There’s been a lot of buzz around the new Jones Road makeup line. Mostly because it’s the latest venture by iconic makeup-artist-to-the stars Bobbi Brown. But is Jones Road really “clean beauty”? For some, the answer is YES…and for others, it’s a resounding NO. We dig in to give you a brand overview, complete with pros and cons and an ingredient breakdown, so you can decide for yourself.
By: Lisa Fennessy
Reviewed by: Kate Noonan
Meet the Expert
Kate Noonan
Molecular Biologist and Cosmetic Chemist
Kate Noonan is a voted-in member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, the Society for Investigative Dermatology and the American Society for Microbiology. She loves her corgis, soccer and volunteering.
IN THIS POST:
- Defining “clean beauty”
- How does Jones Road define “clean beauty”?
- Jones Road’s response to our questions
- Other things to consider about Jones Road
- Jones Road review—what we tried (with pros + cons)
- Final thoughts on Jones Road
- References
Why is everyone talking about Jones Road? For one simple reason. It’s brought to us by Bobbi Brown, a big-time mainstream makeup mogul who is purportedly dipping her toe into the world of “clean beauty”.
Bobbi Brown made a name for herself as a makeup artist in the 1980s by applying natural makeup looks during a time when makeup was very pink and very blue (we’re talking neon liner and bright blush). Since she couldn’t find the texture and shades she was looking for, she ended up creating her own makeup line, “Bobbi Brown,” which was later acquired by Estee Lauder for reportedly close to $75 million dollars.
All of this to say, when it comes to makeup, Bobbi knows what’s up. But does she know what’s up when it comes to “clean beauty”? Yes…and no. Asking if Jones Road is “clean beauty” is a loaded question because what is clean to some people isn’t clean enough for others.
But without getting into the weeds, I will say this: If you are a Bobbi Brown makeup lover, Jones Road is definitely a better choice than the original Bobbi Brown brand. But if you are someone who values total ingredient transparency, this line may not be a good fit for you.
Defining clean beauty
I think what most people don’t realize is that “clean beauty” is not universally defined. Each brand (think Jones Road, Aveeno, Honest Beauty), each retailer (think The Detox Market, Beauty Heroes), each blogger (like yours truly) and each publication (think Goop, Well + Good, Byrdie) decides what clean beauty means to them—and then markets it as such.
We even see this discrepancy between clean beauty certifications too, where one certification will allow ingredients that another one wont (like MADE SAFE® allows phenoxyethanol, while the COSMOS standard does not, for example).
What this means for us as consumers is two things. First, it’s really easy to get duped into thinking you are buying one thing when in actuality you are buying another. Second, we either have to get familiar with ingredients to make informed decisions on our own OR find a source we align with and trust to do the leg work for us. That could be TNK, it could be the COSMOS Certification, it could be the Clean at Sephora program. In the end that will be up to you but we do have a few resources that can help get you there. Be sure to check out:
👉How Brands Choose Beauty Certifications
RELATED: What ingredients does TNK always say “no thanks” to? Check these out.
Jones Road’s definition of clean beauty
To illustrate, let’s take a look at the Jones Road’s “clean standards” taken from their website:
As a consumer, I’m reading this like, “wow, looks really good.” And it is! But with “no, no, no” statements like this, you can’t read them for what’s there—you have to read them for what’s NOT there. No brand is going to make a statement like this👆and then add, but we do however include synthetic wax with possible residual PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) carcinogens, red 40 and yellow 5 pigments with concerning carcinogenicity data (1-15), all of which we see in the Jones Road line.
Taking this one step farther, Jones Road claims “no petroleum” in their products, but the synthetic wax we see in their Lip and Cheek stick; the hexylene glycol in their mascara; and the hydrogenated polydecene in their Eye Cream are all petroleum-derived (meaning at least one or all of the starting materials are petroleum-derived) (3-5,12-17,19). This is the only way these materials are made.
In fact we found not one, not two, but over 25 petroleum-derived ingredients in the Jones Road line, including: phenoxyethanol, pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate; C30-45 alkyl methicone; C30-45 olefin; ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer; triethoxycaprylylsilane; dimethicone, dimethicone/vinyl and dimethicone crosspolymer; and carbomer, and azo dyes red 40 lake, red 28 lake, yellow 5 lake, poloxamer 338 (6-8,13,16-20, 23-28).
In addition, Jones Road claims to have no PEGs in their product, but we see PEGs in their Cool Gloss via poloxamer 338. Poloxamer 338 (AKA PEG-PPO-PEG 338) is made by bonding petroleum-derived PEG and poly (propylene oxide) (28). This is the only way to make this ingredient.
The overarching point: These ingredients aren’t our favorites and some of them do make it onto our NO THANKS list. HOWEVER, the bigger issue is that this brand is claiming to avoid these ingredients, and with a little digging, we found that to be false.
What Jones Road had to say…
Our resident molecular biologist and cosmetic chemist, Kate Noonan, emailed Jones Road in an attempt to get more information, but the brand’s customer service representative ignored our question and instead responded with a copy-pasted ingredient list from their website (we concede that this might have been too in-depth of a query for the average team member to respond to, but Kate also wasn’t offered any additional avenues to explore to get our question answered).
At TNK, the number one thing we value is transparency and we are seeing several issues with transparency here, from misleading marketing to closed-lip customer service.
Some additional things to note that stood out to me about Jones Road:
- Organic vs. non-organic ingredients: When ingredients could be chosen organic, like castor oil or jojoba oil, they aren’t.
- Recyclability: Unit cartons are made from 100% recyclable Forest Stewardship Council®-certified post-consumer fiber. Product shippers are also recyclable. There were no comments on the inner packaging. (Some are glass and some are plastic.)
- Inclusivity: We see 25 shades of The Face Pencil, which is more inclusive than many new brands on the market.
- Pricing: The price range is $22-$38.
- Age inclusivity: These products seem to work just as well for a 16-year-old as a 60-year-old.
- Gray hair: However, the brow pencil does not come in a cool black or gray to compliment gray hair.
- Cruelty-free: All Jones Road products are cruelty-free, but not vegan, per their FAQ.
- Human rights eval: I’m also wondering if the mica they formulate with is ethically procured.
RELATED: Is ILIA Beauty “clean beauty”? Get my full review here.
Jones Road product review
So you can see, there is a lot to consider here. I think what would be most helpful is to run through some of the more popular Jones Road products and I can provide a quick look at what I like and what I don’t about each product. I tested a handful of products (all of the ones listed below), but if there is a product you are curious about that’s not included here, leave a comment and we can potentially add it in later.
The Face Pencil Everything Stick | $25
Will I keep using it? 👍
This is the only product I bought myself. The rest of my Jones Road samples came compliments of Credo Beauty. I thought I was buying a foundation, but The Face Pencil actually behaves more like a concealer, spot or otherwise. Knowing that, it becomes super versatile.
Grab it in a couple different shades to contour and/or highlight. Use it as a lid primer, to conceal spots, hyperpigmentation, redness, brighten the under eye…highlight the brow bone…I mean the list goes on and on. Love that.
TNK TIP: Red + blue = brown so grab a pencil with pink undertones to help conceal dark under-eye circles.
What I didn’t like is The Face Pencil as a foundation because it wears on the dry side and can leave skin looking flaky if you put too much on. The Face Pencil might work perfect for you if you have skin that’s more oily. If you have dry skin, you will need to create a supple base via moisturizer or primer before applying. I could only get this to work for me when I applied sparingly.
What I like:
- Comes in 25 shades.
- Super versatile.
- Easy to layer.
- Lightweight.
What I don’t:
- Wears on the dry side.
- Difficult to color match: I got shade 10, and it was way too pink for me. I recommend using their online quiz or online reps to help. I didn’t do this and I wish I did.
- Doesn’t come with a sharpener and this pencil is larger than a #2 pencil, so you will need a specific sharpener.
- Can tug around the eyes.
- I can’t tell looking at this list if their mica is mined ethically or not.
- Mismarketed petroleum-derived ingredients: pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate (23).
FULL INGREDIENT LIST: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, CI77891/Titanium Dioxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax/Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Beeswax/Cera Alba,CI 77492/Iron Oxides, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Copernicia CeriferaCera, Myristyl Myristate, Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Butyrospermum Parkii(Shea) Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, May Contain +/-: CI 77941/CI 77499/Iron Oxides *(multiple formulas depending on color, this is a sample)
Miracle Balm All Over Glow | $38
Will I keep using it? 👍
Watching one of Bobbi’s vids, she calls this product a “freggin’ miracle” and I have to agree. Why? This is a light-reflecting balm that instantly adds life and glow to skin. It can be worn on its own, layered to finish a look or mixed to diffuse other products.
Worn alone: Grab Au Naturel (what I have) to amp up that glow without any additional color OR pick a color of your choice and use it on cheeks, lips, eyes…
Worn layered: Apply your look and then layer Miracle Balm on cheeks to reflect light acting as a natural highlighter plus adding all the dew and life.
Worn mixed: I also am obsessed with using this to diffuse lip and cheek colors. I mixed some of this on the back of my hand and added in some Clove + Hollow Lip Velvet in Road Trip then applied it to lips and cheeks and the result was stunning.
I don’t love all of the ingredients here, but I do love the performance. I wish Miracle Balm came in a half size or half size multi pack just so I could get MORE of this in my life.
TNK TIP: Check out the OLIO E OSSO Balms, which function similarly but have better ingredients.
What I like:
- Performance.
- Versatile.
- Finish.
- Texture.
- A natural looking highlighter for mature skin.
- Multi-use.
- Comes in 7 shades.
What I don’t:
- Some of the ingredients like phenoxyethanol (20-22), and the lakes (6-14).
- Some people might not like the tacky finish.
- The plastic packaging. I’m not sure if this is recyclable or not. There are no notes on the website.
- I can’t tell looking at this list if their mica is mined ethically or not.
- Mismarketed petroleum-derived ingredients: phenoxyethanol (20), red 28 lake (6), tin oxide (30).
FULL INGREDIENT LIST: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire d’abeille, Castor Isostearate Succinate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diisostearyl Malate, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Coconut Alkanes, Mica, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Oil, Rosmarinus Officianlis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Tocopherol, May Contain +/-: Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Iron Oxides/CI 77491/CI 77499/CI 77492, CI 77163/Bismuth Oxychloride, CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, CI 77861/Tin Oxide, CI 45410/Red 28 Lake
The Best Pencil | $22
Will I keep using it? 👍
This is a solid pencil. Dense color payoff, transfers easily and easy to blend. It’s not as long lasting as a liquid liner, but it does pretty well (better if you don’t touch your eyes, obviously). I tried it in black.
TNK TIP: If you are looking for something a little more organic that still performs, check out Eye Pencil in Black by Antonym made with 11.9% ingredients from organic farming.
What I like:
- Comes in 7 colors, including a fun metallic silver.
- Transfers easily.
- Strong color payoff.
What I don’t:
- Wish it came with a sharpener.
- Mismarketed petroleum-derived ingredients: C30-45 alkyl methicone (24) C30-45 olefin (25-26), manganese violet and ultramarines (31-33).
FULL INGREDIENT LIST: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyl Stearate, C30-45 Alkyl Methicone, C30-45 Olefin, Hydroxystearic Acid, Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, May Contain +/-: CI 77491/CI77492/CI77499/Iron Oxides, CI 77007/Ultramarines, CI 77019/Mica, CI 77742/Manganese Violet, CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, CI 77510/Ferric Ferrocyanide, CI 75470/Carmine
The Best Eyeshadow | $25
Will I keep using it? 👎
I tried The Best Eyeshadow in dark brown and it’s gorgeous. Love the shade, love the color payoff and the matte finish.
What I like:
- Matte finish (some have a shimmer finish).
- Smooth application.
- Blendable.
- Sophisticated shades that transcend age.
- Buildable.
- Dense color payoff.
What I don’t:
- Some of the ingredients, like aluminum dimyristate (37-40), phenoxyethanol (20-22) and poloxamer 338 (28).
- The plastic packaging. I’m not sure if this is recyclable or not. There are no notes on the website.
- I can’t tell looking at this list if their mica is mined ethically or not.
- Creased on me.
- Mismarketed petroleum-derived ingredients: ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer (27), triethoxycaprylylsilane (24), phenoxyethanol (20), poloxamer 338 (28), CI 77742/manganese violet (31).
FULL INGREDIENT LIST: Mica, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Aluminum Dimyristate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Zinc Stearate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Lauroyl Lysine, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Poloxamer 338, Silica MAY CONTAIN +/-: CI 77491/CI 77492/CI 77499/Iron Oxides, CI 77742/Manganese Violet
Cool Gloss | $22
Will I keep using it? 👎
You know me—I love a good lip gloss. I was excited for this one because I’m a sucker for that old school Blixtex applicator, but in the end, it was not hydrating at all. It has a thin consistency. I apply it, my lips feel great for about 20 minutes and then at some point after that I’m reapplying because my lips feel dry. I tried this in the shade Original.
I also want to point out that this product contains “natural flavor.” The problem with this is it’s a non-disclosure issue—not so much on the brand’s part but on the “flavor industry who is making safety evaluations behind closed doors.”
What I like:
- Minty flavor.
- Tingly minty feeling.
- Old school Blistex-like applicator.
- Lightweight.
- Not sticky.
What I don’t:
- Not hydrating.
- Don’t last long.
- Some of the ingredients like “natural flavor,” Yellow 5, Red 40, (6-15) and aluminum calcium silicate (37-40).
- Mismarketed petroleum-derived ingredients: CI 77861/tin oxide (30), CI 19140/yellow 5 lake, CI 15850/red 7 lake, CI 45410/red 27 lake, CI 16035/red 40 lake (6-14).
FULL INGREDIENT LIST: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cocoglycerides, Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire d’abeille, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Menthol, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Tocopherol, Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate, Octyldodecyl Oleate, Natural Flavor, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Aluminum Calcium Silicate, Citric Acid, May Contain +/-: CI 77019/Mica, CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, CI 75470/Carmine, CI 77861/Tin Oxide, Iron Oxides/CI 77491/CI 77482/CI 77499, CI 19140/Yellow 5 Lake, CI 15850/Red 7 Lake, CI 45410/Red 27 Lake, CI 16035/Red 40 Lake
Just A Sec Eyeshadow | $26
Will I keep using it? 👎
I got this in Golden Peach. This is a cream eye shadow with some shimmer in it. For me, it’s just a little too much shimmer.
What I like:
- Cream texture.
- Glass packaging.
What I don’t:
- That glitter look.
- The glitter falls off my lids and onto my face.
- Some of the ingredients like phenoxyethanol (20-22) and calcium aluminum borosilicate (36-40).
- Mismarketed petroleum-derived ingredients: dimethicone (24), dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer (24), dimethicone/divinyldimethicone/silsesquioxane crosspolymer (24), polymethylsilsesquioxane (24), phenoxyethanol (20), tin oxide (30).
FULL INGREDIENT LIST: Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hexyl Decanoate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Calcium Carbonate, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tocopherol, Octyldodecanol, Tin Oxide, Sorbitan Oleate, May Contain +/-: CI 77019/Mica, CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, CI 77491/CI 77492/CI 77499/Iron Oxides, CI 75470/Carmine
Eye Cream | $34
Will I keep using it? 👍
Eye cream can be one of the most expensive products and coming in at $34, the Jones Road Eye Cream looks pretty attractive. This is a lightweight cream that soaks right in, making it great for daytime use as it’s easy to layer makeup over. For nighttime I prefer something with more moisturizing power—this is too light for me.
As far as nourishing ingredients go, we see glycerin, propanediol (corn) and trehalose (from rice) being used as humectants to improve hydration. We also see macadamia nut oil and olive-based emulsifiers to moisturize. And behenyl alcohol, a plant wax that really helps dry skin.
What I like:
- Packaged in glass.
- More accessible price point for this type of product.
- Lightweight.
- Ingredients that drive hydration and moisture
What I don’t:
- Mismarketed petroleum-derived ingredients: hydrogenated polydecene (19), tromethamine (34) and carbomer (27).
FULL INGREDIENT LIST: Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Propanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Behenyl Alcohol, Trehalose, Macadamia Integrifolia (Macadamia) Seed Oil, Palmitic Acid, C13-15 Alkane, Carbomer, Stearic Acid, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol
Jones Road products we didn’t try—but want to
The only other thing I really want to try from this line is their Hippie Stick, which is currently sold out. I personally love a good multi-function product and the Hippie Stick also happens to be the only makeup/skincare product in the Jones Road line that is not formulated with any petroleum-derived ingredients.
Final thoughts on Jones Road Beauty
So, is Jones Road “clean beauty”? Even after all this research, my answer is—it depends. If you’re a Bobbi Brown makeup fan and you’re looking at this line as an alternative, then absolutely, this is a better choice.
If you’re someone who wants their lip gloss and cheek color to be tinted with berries and twigs, this is not the line for you.
If you fall somewhere in the middle, then you have a choice: What matters most to you?
Is it safety of ingredients? If so, this line is better than most conventional brands.
Is it transparency and honesty? If so, you might want to avoid it.
Personal truth bomb: I reread this post before publishing and I felt conflicted. Here I am saying I enjoy using a product from a brand that’s not being truthful. That doesn’t sit right with me. But also, I think this is a good example of real life decision making. I also think the friction around these types of decisions will only grow stronger as the gap between “conventional beauty” and “clean beauty” trends smaller and smaller.
Above all else, what really gets under my skin is the lies. When it comes to my body, I want to make the final decision about what I put on it—and through mismarketing or “greenwashing,” Jones Road has attempted to take that away from me. And I don’t like it. I don’t like it for you and I don’t like it for me.
But in the end, we are not here to make the choice for you (#youdoyou). But what we can do is continue to provide well-researched information and resources that go deeper than the greenwashed marketing claims you’ll see on many brands’ websites, social and packaging, highlight things to consider and share our own thoughts.
The bottom line: You get to decide what you want to put in and on your body—and brands should give you all the information so you can make the most informed decision for yourself.
Have you tried Jones Road? What do you think?
TNK Team Note: This article contains affiliate links. TNK uses affiliate links as a source for revenue to fund operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. TNK stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.
REFERENCES:
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- The US EPA has set the MCL for total PAH at 0.2 ppb as well, “The maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for PAHs are set to protect human health against the carcinogenic effects of PAH”: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/polycyclic-aromatic-hydrocarbons/standards_and_regulations_for_exposure.html
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- INCI “Synthetic wax” (SX70, CAS# 8002-74-2) was found to have a carcinogenic-PAH level of 49 ppb (total PAH) that exceeds the US EPA Maximum Contaminant Level of 0.2 ppb for total PAH: Krawczyk T, Czechowicz D, Iłowska J. Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Waxes by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorimetric Detection. Journal of Analytical Chemistry. 2020 Apr;75(4):495-502.
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- “Red 40” is contaminated with p-cresidine (reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen): Lancaster FE, Lawrence JF. Determination of total non-sulfonated aromatic amines in tartrazine, sunset yellow FCF and allura red by reduction and derivatization followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Food Additives & Contaminants. 1991 May 1;8(3):249-63.
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- “Yellow 5”, and “Red 40”, which are found in Jones Road Cool Balm, were positive for causing genotoxicity in the in vivo comet assay: Sasaki YF, Kawaguchi S, Kamaya A, Ohshita M, Kabasawa K, Iwama K, Taniguchi K, Tsuda S. The comet assay with 8 mouse organs: results with 39 currently used food additives. Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis. 2002 Aug 26;519(1-2):103-19.
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- “Hydrogenated polydecene” is a petroleum-derived ingredient: ウ、マーガレット , assignee. Japan patent JP 5613416 B2. 2014 Oct 22. 17 p.
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- “Phenoxyethanol” (2-phenoxyethanol) causes DNA damage: Ryu JC, Kim YJ. Evaluation of the Genetic Toxicity of Synthetic Chemicals (XIII)-Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis of Benzoyl Chloride, 2-Propyn-1-ol, and 2-Phenoxyethanol in Chinese Hamster lung Fibroblast. Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens. 2004;24(2):79-84.
- “Phenoxyethanol-induced contact urticaria: Orjales RN, Vazquez CC, Gonzalez FC, Paris MB. 2-phenoxyethanol-induced contact urticaria and anaphylaxis. Journal of investigational allergology & clinical immunology. 2010;20(4):354-5.
- “Pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate” is a petroleum-derived ingredient: Martin D, inventor; Novartis Corp, assignee. United States patent US 3,644,482. (4-hydroxy-5-alkylphenyl) alkanoic acid esters of polyols. 1972 Feb 22 [cited 2022 Mar 15].
- Silicones, including “dimethicone,” “C30-45 alkyl methicone”, “triethoxycaprylylsilane”, “dimethicone/vinyl and dimethicone crosspolymer” are petroleum-derived ingredients made with petroleum refinery methyl chloride (chloromethane): SEYFERTH, Dietmar. Dimethyldichlorosilane and the direct synthesis of methylchlorosilanes. The key to the silicones industry. Organometallics, 2001, 20.24: 4978-4992. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/om0109051#
- “C30-45 olefin” is produced from petroleum, specifically petroleum refinery products: Greiner, EO Camara; Inoguchi, Y. Chemical economics handbook: linear-alpha olefins. IHS Chemical, 2010. https://cdn.ihs.com/www/pdf/CEH-Linear-Alpha-Olefins-sample-report-2010.pdf
- “C30-45 olefin” is produced from petroleum, specifically petroleum refinery products: Gray MR, McCaffrey WC. Role of chain reactions and olefin formation in cracking, hydroconversion, and coking of petroleum and bitumen fractions. Energy & fuels. 2002 May 15;16(3):756-66.
- “Ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer” and “carbomer” (Polyacrylic acid) are produced from petroleum ethylene and petroleum propylene, which are both collected during petroleum refining and petroleum natural gas “cracking”: WANG, Gang; LI, Zengxi; LI, Chunshan. Recent progress in one-step synthesis of acrylic acid and methyl acrylate via aldol reaction: Catalyst, mechanism, kinetics and separation. Chemical Engineering Science, 2022, 247: 117052.
- Poloxomer 338 is a copolymer of petroleum-derived PEG (polyoxyethylene) and poly(propylene oxide): Schmolka I, inventor, BASF, assignee. Polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene aqueous gels. United States Patent 3740421-A. 19 June 1973.
- Nylon-66 is a petroleum-derived ingredient: Anderson KJ. Petroleum Plastics. MRS Bulletin. 1992 Mar;17(3):62-.
- Tin oxide is produced using coal and there are health concerns starting at 10ppm in the diet: Schäfer SG, Femfert U. Tin—a toxic heavy metal? A review of the literature. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. 1984 Mar 1;4(1):57-69. DOI: 10.1016/0273-2300(84)90006-0
- “CI 77742/Manganese Violet” is petroleum-derived and its synthesis requires ammonium dihydrogen phosphate: Comstock MC. Complex inorganic colored pigments: comparison of options and relative properties when faced with elemental restrictions. In56th SCAA Conference, Melbourne, VIC 2016 Sep.
- “CI 77007/Ultramarines” is a petroleum-derived pigment: Brooks BT, Bacon RF. The Fluorescence of Petroleum Distillates. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry. 1914 Aug;6(8):623-5.
- “Aminomethyl Propanediol” (an Alkanolamine) is produced from petroleum-derived methacrylic acid: Khokarale SG, Mikkola JP. Efficient and catalyst free synthesis of acrylic plastic precursors: Methyl propionate and methyl methacrylate synthesis through reversible CO 2 capture. Green Chemistry. 2019;21(8):2138-47.
- “Tromethamine” (an Alkanolamine) is also a petroleum-derived ingredient (it is made from formaldehyde) and poor quality control leads to nitrosamine contaminants: Markofsky, Sheldon, B. Nitro Compounds, Aliphatic. Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Vol. 24. p. 296.
- “VP/Hexadecene Copolymer” is petroleum-derived: Griesbaum, Karl; Behr, Arno; Biedenkapp, Dieter; Voges, Heinz-Werner; Garbe, Dorothea; Paetz, Christian; Collin, Gerd; Mayer, Dieter; Höke. Hydrocarbons. Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH.
- Exfoliated skin readily absorbs aluminum salts “aluminum dimyristate”, “aluminum calcium silicate”, “aluminum borosilicate”) and the reactive aluminum ions separate from the fatty acids or other functional groups: Pineau A, Guillard O, Fauconneau B, Favreau F, Marty MH, Gaudin A, Vincent CM, Marrauld A, Marty JP. In vitro study of percutaneous absorption of aluminum from antiperspirants through human skin in the Franz™ diffusion cell. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry. 2012 May 1;110:21-6.
- Aluminum salts break down on skin and the aluminum ions damage and kill skin cells: Hölzle E, Braun Falco O. Structural changes in axillary eccrine glands following long-term treatment with aluminum chloride hexahydrate solution. British Journal of Dermatology. 1984 Apr;110(4):399-403.
- Aluminum is a known neurotoxicant and genotoxicant: Kawahara M, Konoha K, Nagata T, Sadakane Y. Aluminum and human health: its intake, bioavailability and neurotoxicity. Biomedical research on trace elements. 2007 Oct 1;18(3):211-20.
- Genotoxicity research for aluminum: Lima PD, Vasconcellos MC, Montenegro RC, Bahia MO, Costa ET, Antunes LM, Burbano RR. Genotoxic effects of aluminum, iron and manganese in human cells and experimental systems: a review of the literature. Human & experimental toxicology. 2011 Oct;30(10):1435-44.
- Pennington JA, Jones JW. Dietary intake of aluminum. Aluminium in health, a critical review. 1988 Nov 4:67-100.
Monica
March 25, 2022Thank you so much for this thorough review! I’ve been so curious about this brand since seeing it basically blow up on social media, but it’s so hard to get to the truth behind the marketing.
Autum
March 25, 2022Wow! I’ve been wanting to try this brand for a while and I’m so glad I came across this review. I typically rely on Credo or Beauty Heros to do the “dirty work” for me. I’m so disappointed Credo allows this company and the lies. Such a bummer. I will not be purchasing Jones Road in the forseeable future:-)
Thank you for your honest review!
Caroline
March 25, 2022Thanks for this interesting article. I have a few questions. When reading the “no” list from Jones Road Beauty, it looks like they don’t claim “no petroleum”, but instead “no petrolatum.” While I could be mistaken, my understanding is that petrolatum is an ingredient derived from the refinement of petroleum, so it could be interpreted or understood as its own distinct ingredient, rather than as a synonym for petroleum. Which might be why there are also other petroleum-derived ingredients used in their products, as you enumerate.
I say that because this article makes strong claims of Jones Road lying to and misleading their customers, and it seems like TNK’s conclusions might in fact also be based on the interpretation of a word. Given this, I think the responsible thing for TNK would be to include some more educational information for TNK readers about the distinctions, if any, between petrolatum–which Jones Road Beauty specifically cites as not using in the picture of the no list you include–and petroleum–which TNK says they lie about. It seems like a point that would be valuable to include early in this article.
Lisa Fennessy
April 20, 2022Hi Caroline! Thanks for your question. When we look at Jones Road, most of the ingredients we point out in this post are petroleum-derived (petrolatum-derived), for example, the ‘synthetic wax’ as a singular ingredient in the Lip and Cheek Stick, could be comprised of up to 20-100% of petroleum/petrolatum. This directly conflicts with JR’s own clean beauty standards. We called several manufacturers of “synthetic wax” and each confirmed that the wax contains petroleum/petrolatum as a partial or the only constituent. So either Jones Road is unaware of what synthetic wax is made of or they are misleading consumers. This is the point we want to drive home here.
Kalinda
March 25, 2022Thanks so much for this review Lisa. Really appreciate all the research and details. I’ve been very curious about this brand, but was already wary about some of the ingredients even before your deep dive. I may pick up a piece or two down the line but probably won’t go crazy — transparency is key for me and I rather support a brand with better ethics.
Lisa Fennessy
April 10, 2022100% agree Kalinda! Thankfully ethical beauty has come so far over the past 10 years and we as consumers have so much to choose from now. Thanks for reading. xo, L
Kim
March 31, 2022I have tried the miracle balm, the pencils and mascara. I bought it because Goop was selling and promoting it as was Credo. It’s disappointing that I didn’t get the whole story from them. I agree the pencils are too dry and hard to rub in especially under my eyes. But I love the miracle balm on my cheeks and the mascara. I bought a Black Friday trio of small sizes in 3 different colors. Sadly once those are out, I think I’ll be done with this line. Thanks for doing the hard work on this one.
Lisa Fennessy
April 9, 2022Hi Kim, me too. I haven’t tried the mascara although I want to so I can review it for readers ; ) So glad you found this helpful. xo, L
Liza
April 6, 2022Dishonesty with a dash of corruption is how Bobbi, husband Steven, and the rest of the management team operate the company (and parent company).
tcmbos
April 21, 2022Could you elaborate? I hadn’t heard anything about this and I’m curious.
Courtney
June 20, 2022Hi Lisa,
Thanks for the review! Question, I see “Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride” in a lot of these products and in a lot of products in general. Is “Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride“ another word for palm oil? And if so, do we know if Jones Road uses sustainably sourced palm oil or palm oil-derived ingredients?
Lisa Fennessy
July 5, 2022Hi Courtney! From what I understand caprylic/caprylic triglyceride is coconut oil and glycerin. But anytime you have questions about an ingredient a brand uses, I recommend reaching out to the brand directly for clarification. There can be a lot of nuance with ingredients and this way you get an answer about the exact ingredient in question. Hope this helps! xo, Lisa
Toni
August 8, 2022Wow, I really enjoyed this article! This is what journalism is missing these days, just the facts and I can make up my own mind. Bravo
Kathi
August 11, 2022It is refreshing to see an honest product review. Thank you. Your comments are greatly appreciated.
Kelli
August 15, 2022Thanks so much for the article! I have been trying to make more cruelty free and ethically sourced choices with my cosmetics and I am happy to have found your site! I was made aware of the problems with mica sourcing a few years back. After reading your review, I emailed them directly and asked about their mica sourcing.
I got a response within 15 minutes, which was surprising. Although specifics were not provided, the customer service representative who responded said the following…
“Thanks for reaching out to Jones Road. All raw materials from our vendors have been vetted to make sure they are clean and responsibly sourced ❤️. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.
Xx–Courtney”
I responded to thank them for their quick response and to also ask for specifics on their vetting process. I will share if they do! Thanks again for the great article.
Sheri
September 5, 2022I love the information in your article- I do support your values and what you say are your beliefs but would love for people (you) to stop and understand that the root of petroleum products is made from oil (I work in the oil industry) and from oil there are over 6000 products that I bet my 1-years salary that you must rely on. From your refrigerator to all of your soap and lotions to the glass jars, toilet seat you sit on, to the car you drive or the plane you take and clothes you wear and so many others that you may not think about. So at some point you are supporting oil products that you say is “not clean”. Again I just stopped by to help open your mind to stop targeting because the very computer or cell phone or electronic you use to post is a derivative of petroleum- I don’t see a difference if your using it on your face. By the way even your posted picture of you my senior engineer and I pointed out several petroleum products in your picture-even in that. So I challenge you to research and at least change your platform to educate and stop the one sided bias.
Lisa Fennessy
November 11, 2022Thanks for this! It’s a tangled web for sure and not an easy one to get out of. But I think you missed the point of this article. The point is JONES ROAD is saying they are doing one thing but they are actually doing another. It’s tricky marketing and that’s really what I wanted to highlight here. (Also, for the record, I definitely see a difference in things I put on my face compared to the electronics I use, lol). Thanks for reading. Lisa
Elizabeth Gragg
September 11, 2022Okay what is a good makeup that’s good for older people that doesn’t get in the creases in your face. Is boom a good makeup? Is cocoa butter okay to use your skin is there anything out there,that’s good to use on your skin like cocoa butter.
Lisa Fennessy
September 19, 2022Hi Elizabeth! If you are looking for a foundation, I love recommending Inika’s BB Cream. It’s so beautiful and SEAMLESS. Very light coverage and just blends it all in. I also love ILIA…their Chromatic Eye Tints do not crease. There are several oils and butters that are very nourishing for your skin. Cocoa butter is a great one. I looked at the Boom website and I could not find ingredient lists so I can’t say for sure on that one. xo, L
Tanya
October 21, 2022Thank you so much for this super informative breakdown of Jones Road products. I so appreciate all the time and energy this took. You should add a tip jar to your blog. 🙂
Lisa Fennessy
November 11, 2022Thank you so much! We love the support. xo, Lisa
Shay Shelton
December 19, 2022If you are used to sincerely clean products, skip this line.. I have it, the miracle balm makes me feel off.. not mention a headache, it’s very heavy.
Love the foundation but not the ingredients.
Not clean and my system warned me, it’s pretty remarkable when we listen!
Alejandra Monarrez
December 31, 2022I should have read this review before buying the product. What do you suggest for an oily face that is clean and works?
Lisa Fennessy
January 1, 2023Hi Alejandra! What product exactly are your looking for? For foundation you can check out Cheekbone Beauty who is an indigenous-owned (and founded) Canadian brand – they also have foundation pencils. Or you could check out Gabriel which has an oil-free foundation. Or one of my faves is the Inika Beauty CC Cream which you can see applied on me here. Good luck! Lisa
Slava
June 30, 2023It just looks like very oily skin, the product is too heavy for my skin, looks untidy, messy and ugly. Wasted money…