NYX Professional Makeup
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
Flagged Ingredients Found
Who Owns NYX Professional Makeup?
Big Corp SubsidiaryParent 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 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.
Products by NYX Professional Makeup
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream
NYX Professional Makeup
Numbrrrz
Organic Lip Balm
NYX Butter Gloss
NYX Professional Makeup
Numbrrrz
Organic Lip Balm
NYX Lip Lingerie XXL
NYX Professional Makeup
Numbrrrz
Organic Lip Balm
NYX Shine Loud
NYX Professional Makeup
Numbrrrz
Organic Lip Balm
NYX Duck Plump
NYX Professional Makeup
Numbrrrz
Organic Lip Balm
Get Your Free Ingredient Safety Report
Enter your email and we'll send you a personalized breakdown of the most common harmful ingredients in your daily products.
Flagged Ingredients in NYX Professional Makeup Products
We found 8 different ingredients of concern across NYX Professional Makeup's product line. Each one links to a full safety analysis with details on health risks, regulatory status, and which other brands use the same ingredient.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
