around America, and they have so many different varieties to choose from. The color is rich and is said to stay on your nails really well, preventing the need for additional coats after the slightest bump into something that might chip other nail polishes.
UV protection is super important, and Sol Scents has a sunscreen that is made for sensitive skin; it’s water resistant and helps moisturize and nourish your skin while keeping it protected. It goes on easily, and a bunch of Sol Scents sunscreens have a refreshing scent, like cucumber or vanilla.
These folks make wonderful, natural skincare products and soaps. Everything is very affordable and ingredients lists are small. Their products work very well for sensitive skin.
How to Find Makeup & Cosmetics Made in the USA
Many American consumers are now opting to purchase products made in the USA. This is to support the American economy and ensure that their products are high quality, safe, and adhere to the strictest environmental standards.
It can be tricky to find what you need if you’re looking for makeup cosmetics made in the USA. So here are a few tips on how to find the perfect US-made makeup cosmetics for you.
What Does “Made In The USA” Mean?
First, it’s important to understand what “made in the USA” really means. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), it means the product is “all or virtually all” made in the USA. Therefore, only a negligible amount of the product components can be imported from outside sources. For makeup, this includes the packaging, formulas, and ingredients.
To learn more about FTC’s “made in the USA” guidelines, check out this detailed labeling guide.
Materials
Most makeup uses a combination of synthetic and natural components. It’s important to know where these materials come from to ensure they meet the FTC’s “made in the USA” requirements. Common ingredients used in makeup include pigments, waxes, oils, preservatives, thickeners, and fragrances.
Certain ingredients should be on your radar when looking for American made makeup and cosmetics. Here are a few important materials to look for.
Mica
Mica is a natural mineral that gives makeup products a shimmery finish. China is the major supplier of mica, but the USA also has mica deposits mined and processed within the country.
In fact, with 47,000 tons of production, the USA is the 3rd largest producer of mica in the world. Make sure to look for domestically sourced mica products as it is ethically mined with labor laws in place, unlike some other major producers.
Beeswax
Beeswax is a popular ingredient used in many lip balms and foundations. India dominates the global beeswax market. Still, the USA produces some of the material, though definitely not to the extent some other countries do. The USA ranks as the tenth largest producer of beeswax. So, since the US beeswax market is significantly smaller, it’s worth double-checking the country of origin regarding beeswax in your makeup cosmetics.
Packaging Materials
Packaging materials are also an important factor to consider when looking for makeup cosmetics made in the USA. Glass, aluminum, and plastic are some of the most common packaging materials for makeup. All of these products can certainly be made in the USA, but keep in mind that you’re more likely to find glass and plastic made in the USA than aluminum.
Labeling
Labeling is also an essential factor in determining whether the makeup is made in the USA or not. According to Title 19 Chapter 4 Section 1304 of the United States Code, companies must accurately represent the country of origin regarding foreign-made products. This is a massive help in helping consumers weed out products made abroad. When looking for US-made products, you should look specifically for the label “made in the USA.”
Although theoretically, it should be as simple as finding the FTC-protected “made in the USA” label, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, there is no pre-approval process for the “made in the USA” label, so it’s up to the companies to determine whether their products meet the criteria to be able to use the label. And ultimately, it’s up to the consumers to report any false usage of the label.
You should also beware of misleading language on labels, like “manufactured/designed in the USA.” This label does not necessarily mean the entire product is made in the USA. Another example is “made in the USA with imported materials, ” meaning the product is not truly made in the USA as it does not use domestic raw materials. Another popular label is “made in America,” but America can refer to either Mexico or Canada.
The American flag on the label or packaging is a final thing to watch out for. The usage of the flag on labels is not regulated, so just because you see the flag does not automatically mean the product is made in the USA.
Other Tips
Apart from this, there are a few other tips to help you search for makeup cosmetics made in the USA.
Check the Company’s Website
Look for the company’s website and see if they provide information regarding where their product is made. Check the website’s About Us page or the product page. If the product is truly “made in the USA,” you should see this fact advertised on their website as it is a huge selling point.
On the other hand, if the product is made abroad, you might not find any information regarding the country of origin. This is because companies are not required to state the country of origin in their online or promotional materials.
Check Social Media
Social media can provide a wealth of information about a company. So check the company’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. Companies will often post updates about the sourcing and manufacturing process of their makeup products, so definitely keep an eye out for this.
Call The Company
If you’re still unsure where the product is made, simply call the company and ask. A representative should be able to answer all of your questions!
Makeup & Cosmetics Not Made in the USA
Through our investigation, we have identified some makeup and cosmetic companies that are not produced in the USA, here’s what we’ve found so far.
- Charlotte Tilbury – China
- Mary Kay – China
- Makeup Geek – China
- Jane Iredale – China