Frequently asked questions

The majority of fragrances in Burt's Bees products are natural, composed of proprietary blends of essential oils and natural extracts. Some of our heritage and other products contain partially synthetic fragrances. Please call (800)849-7112 or contact us online if you have an inquiry about a specific product.

Burt’s Bees natural lip color products are composed of botanical oils, waxes, butters, extracts, and essential oils. To impart a variety of shades and effects, we use primarily mineral-based pigments. The mineral-based pigments used in our lip color products are in compliance with global regulatory guidance and legal limits. We adhere to the most rigorous standards set forth by global regulatory bodies. We continue to closely monitor emerging studies and evolving safety standards set forth by the scientific and regulatory communities to ensure the quality and efficacy of our products.

Some Burt’s Bees products do contain alcohol, and we use natural (found naturally in plants) or naturally-derived (derived from natural components, but made through a process of fermentation) alcohols. Alcohols serve a variety of functions within our formulas, including as a stabilizer, surfactant, preservative and/or opacifier (a substance which makes the formula opaque). Please reach out to us if you have a question on a particular product.

The glycerin used in our products is of vegetable origin.

We use only natural colors in our personal care products and cosmetics. Some examples are beta-carotene, chlorophyll, titanium dioxide, mica, iron oxides and carmine. These natural colors have a long history of safe usage unlike many artificial colors that have been banned by the FDA over the years.

We use carmine in some Burt’s Bees lip products because it is a natural alternative to synthetic colorants, which can be derived from non-renewable fossil fuels. Carmine is a natural extract that has been used since Ancient Egyptian times for its red pigment. It provides the best possible red pigment naturally and is used industry-wide in food and cosmetics. We are always exploring new pigments with suppliers, but we have not found any that mimic the hue/shade of carmine or that are able to remain stable in an anhydrous (waterless) formula. Our lip color products are made of natural oils, waxes and butters, so pigments need to be oil-soluble. For example, vegetable-based pigments like beet juice are water soluble. There are developments being made in the processing of these pigments so they can work well in formulas and we are following them closely. Also, current global regulations do not uniformly recognize vegetable-based pigments as an acceptable cosmetic colorant. Regulatory consideration of these pigments will likely follow sufficient progress in their development for use in cosmetics.

Burt’s Bees products are created with high-quality ingredients derived from nature, and all of our products are rigorously tested for safety. Comfrey (Symphytim Officinale) Extract has long been used in the cosmetic industry as an effective topical soothing agent. Comfrey is widely considered an acceptable and effective ingredient for topical applications by various international government and regulatory agencies, including the European commission, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Agency in the UK and the Therapeutic Goods Authority in Australia.

While we do not directly purchase palm oil, a small percentage of our products have ingredients that are derived from palm or palm kernel oil. While this is a relatively small amount of palm oil (less than 0.01 percent of global annual production), Burt’s Bees makes it a priority to ensure our ingredients are source While we do not directly purchase palm oil, a small percentage of our products have palm or palm kernel oil-derived ingredients. While this is a relatively small amount of palm oil (less than 0.003 percent of global annual production), Burt’s Bees makes it a priority to ensure our ingredients are sourced responsibly, including those derived from palm oil. As a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), we continue to look for sustainable sources of palm-oil-derived ingredients and alternative ingredients. We appreciate and share your passion for the planet, and we will keep searching for opportunities to drive positive change in our supply chain. For more details, we invite you to read our Palm Oil Responsible Sourcing Commitment. 

If you still have questions about our products or our ingredients please call (800)849-7112 or contact us online.