Sustainable beauty and skincare
Consumer’s desire for clean and sustainable products in recent years has been a much-needed shake-up in the beauty industry, where the last piece of legislation on product safety is over 80 years old. It’s true, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
Before we dive in, perhaps you’re wondering what constitutes “clean” beauty. There are two major factors to take into account when vetting a brand for its purported cleanliness: Ingredients and labels. When it comes to ingredients, you’ll want to look out for non-toxics on the list. Sites like Follain, which lists the ingredients they restrict, and the Clean Face Project, which allows users to search their beauty products to see if they pass muster, can help in the vetting process. You’ll also want to look for transparency. Does the brand list their ingredients and their sources? Believe it or
If you need some help greening your skincare and makeup products, we’ve rounded up seven of our favorite clean beauty brands that you can add to your routine.
#1—The Organic Skin Co.
Boasting a full product line that includes everything from skincare to makeup to brushes, The Organic Skin Co. is as committed to the planet as they are
Our top pick: The refillable palettes, which not only allow users to customize their colors but when a pod runs out, it can simply be reordered and popped back into the palette. Brillant we know!
#2—Kosas
Kosas creates cutting edge, super sleek beauty products that also happen to be extremely clean. With a freshly launched concealer,
Our top pick: The Tinted Face Oil that acts as a hydrating facial oil and a medium coverage foundation in one.
#3—Cocokind
With 100% USDA certified organic ingredients, zero synthetic fragrances added, and cruelty-free practices, Cocokind skincare creates products that are easy to feel good about using. Boasting hero ingredients such as turmeric, matcha, and adaptogenic mushrooms, Cocokind’s skincare, makeup, and baby products are about as clean as they come. Famously transparent, the brand is continuously working towards better sustainable practices as well, such as their One Tree Planted partnership and push towards more sustainable packaging.
Our top picks: The Baby line, which includes soothing salves and oils for baby’s delicate skin, and the Turmeric Tonic, which rolls on clear to support acne-prone skin and treat breakouts on the spot.
#4—RMS beauty
A pioneer in the clean beauty industry, RMS Beauty is celebrating a decade of clean, functional beauty this year. Created to work with your body, RMS is perfect for those “no makeup” makeup looks, highlighting your own natural beauty with skincare and makeup that includes everything you’d need for a full
Our top pick: Their Magic Luminizer for that dewy, glowing, moon-lit look.
#5—Lily Lolo
UK brand Lily Lolo could be considered the RMS across the pond—a pioneer of the clean beauty industry in their own right. With a range of products that include brushes, bronzers, mineral foundations and everything in between, Lily Lolo uses minerals to enhance their formulas to create flawless, weightless coverage.
Our top pick: Pressed Bronzer in Montego Bay, a warm versatile shade that will make you forget it’s winter (if only for a moment).
#6—Indie Lee
Skincare brand Indie Lee not only eschews ingredients that are known to cause harm, but also those that are even suspected are passed on as well. They are in favor of simple, honest ingredients that produce gorgeous results. The product of a dire diagnosis and subsequent wake up call (read founder Indie’s incredible story here), Indie Lee believes that what we put on our skin is just as important as what we eat and how we take care of ourselves otherwise.
Our top pick: Hard to choose, but the Meditation Facial Mist wins for being both calming and effective at hydrating parched skin.
#7—Kjaer Weis
Housed in
Our top pick: For hands down the perfect shade of red, the Kjaer Weis x Caroline Issa lipstick in Sucré is

Photo by Katsia Jazwinska on Unsplash
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