How would you define high-quality makeup? If your definition of quality makeup is natural ingredients that benefit your skin as well as the environment, then it’s obvious why a Burt’s Bees makeup review would be of interest to you.
Today we’re not only conscious about the products we put on our skin, but we’ve also become more aware of how they make those products. Most of us do not want to put on our best face at the cost of animals suffering.
Nor do we want to put potentially toxic chemicals on our faces. The list of artificial and potentially harmful ingredients in makeup and cosmetic products gets longer each day.
Plus we’re also becoming aware that the best makeup and cosmetic products don’t always have to cost an entire paycheck. Today there are many affordable and effective makeup and cosmetic products available.
And speaking of dollars, did you know that in the United States, we spend $8 billion a year on cosmetics? Good grief! That’s a lot of Crème de la Mer.
That last bit of information must have Burt rolling over in his grave.
The Bee and the Hitchhiker
To start this Burt’s Bees makeup review, let’s first get to know a little bit about the company. The face and namesake of Burt’s Bees, Burt Shavitz (born Ingram Berg Shavitz), was a man who wanted to live simply, harmoniously, and responsibly with the natural world. Which is why he left the big city and photojournalism to become a beekeeper in Maine.
But in 1984, through a simple act of kindness, Burt’s beekeeping world was about to change and head in a new direction.
Roxanne Quimby was thumbing a ride home when Burt, in his bright yellow Datsun pickup truck (his favorite color), offered her a ride. She immediately recognized Burt, known locally as much for his beard as his honey stand.
The two of them hit it off, and before long, Roxanne was making candles with Burt’s unused wax from his beehives. The story goes that they made $200 at their first craft fair; and within a year, they’d made $20,000. And with that, a company was born.
In 1991, the company was incorporated. And then in 1994, Quimby relocated the business to Durham, North Carolina, to focus on health and beauty care. In the late 1990s, Burt left the company, although he agreed he would continue doing personal appearances. And the company could continue using his face on their products.
Upon Burt’s passing in 2015, the company said: “We remember him as a wild-bearded and free-spirited Maine man, a beekeeper, a wisecracker, a lover of golden retrievers, a reverent observer of nature, and the kind of face that smiles back at us from our Hand Salve.”
Plus, salt
In 2007, Clorox purchased Burt’s Bees with a commitment to maintaining Burt’s true-to-nature philosophy.
You might be surprised to know that Clorox started in 1913 as the Electro-Alkaline Company. They converted salty ocean water into sodium hypochlorite by using an electrolytic process, technologically advanced for its time.
In 2007, after the Clorox purchase, Burt’s Bees formalized The Greater Good™ — “part philosophy, part business model — which keeps us connected to our founders’ values even today. The greater good for you, for us, and for all.”
By sending zero waste to landfills, Burt’s Bees was named No. 1 in an Image Power® Green Brands Survey in 2011. Burt’s Bees turn their waste byproducts into biomass-based fuels, electricity, and even cement.
Under the Clorox umbrella, Burt’s Bees says that on average, their products are 99 percent natural, and over half are 100 percent natural.
To explain that 1 percent, they say preservation of natural formulas is challenging and natural preservatives aren’t effective in some formulas, especially when water is an ingredient.
In keeping with Burt’s true-to-nature philosophy, Burt’s Bees is making a proactive choice to adopt the first and only international consensus-based guidelines for natural and organic cosmetic products.
How We Reviewed for This Burt’s Bees Makeup Review
This Burt’s Bees makeup review is an independent analysis of three comparable natural makeup products. In this Burt’s Bees makeup review process, we looked at ingredients as well as consumer comments and reviews.
We have no business or financial ties to any of the manufacturers mentioned on our list.
The goal of this Burt’s Bees makeup review is to provide you sufficient factual, unbiased information so that you can make a confident, informed, and easier decision on your next makeup purchase.
Beautifies the Face
Most of us know Burt’s Bees through their natural lip balms, but they have evolved into much more. Along with their well-known lip balms, Burt’s Bees now makes all-natural cosmetic products including cleansers, lotions, and skin treatments. As well as a full line of all-natural makeup.
Merriam-Webster defines makeup as “cosmetics (such as lipstick, mascara, and eye shadow) used to color and beautify the face.” So based on that definition, in this Burt’s Bees makeup review, we’ll take a look at Burt’s Bees lipstick, mascara, and eye shadow.
Burt’s Bees All Aglow Lip & Cheek Stick
All Aglow Lip & Cheek Stick is100 percent natural and gives your cheeks and lips a matching healthy-looking, natural glow. And it is available in six shades.
The ingredients in All Aglow include jojoba seed oil, sunflower seed oil, and a hydrating core made of coconut oil. And it’s dermatologist-tested, formulated without parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).
The majority of Amazon reviewers liked this product. Mostly the reviewers liked that it was all-natural, that All Aglow struck the right balance for lips and cheeks, and for its sheerness. Also, it is moisturizing without being greasy, and they like the glow and dual-use of this product.
For those unhappy with the product, they didn’t like the lack of pigment, the smell, or the greasiness. Also, some reviewers didn’t like that it didn’t last long on either the cheeks or lips and that the size was too big.
Amazon customers rated All Aglow 4.6 out of 5.0 stars. An impressive 63 percent of reviewers rated this product 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
Burt’s Bees Nourishing Mascara
Burt’s Bees Nourishing Mascara is 100 percent natural with a brush and formula that work together to give long-lasting definition while nourishing lashes. And this mascara is available in brown and black.
The key ingredients are water, jojoba oil, beeswax, and glycerine. Nourishing Mascara is gentle enough for the delicate eye area and safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.
Most of the reviewers loved the softness and coverage of this mascara, with many of them stating that it was a perfect mascara for daytime use. Those with sensitive eyes and allergies liked this mascara as it did not make their eyes itch or burn. And that it was easy to remove.
There were a significant number of reviewers that did not like this mascara because of flaking, clumping, and stinging eyes. Several people complained about the brush being prickly.
Amazon customers rated this mascara a 3.7 out of 5.0 stars. A fair 44 percent of reviewers rated this product 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
Burt’s Bees Eye Shadow Trio
Their Eye Shadow Trio is 100 percent natural. Its long-lasting mineral formula blends easily and resists creasing, fading and smudging for all-day wear. It comes in four different color palettes and is safe for sensitive eyes and contact wearers.
The key ingredients are bamboo, honey, and vitamin E. Burt’s Bees claims their eye shadow formulations nourish the skin with just the right amount of pigment.
The majority of reviewers liked this product because it was natural, did not crease, and does not include talc. Many love the sheerness of these shadows, and those with allergies loved that it did not make their skin itchy.
Most of the reviewers who gave this product a low rating complained about the lack of pigment. Many did not like the shimmer of the shadow, and several commented that the eye shadow arrived all broken. Plus several reviewers said that the colors did not match the pictures.
Amazon customers rated Burt’s Bees Eye Shadow Trio 4.1 out of 5.0 stars. A creditable 54 percent of reviewers rated this product 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
Burt’s Bees Makeup Review: The Competition
Let’s take a look at three different products from three of Burt’s Bees competitors.
bareMinerals Lash Domination® Volumizing Mascara
bareMinerals Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara will plump up your lashes with its spiral brush designed to create lift and volume. This mascara only comes in black.
They make this volumizing mascara with quinoa protein for strength and resilience.
Leslie Blodgett was the CEO of Bare Escentuals when she was looking for a natural makeup that wouldn’t irritate the skin or cause breakouts. In 1995, she launched bareMinerals, a loose mineral-powder without chemical fillers and binders.
But it wasn’t until 1997 when she started selling bareMinerals on QVC that the product became a success. So successful that in 2010, Shiseido, a Tokyo-based cosmetics company, purchased bareMinerals for $1.7 billion.
Amazon customers rated Lash Domination 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. A remarkable 75 percent of reviewers rated this product 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Lipstick
Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Lipstick combines high-quality organic oils to soothe and hydrate lips, while rich pigments provide long-lasting color.
The key ingredients in Truly Natural Lipstick are high quality certified organic sesame seed, sunflower seed, and castor seed oil, along with certified organic cocoa butter.
A husband’s simple need and a wife’s love of herbs started this business. Her husband hated shaving because of razor irritation, and she loved and grew herbs. After many trials and much documentation, she finally found the right formulation and Herbal Aftershave was born.
It didn’t take long for Melissa J. Buckley to begin making moisturizers, powders, and other herbal concoctions. Honeybee Gardens began life in 1995 in Melissa’s kitchen with six products and a mail-order catalog designed and printed at home.
Amazon customers rated this lipstick 4.1 out of 5.0 stars. A good 40 percent of reviewers rated this product 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
e.l.f. Prism Eyeshadow Palette – Naked
e.l.f.’s Prism Eyeshadow Palette – Naked comes with six ultra-silky, lustrous shadows that appear to be a powder but feel like a cream. The luminous, shimmery formula creates a range of looks for both day and night.
This shadow is paraben-free, 100 percent vegan, and cruelty-free.
e.l.f., (short for EyesLipFace) was born in 2004 after Joseph Shamah and Scott Borba observed women with very expensive cars purchasing makeup at discount dollar stores.
Both were interested in inexpensive, high-quality mineral-based makeup. So, between Shaman’s and Borba’s observations, interests, and assistance from Shamah’s father, a company was born.
They claim their success is due to listening to their customers. It’s obviously working because in just a few years they’ve grown their Oakland based start-up company to an international cosmetics powerhouse.
Amazon customers rated this eye shadow 4.1 out of 5.0 stars. A creditable 59 percent rated this product 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
Spritz the Setting Spray
In this Burt’s Bees makeup review, we provided information about Burt’s Bees makeup products. They are all-natural, and they continue to make Burt’s Bees products with Burt’s true-to-nature philosophy.
But only you can decide if these products meet your definition of high quality. Fortunately, it won’t cost you a paycheck to choose a Burt’s Bees makeup item and give it a try.
While we only reviewed three of their makeup items in this Burt’s Bees makeup review, the company has a full line of all-natural makeup and cosmetic products.
Burt’s Bees says their full line of products will “make you feel your beautiful best because of how they’re made, not in spite of.”
Did this Burt’s Bees makeup review inspire you to try something new? Let us know in the comments below if you use Burt’s Bees makeup and what you like, or don’t like.