4 Ingredients You Won’t Find in Axiology Lipstick

We're choosy with our ingredients—here's why.
Four ingredients you won't find in Axiology lipstick

When it comes to cosmetics, a higher price tag doesn’t always mean higher quality. Though your favorite luxury brands may have better ingredient lists than drugstore hits, even the most revered beauty houses fall prey to cheap synthetic fillers and additives. This is why it’s important to find a brand you can stand behind, both ethically and environmentally. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the transition to organic and cruelty-free beauty, here’s just four ingredients to dump right away: 

Ozokerite

This exotic-sounding mineral wax is used for both strength and stability. Basically, it ensures that your lipstick keeps its form, never crumbling or breaking in half. Its basic function is innocent enough, so what’s the catch? Ozokerite is a fossil wax, harvested from coal and shale. It must be mined, primarily in Eastern Europe, and can be black in its purest form. Dark wax doesn’t exactly suit pale pinks and nudes, so most often it is heavily refined to become white or yellow for cosmetics. Be on the lookout for its alias, paraffin wax. Though hygienically safe to use, ozokerite is still a heavily processed material that negatively impacts the Earth when it is extracted.

What do we use instead?

Axiology uses organic candelilla wax and sunflower seed wax, which are fantastic cruelty-free and eco-friendly alternatives to both bee and mineral waxes. These natural and vegan ingredients each come from plants, the first from candelilla shrubs, grown natively in Mexico and the Southwestern United States, and sunflower seed wax by "winterizing" sunflower seed oil. These waxes create strong sticks that won’t buckle under the  pressure of everyday use.

Lanolin Oil

Also known as wool fat, this greasy secretion helps sheep protect themselves against inclement weather. Lanolin is harvested by washing sheared wool in hot water and treating it with detergent. This process is repeated until the wax is stripped of bacteria or impurities, like sweat salts or grease. In this new era of plant-based beauty, one has to wonder why we’re still relying on such an arcane and intensive process. Ditching this animal by-product as a moisturizer means that we can instead use ingredients that don’t need so much refining or processing to be safe for human use.

What do we use instead?

Axiology utilizes organic coconut oil and kokum butter for smoothing, protective, and emollient properties. 

Fragrance

High-end brands often add fragrance to make lipsticks seem more luxe. This vague ingredient can also go by terms like flavor, aroma, or parfum. Be wary of the word vanillin, as well, which is a cheaper additive that mimics vanilla. The chief problem with "fragrance" is that companies do not have to disclose component ingredients because they're considered trade secrets by the FDA. Many fragrances have been found to contain endocrine-disrupting phthalates and other unsavory chemicals. If there isn’t a way for you to confirm whether or not something is hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, or vegan — it’s time to move on. Transparency is key!

What do we use instead?

Axiology scents and uplifts with organic sweet orange oil, giving a surprisingly subtle boost of citrus to every application. It’s great for calming both the mind and chapped lips. 

Axiology Lipsticks

 

Dimethicone

The final and most controversial item on this list is the silicon-based polymer, dimethicone. It's derived from silica (silicon dioxide), which is found in sandstone, quartz, granite, and sand.

In the beauty industry, dimethicone acts as an emollient, giving products a silky glide and locking in moisture and protecting the skin. There is controversy about whether or not dimethicone or other silicones "suffocate" the skin (the science says they don't, but do beware with hair products), or cause breakouts. But the real reason we're not so sure about them is because there are many silicones that don't biodegrade, and instead build up in the environment. A lot of eyes are still on this ingredient, and we'll be watching as new findings emerge, but for now, we're deciding to steer clear and rely on botanical ingredients instead. 

What do we use instead?

Axiology Balmies glide on smoothly with the aid of organic kokum butter. This nutrient-dense ingredient will leave your lips (genuinely) hydrated for the long haul, even protecting them from pollution and smog.

A majority of the items on this list are used not because they are superior to their plant-based counterparts, but because they are cheaper. Decoding the ingredients of your favorite winter red shouldn’t feel like taking a mid-term. If you’re still looking for an affordable (plastic-free!) tube with easy-to-read organic ingredients, choose Axiology. When in doubt, nix products that utilize the four ingredients listed above; your lips will thank you!

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