{"id":604501836082,"title":"Thrive Causemetics Review: Luxury or Overpriced Beauty?","created_at":"2022-12-10T23:30:56-05:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Thrive Causemetics Review: Luxury or Overpriced Beauty?\",\n \"keywords\": \"thrive causemetics, thrive causemetics review, thrive causemetics reviews, thrive cosmetics, thrive cosmetics review, thrive cosmetics reviews, thrive causemetics mascara\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team reviews every ingredient in three of Thrive Causemetics' most popular products (eyelash extension mascara, anti-aging cream, sunscreen) based on clinical research to give our take on whether they're likely to be effective or if they're a waste of money.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/thrive-causemetics-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"creator\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Beth Lertzman\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/beth-lertzman\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/beth-lertzman-md-856619118\/\",\n \"https:\/\/health.usnews.com\/doctors\/beth-lertzman-517042\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Dermatology Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"skincare, collagen, cosmetics, surgery, wrinkles, ingredients, formulation, clinical trials, clinical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of Delaware\",\n \"Drexel University College of Medicine\",\n \"University of Rochester\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n },\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Thrive_Causemetics_Thumbnail.png?v=1670733906\",\n\"width\": \"3421\",\n\"height\": \"3421\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32387382\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/the-ordinary-multi-peptide-lash-and-brow-serum-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5796020\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4391488\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/vibriance-super-c-serum-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5946307\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1981416\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24471735\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31021040\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/tula-skincare-review\",\n\"https:\/\/thrivecausemetics.com\/pages\/how-we-give\",\n\"https:\/\/ecommercedb.com\/store\/thrivecausemetics.com\",\n\"https:\/\/truthinadvertising.org\/class-action\/thrive-causemetics\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/find-a-b-corp\/company\/illuminate-labs\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/benefit-corporation\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"National Breast Cancer Foundation\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Black Women’s Health Imperative\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"phenoxyethanol\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"preservatives\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Sydney Nicole\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"astaxanthin\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Kay Forbey\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"homosalate\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Dr. Whitney Bowe\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"ecommerceDB\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Truth in Advertising\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-12-10\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Thrive_Causemetics_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1670732853\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eT\u003c\/span\u003ehrive Causemetics is one of the most popular makeup and skincare brands, and is a charitable organization that donates money to a number of women’s health charities, including the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Black Women’s Health Imperative. The brand describes itself as “Luxury Beauty that Gives Back.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut are Thrive Causemetics products really more effective than cheaper brands or are they just priced that way? Does the brand use any unhealthy additive ingredients? How do real users rate and describe Thrive’s products? And how much does the brand really give away?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in three of Thrive Causemetics’ best-selling products and give our take on whether or not they’re likely to be effective: Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara, Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream and Buildable Blur CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40 (sunscreen).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll also share our thoughts on Thrive Causemetics’ charitable efforts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLiquid Lash Extensions Mascara Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Thrive_Causemetics_Liquid_Lash_Extensions_Mascara_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1670733010\" alt=\"Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe liquid lash extensions product sold by Thrive Causemetics is meant to lengthen lashes and improve lash quality, creating the look of lash extensions while actually being a topical product. The ingredients list is shown above for the Brynn color.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe cannot identify medical research suggesting that any of these ingredients increases eyelash length, nor does Thrive Causemetics cite any on its product page at the time of writing this article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere are a number of ingredients that we would recommend avoiding, especially around the eye.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePhenoxyethanol\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a synthetic preservative that has been found toxic to human cells and irritating to the eye in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32387382\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eExperimental Eye Research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEthylhexylglycerin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another synthetic preservative, and although we consider this ingredient to be a much better option than phenoxyethanol, we still recommend avoiding use of synthetic preservatives around the eyes, as we referenced in our review of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/the-ordinary-multi-peptide-lash-and-brow-serum-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Ordinary lash serum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e (another cosmetic product containing this ingredient).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we do not recommend Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions and do not consider the product likely to be effective, as we cannot identify any clinical research suggesting that any of its ingredients are effective for increasing lash length or improving lash quality.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe non-toxic lash serum we recommend is called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3eYJfG0\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOrganic Eyelash and Eyebrow Growth Serum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e from a brand called Live Fraiche. The only ingredient in this product is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eorganic castor oil\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, and most importantly it's entirely free of questionable filler ingredients like preservatives. It’s also significantly cheaper than Thrive Causemetics’ product (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$11.99\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e vs. $25).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInterested consumers can check out Live Fraiche Organic Eyelash and Eyebrow Growth Serum \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3eYJfG0\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to its Amazon product page.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne of the most popular YouTube reviews of this product is published by a creator named Sydney Nicole. Her review is unsponsored and includes an unboxing, a product demonstration and her thoughts on whether the lash extensions are effective or not:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rTJsWh9OkK0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Thrive_Causemetics_Defying_Gravity_Eye_Lifting_Cream_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1670733038\" alt=\"Thrive Causemetics Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThrive Causemetics’ eye cream is an anti-aging cream. The brand claims this product “lifts, tightens and brightens the look of skin…while delivering line-smoothing hydration.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis cream does have a number of effective ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSimmondsia chinensis\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e (jojoba) seed oil\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e has been shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5796020\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e of the cosmetic effects of plant oils to have a skin barrier repair and anti-aging effect.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBidens pilosa\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e extract\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was found in a 2015 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4391488\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to have an anti-aging effect on human skin, and to stimulate collagen synthesis (the core structural protein in skin).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a skin-protective ingredient that’s clinically proven to reduce damage from UV rays, as we documented in our review of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/vibriance-super-c-serum-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVibriance Super C Serum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAstaxanthin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a chemical compound found in wild-caught salmon (among other natural sources) which was shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5946307\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNutrients\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal to reduce wrinkle depth and have an anti-inflammatory effect on skin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDefying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream also contains several ingredients we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt contains the two synthetic preservatives we highlighted in the previous section: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ephenoxyethanol\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eethylhexylglycerin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt also contains \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003esodium hydroxide\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is a pH balancer that’s potentially a skin irritant \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1981416\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eaccording to\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e medical research.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChlorphenesin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another synthetic preservative that was shown to be toxic to human cells in the same study cited in the previous section on phenoxyethanol’s toxicity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we consider this cream to be likely effective for anti-aging and the reduction of wrinkles given that it contains a number of research-backed ingredients. We don’t recommend this product due to the inclusion of various questionable additive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named Kay Forbey reviewed this eye cream in a video reviewing many Thrive Causemetics products. We’ve timestamped the below video to start at the point in the video where she’s reviewing this cream:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HpcZG4tCV6A?start=172\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"http:\/\/track.revoffers.com\/aff_c?offer_id=159\u0026amp;aff_id=7240\u0026amp;url_id=2174\"\u003eHydraglow\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is the non-toxic anti-aging cream we recommend.\u003c\/span\u003e It features\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ebakuchiol\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eas an active ingredient which was described in a 2014\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24471735\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eas \"clinically proven to have anti-aging effects” because it reduced wrinkles and improved skin elasticity. Most importantly, this cream is entirely free of questionable additive ingredients like preservatives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThrive’s eye cream costs $46 for 0.5 ounces while Hydraglow costs $56 for 2 ounces\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003emaking Hydraglow nearly 3x cheaper per ounce.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInterested consumers can purchase Hydraglow at the secure checkout below:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cstyle\u003e\u003c!--\n.katalys-iframe-container {\n position: relative;\n width: auto;\n height: 100%;\n max-height: 420px;\n overflow: hidden;\n }\n .katalys-iframe-container::after {\n display: inline-block;\n content: \"\";\n padding-bottom: 58.82%;\n }\n .katalys-iframe-container iframe {\n position: absolute;\n width: 100%;\n height: 100%;\n }\n @media (max-width: 660px) {\n .katalys-iframe-container {\n width: 300px;\n height: 600px;\n max-height: 600px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n }\n .katalys-iframe-container::after {\n padding-bottom: 0%;\n overflow: hidden;\n }\n }\n--\u003e\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"katalys-iframe-container\" style=\"margin-bottom: 25px;\"\u003e\u003ciframe allow=\"payment\" src=\"https:\/\/1o.io\/checkouts\/ffccd0c3-b4bc-4d88-aea3-38e8de7f1296\/#placementId=thrive-causemetics-review\/placementId2=HydraGlow\/placementId3=inline\" style=\"margin: auto; border: none; width: 100%; height: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThrive Causemetics Sunscreen Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Thrive_Causemetics_Sunscreen_Active_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1670732960\" alt=\"Thrive Causemetics sunscreen active ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe best-selling sunscreen sold by Thrive Causemetics is called Buildable Blur CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40. We do not recommend this sunscreen based on the active ingredients shown below:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHomosalate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a chemical sunscreen ingredient shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31021040\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJournal of Cosmetic Dermatology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to be cytotoxic (toxic to living cells), genotoxic (damaging to the genetic information in cells) and to accumulate in living ecosystems, which suggests it's harmful to the environment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOctisalate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another chemical sunscreen ingredient that may cause allergic skin reactions in some individuals as we documented in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/tula-skincare-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTula skincare review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not recommend chemical sunscreens, and instead recommend physical sunscreens.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOur top sunscreen pick is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3VeGMaR\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMDSolarSciences Mineral Moisture Defense\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt's a physical sunscreen free of questionable chemical sunscreen ingredients.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e Its active ingredients are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide; both effective physical sunscreen ingredients backed by clinical research.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInterested consumers can check out MDSolarSciences sunscreen \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3VeGMaR\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to its official Amazon listing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube video from a board-certified dermatologist named Dr. Whitney Bowe is under four minutes long and documents some of the relevant differences between chemical and physical sunscreen:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d68qiqC7evU?start=172\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow Charitable is Thrive Causemetics Really?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThrive Causemetics gets good PR (which has monetary value) for their charitable efforts. Certainly any charitable giving is better than none, but we were surprised to find that Thrive Causemetics does not appear to have any public pledge of charitable giving based on revenue or profits, given how much of their branding references their charitable work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe brand’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thrivecausemetics.com\/pages\/how-we-give\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHow We Give\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e page documents donations, including a recent $100,000 donation to the University of Louisville Breonna Taylor Memorial Scholarship Fund in Nursing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut for a brand as large as Thrive Causemetics (sales estimated at $75 million in 2021 by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/ecommercedb.com\/store\/thrivecausemetics.com\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eecommerceDB\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e), these are still relatively small figures in our opinion. It would be great to see a commitment to donating a fixed percentage of revenue or profit, which we consider to be a more transparent way for brands that are positioning themselves as charitable to conduct themselves. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAccording to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/truthinadvertising.org\/class-action\/thrive-causemetics\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTruth in Advertising\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eThrive Causemetics was sued in 2018 for falsely representing that the brand donates a product to a woman in need for every product sold. The brand settled the lawsuit out of court. We consider this to be a red flag about the brand’s ethics, but does not necessarily prove any wrongdoing by Thrive Causemetics.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA third-party certification like Certified B Corp would also be useful for consumers, as it could make the percentage of revenue donated more public.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIlluminate Labs donates 5% of profits annually to our partner charity CURE Childhood Cancer, and we are both a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/find-a-b-corp\/company\/illuminate-labs\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCertified B Corp\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and transparently publish this pledge on our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/benefit-corporation\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eB Corp page\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThrive Causemetics is certainly doing more than most brands in regard to charitable donations. We just like to see brands that use their charitable efforts for marketing be transparent about the total money donated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThrive Causemetics Pros and Cons\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons of Thrive Causemetics as a brand in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHighly effective anti-aging cream\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEffective sunscreen formulation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMore charitable than most cosmetics brands\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eQuestionable additives in all reviewed products\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eExpensive\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSunscreen has questionable active ingredients\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLack of transparency with charitable giving\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not recommend any of the Thrive Causemetics products that we reviewed, but we do consider two of them (Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream and Buildable Blur CC Cream sunscreen) likely to be effective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAll three of the products we reviewed contain questionable additive ingredients that we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThrive Causemetics products also seem to be more expensive per-ounce than most skincare brands that we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis company does have a commitment to ongoing charitable giving which is a good thing, but we’d like to see the brand transparently commit to a percentage of revenue or profits donated per year, especially given how much of the brand’s marketing revolves around their charitable image. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-12-10T23:53:22-05:00","updated_at":"2023-07-25T13:30:44-04:00","summary_html":"We review every ingredient in three of Thrive Causemetics' most popular products (eyelash extension mascara, anti-aging cream, sunscreen) based on clinical research to give our take on whether they're likely to be effective or if they're a waste of money.","template_suffix":"","handle":"thrive-causemetics-review","tags":"_related:cosmetics"}

Thrive Causemetics Review: Luxury or Overpriced Beauty?

Thrive Causemetics Review: Luxury or Overpriced Beauty?


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Thrive Causemetics is one of the most popular makeup and skincare brands, and is a charitable organization that donates money to a number of women’s health charities, including the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Black Women’s Health Imperative. The brand describes itself as “Luxury Beauty that Gives Back.”

But are Thrive Causemetics products really more effective than cheaper brands or are they just priced that way? Does the brand use any unhealthy additive ingredients? How do real users rate and describe Thrive’s products? And how much does the brand really give away?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in three of Thrive Causemetics’ best-selling products and give our take on whether or not they’re likely to be effective: Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara, Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream and Buildable Blur CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40 (sunscreen).

We’ll also share our thoughts on Thrive Causemetics’ charitable efforts.

Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara Review

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara ingredients

The liquid lash extensions product sold by Thrive Causemetics is meant to lengthen lashes and improve lash quality, creating the look of lash extensions while actually being a topical product. The ingredients list is shown above for the Brynn color.

We cannot identify medical research suggesting that any of these ingredients increases eyelash length, nor does Thrive Causemetics cite any on its product page at the time of writing this article.

There are a number of ingredients that we would recommend avoiding, especially around the eye.

Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative that has been found toxic to human cells and irritating to the eye in a clinical trial published in the Experimental Eye Research journal.

Ethylhexylglycerin is another synthetic preservative, and although we consider this ingredient to be a much better option than phenoxyethanol, we still recommend avoiding use of synthetic preservatives around the eyes, as we referenced in our review of The Ordinary lash serum (another cosmetic product containing this ingredient).

Overall we do not recommend Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions and do not consider the product likely to be effective, as we cannot identify any clinical research suggesting that any of its ingredients are effective for increasing lash length or improving lash quality.

The non-toxic lash serum we recommend is called Organic Eyelash and Eyebrow Growth Serum from a brand called Live Fraiche. The only ingredient in this product is organic castor oil, and most importantly it's entirely free of questionable filler ingredients like preservatives. It’s also significantly cheaper than Thrive Causemetics’ product ($11.99 vs. $25).

Interested consumers can check out Live Fraiche Organic Eyelash and Eyebrow Growth Serum at this link to its Amazon product page.

One of the most popular YouTube reviews of this product is published by a creator named Sydney Nicole. Her review is unsponsored and includes an unboxing, a product demonstration and her thoughts on whether the lash extensions are effective or not:

Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream Review

Thrive Causemetics Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream ingredients

Thrive Causemetics’ eye cream is an anti-aging cream. The brand claims this product “lifts, tightens and brightens the look of skin…while delivering line-smoothing hydration.”

This cream does have a number of effective ingredients. 

Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil has been shown in a medical review of the cosmetic effects of plant oils to have a skin barrier repair and anti-aging effect.

Bidens pilosa extract was found in a 2015 clinical trial to have an anti-aging effect on human skin, and to stimulate collagen synthesis (the core structural protein in skin).

Caffeine is a skin-protective ingredient that’s clinically proven to reduce damage from UV rays, as we documented in our review of Vibriance Super C Serum.

Astaxanthin is a chemical compound found in wild-caught salmon (among other natural sources) which was shown in a meta-review published in the Nutrients journal to reduce wrinkle depth and have an anti-inflammatory effect on skin.

Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream also contains several ingredients we recommend avoiding.

It contains the two synthetic preservatives we highlighted in the previous section: phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin.

It also contains sodium hydroxide, which is a pH balancer that’s potentially a skin irritant according to medical research.

Chlorphenesin is another synthetic preservative that was shown to be toxic to human cells in the same study cited in the previous section on phenoxyethanol’s toxicity.

Overall we consider this cream to be likely effective for anti-aging and the reduction of wrinkles given that it contains a number of research-backed ingredients. We don’t recommend this product due to the inclusion of various questionable additive ingredients.

A YouTube creator named Kay Forbey reviewed this eye cream in a video reviewing many Thrive Causemetics products. We’ve timestamped the below video to start at the point in the video where she’s reviewing this cream:

Hydraglow is the non-toxic anti-aging cream we recommend. It features bakuchiol as an active ingredient which was described in a 2014 clinical trial as "clinically proven to have anti-aging effects” because it reduced wrinkles and improved skin elasticity. Most importantly, this cream is entirely free of questionable additive ingredients like preservatives.

Thrive’s eye cream costs $46 for 0.5 ounces while Hydraglow costs $56 for 2 ounces making Hydraglow nearly 3x cheaper per ounce.

Interested consumers can purchase Hydraglow at the secure checkout below:

Thrive Causemetics Sunscreen Review

Thrive Causemetics sunscreen active ingredients

The best-selling sunscreen sold by Thrive Causemetics is called Buildable Blur CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40. We do not recommend this sunscreen based on the active ingredients shown below:

Homosalate is a chemical sunscreen ingredient shown in a medical trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology to be cytotoxic (toxic to living cells), genotoxic (damaging to the genetic information in cells) and to accumulate in living ecosystems, which suggests it's harmful to the environment.

Octisalate is another chemical sunscreen ingredient that may cause allergic skin reactions in some individuals as we documented in our Tula skincare review article.

We do not recommend chemical sunscreens, and instead recommend physical sunscreens.

Our top sunscreen pick is MDSolarSciences Mineral Moisture Defense. It's a physical sunscreen free of questionable chemical sunscreen ingredients. Its active ingredients are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide; both effective physical sunscreen ingredients backed by clinical research.

Interested consumers can check out MDSolarSciences sunscreen at this link to its official Amazon listing.

A YouTube video from a board-certified dermatologist named Dr. Whitney Bowe is under four minutes long and documents some of the relevant differences between chemical and physical sunscreen:

How Charitable is Thrive Causemetics Really?

Thrive Causemetics gets good PR (which has monetary value) for their charitable efforts. Certainly any charitable giving is better than none, but we were surprised to find that Thrive Causemetics does not appear to have any public pledge of charitable giving based on revenue or profits, given how much of their branding references their charitable work.

The brand’s How We Give page documents donations, including a recent $100,000 donation to the University of Louisville Breonna Taylor Memorial Scholarship Fund in Nursing.

But for a brand as large as Thrive Causemetics (sales estimated at $75 million in 2021 by ecommerceDB), these are still relatively small figures in our opinion. It would be great to see a commitment to donating a fixed percentage of revenue or profit, which we consider to be a more transparent way for brands that are positioning themselves as charitable to conduct themselves. 

According to Truth in Advertising, Thrive Causemetics was sued in 2018 for falsely representing that the brand donates a product to a woman in need for every product sold. The brand settled the lawsuit out of court. We consider this to be a red flag about the brand’s ethics, but does not necessarily prove any wrongdoing by Thrive Causemetics.

A third-party certification like Certified B Corp would also be useful for consumers, as it could make the percentage of revenue donated more public.

Illuminate Labs donates 5% of profits annually to our partner charity CURE Childhood Cancer, and we are both a Certified B Corp and transparently publish this pledge on our B Corp page.

Thrive Causemetics is certainly doing more than most brands in regard to charitable donations. We just like to see brands that use their charitable efforts for marketing be transparent about the total money donated.

Thrive Causemetics Pros and Cons

Here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons of Thrive Causemetics as a brand in our opinion.

Pros:

  • Highly effective anti-aging cream
  • Effective sunscreen formulation
  • More charitable than most cosmetics brands

Cons:

  • Questionable additives in all reviewed products
  • Expensive
  • Sunscreen has questionable active ingredients
  • Lack of transparency with charitable giving
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Conclusion

We do not recommend any of the Thrive Causemetics products that we reviewed, but we do consider two of them (Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream and Buildable Blur CC Cream sunscreen) likely to be effective.

All three of the products we reviewed contain questionable additive ingredients that we recommend avoiding.

Thrive Causemetics products also seem to be more expensive per-ounce than most skincare brands that we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health.

This company does have a commitment to ongoing charitable giving which is a good thing, but we’d like to see the brand transparently commit to a percentage of revenue or profits donated per year, especially given how much of the brand’s marketing revolves around their charitable image.