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Home/Brand Safety/NYX Professional Makeup
Brand safety report

NYX Professional Makeup.

Ingredient safety analysis based on 5 products in our database.

Safety Score

4.4/10

Products

5

Flagged Ingredients

8

The report

Full breakdown.

NYX Professional Makeup

Los Angeles, CaliforniaFounded 1999
Safety Score4.4/10Concerning

NYX Professional Makeup was founded in 1999 by Toni Ko in Los Angeles, California, and was acquired by L'Oréal in 2014 for approximately $500 million. The brand is known for offering professional-quality cosmetics at drugstore prices and has built a massive following through social media and influencer partnerships. NYX's lip product line is extensive, including lip liners, lipsticks, glosses, and lip creams in hundreds of shades. Like most conventional cosmetics brands, NYX products contain synthetic dyes, petroleum-derived ingredients, and chemical preservatives. Despite its indie brand aesthetic, NYX is a fully owned subsidiary of the world's largest beauty company.

Products Analyzed

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream3/10
NYX Butter Gloss3/10
NYX Lip Lingerie XXL5/10
NYX Shine Loud5/10
NYX Duck Plump6/10

Flagged Ingredients Found

synthetic fragrance(in 4 products)dimethicone(in 3 products)artificial colors(in 3 products)phenoxyethanol(in 3 products)polyethylene glycol(in 2 products)polybutene(in 2 products)bhtmineral oil
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Who Owns NYX Professional Makeup?

Big Corp Subsidiary

Parent Company

L'Oreal(OR.PA)

Parent Industry

Beauty & Cosmetics

Parent Revenue

Approximately $42 billion (2024)

Acquired

2014 for Approximately $500 million

Also Makes

L'Oreal ParisMaybellineLancomeCeraVeLa Roche-Posay

L'Oreal acquired NYX Cosmetics in 2014 for approximately $500 million. Despite its indie brand aesthetic, NYX is a fully owned subsidiary of the world's largest beauty company.

Corporate ownership does not automatically mean a product is unsafe. It means ingredient and sourcing decisions are influenced by a parent company whose primary business is beauty & cosmetics. Consumers deserve to know who profits from their purchases.

The line

Products by NYX Professional Makeup.

View full ingredient analysis →
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Professional Makeup

Ingredients15
Flagged5
Safety Score3/10
dimethiconebhtsynthetic fragrance
Numbrrrz Organic Lip Balm

Numbrrrz

Organic Lip Balm

Ingredients4
Flagged0
Safety Score10/10
Organic Coconut OilOrganic BeeswaxOrganic Jojoba OilVitamin E
Shop Numbrrrz Instead
View full ingredient analysis →
NYX Butter Gloss

NYX Butter Gloss

NYX Professional Makeup

Ingredients17
Flagged6
Safety Score3/10
mineral oilpolybutenepolyethylene glycol
Numbrrrz Organic Lip Balm

Numbrrrz

Organic Lip Balm

Ingredients4
Flagged0
Safety Score10/10
Organic Coconut OilOrganic BeeswaxOrganic Jojoba OilVitamin E
Shop Numbrrrz Instead
View full ingredient analysis →
NYX Lip Lingerie XXL

NYX Lip Lingerie XXL

NYX Professional Makeup

Ingredients12
Flagged3
Safety Score5/10
dimethiconephenoxyethanolsynthetic fragrance
Numbrrrz Organic Lip Balm

Numbrrrz

Organic Lip Balm

Ingredients4
Flagged0
Safety Score10/10
Organic Coconut OilOrganic BeeswaxOrganic Jojoba OilVitamin E
Shop Numbrrrz Instead
View full ingredient analysis →
NYX Shine Loud

NYX Shine Loud

NYX Professional Makeup

Ingredients24
Flagged3
Safety Score5/10
dimethiconesynthetic fragranceartificial colors
Numbrrrz Organic Lip Balm

Numbrrrz

Organic Lip Balm

Ingredients4
Flagged0
Safety Score10/10
Organic Coconut OilOrganic BeeswaxOrganic Jojoba OilVitamin E
Shop Numbrrrz Instead
View full ingredient analysis →
NYX Duck Plump

NYX Duck Plump

NYX Professional Makeup

Ingredients15
Flagged2
Safety Score6/10
polybutenephenoxyethanol
Numbrrrz Organic Lip Balm

Numbrrrz

Organic Lip Balm

Ingredients4
Flagged0
Safety Score10/10
Organic Coconut OilOrganic BeeswaxOrganic Jojoba OilVitamin E
Shop Numbrrrz Instead

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Flagged

Ingredients of concern.

8 different ingredients of concern across NYX Professional Makeup’s product line. Each links to a full safety analysis.

7

Synthetic Fragrance

An umbrella term that can hide hundreds of undisclosed chemicals. Under US law, companies are not required to list individual fragrance components, which may include phthalates, musks, allergens, and sensitizers.

In 4 of 5 NYX Professional Makeup products
Hormone Disruptor
6

Artificial Colors

Synthetic dyes derived from petroleum or coal tar, used to give cosmetics vivid colors. Many are contaminated with heavy metals and have been linked to behavioral issues, allergies, and potential carcinogenicity.

In 3 of 5 NYX Professional Makeup products
6

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG Compounds)

A family of petroleum-derived compounds used as emulsifiers, thickeners, solvents, and penetration enhancers. PEGs themselves are relatively low-toxicity, but they are frequently contaminated with ethylene oxide (a known carcinogen) and 1,4-dioxane.

In 2 of 5 NYX Professional Makeup products
6

Mineral Oil

A colorless, odorless oil derived from petroleum distillation. Used extensively in cosmetics and skincare as an emollient and solvent. Like petrolatum, cosmetic-grade mineral oil may contain impurities if insufficiently refined.

In 1 of 5 NYX Professional Makeup products
5

BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)

A synthetic antioxidant closely related to BHA, used to prevent oxidation in cosmetics and food. Less studied than BHA but shares some endocrine disruption concerns.

In 1 of 5 NYX Professional Makeup products
Hormone Disruptor
4

Dimethicone

A silicone-based polymer widely used in cosmetics and skincare for its smoothing, water-repellent properties. Not toxic in itself, but creates a synthetic barrier that can trap impurities, clog pores, and is not biodegradable.

In 3 of 5 NYX Professional Makeup products
4

Phenoxyethanol

A glycol ether used as a preservative in cosmetics, often marketed as a 'safer' alternative to parabens. At regulated concentrations (up to 1%), it is generally well tolerated, but higher concentrations can cause irritation and are toxic to infants.

In 3 of 5 NYX Professional Makeup products
3

Polybutene

A synthetic polymer derived from petroleum, used as a thickener, binder, and viscosity-increasing agent in lip glosses, lipsticks, and other cosmetics. Polybutene has low direct toxicity but is a petroleum-derived synthetic with environmental persistence concerns.

In 2 of 5 NYX Professional Makeup products
Questions

Quick answers.

Is NYX an independent brand?
No. While NYX Professional Makeup was founded independently by Toni Ko in 1999, the brand was acquired by L'Oréal in 2014 for approximately $500 million. NYX operates as a brand within L'Oréal's consumer products division alongside Maybelline and other mass-market brands.
Is NYX cruelty-free?
NYX Professional Makeup is PETA-certified cruelty-free, meaning the brand does not test finished products or ingredients on animals. However, cruelty-free status does not address ingredient safety — NYX products still contain synthetic dyes, chemical preservatives, and petroleum-derived ingredients commonly found in conventional cosmetics.
What preservatives does NYX use?
NYX products use various preservatives depending on the specific product, including phenoxyethanol, parabens (in some formulas), and other synthetic preservatives. While the brand has worked to reformulate some products without parabens, not all NYX products are paraben-free. Always check the specific product ingredient list.
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