Clean beauty is a movement that seems to be sweeping the beauty industry, but just what does it mean? To some it means toxin-free products, free of ingredients such as sulphates, parabens and other things that you don’t want to be putting in/on your body. In this post I’m going to share some of my favorites from the most well-known clean beauty brands out there as well as how to easily find clean beauty products!
To me “clean beauty” isn’t just about what I’m putting on my body (and absorbing into my largest organ) but also about what I’m washing down the drain. In the 90s there was a movement away from soap products that contained phosphates and now there’s a movement to go even further.
How to Shop For Clean Beauty
I shop for the majority of my beauty products at Sephora and I buy that majority online. When it comes to shopping for clean beauty products, they’ve made it super easy! Under each category, you can filter by “clean beauty” or you can browse categories and just look for the “Clean at Sephora” tag.
The “Clean at Sephora” tag lets you know that a product is free of parabens, sulphates, phthalates, formaldehyde and more toxic ingredients that you don’t want. This is for every.single.category., too (including fragrance). Maybe your favorite products are already deemed clean – you never know!
Let’s talk about some clean beauty brands…
BeautyCounter + Their Mission
One of the most well known clean beauty brands out there right now is probably BeautyCounter. It’s definitely becoming more popular and you may have even heard of it from a friend who neighbour who might sell it herself (it is a MLM). What really differentiates BeautyCounter in the beauty market is that although all of their own products are 100% safe, they are trying to help introduce legislation and regulations to make all beauty products safe, across all brands. That’s a movement I think we can all get behind!
I think one of the biggest draws for me to BeautyCounter is the gorgeous packaging. I love when something looks pretty and luxurious on my bathroom vanity (or that photographs nicely for Instagram…let’s be honest). BeautyCounter certainly delivers when it comes to this! They’ve also got a product lineup for every skin care concern, including their latest anti-aging launch called CounterTime.
My Fave BeautyCounter Items: Every BeautyCounter rep has their “hero” products that they love most from the brand. For me, it’s the One-Step Makeup Remover Wipes. I also love their lip glosses, any of their Citrus Mimosa body products and their can’t miss Sugar Body Scrub in Lemongrass!!
Honest Beauty
I’ve been a big fan of the Honest Company since they started. I don’t know if it’s my love of Jessica Alba or the mission of the company itself. I love how all of their cleaning and household products are toxin-free, so when they released a lineup of beauty products, I had to give it a look.
What I love about Honest Beauty is that it’s available online but you can also find it at stores like Target where you can check out makeup colours and get a feel for the textures and scents of their skin care products. Their products are dermatologist tested, cruelty free and toxicologist certified. These are also some of the least expensive products of this quality in the clean beauty space.
My Honest Beauty Faves: Their Hydrogel Cream and Deep Hydration Face Cream.
Briogeo: Clean Beauty for Hair
Your beauty routine should include considering hair care, too – not just makeup and skin care! I’m one of the pickiest people out there when it comes to hair care. I like to think my hair is a bit complicated and I find it hard to really “love” something. Earlier this year I tried out some Briogeo products and I fell in love. Then I tried some more of their products and loved them even more.
If you ask me to choose a favourite Briogeo product, I would have to say “for what, specifically?” because I love them all. I use different leave-in conditioners at different times of year (for varying levels of moisture) and I use different shampoos, conditioners and products based on styling, colour care and more. They really do have a lineup for every hair type and concern. And they are all clean!
My Briogeo Hair Routine:
Washing: Once per week I wash my hair with the Don’t Despair, Repair Shampoo + Deep Conditioning Mask. When my hair is colour-treated, I use the Color-Me-Brilliant Shampoo + Conditioner once per week, otherwise I use one of the Be Gentle, Be Kind Superfoods Shampoos + Conditioners (depending on which scent I feel like that day).
Styling: I always follow up my wash with a spray leave-in conditioner – either the Don’t Despair, Repair or the Farewell Frizz (depending on how dry my hair is or how much extra moisture I need). I use the Blossom & Bloom volume spray on my roots and then use a bit of the Farewell Frizz Styling Cream on my ends before blowdrying.
Things to Consider With Clean Beauty
Like shopping for all beauty products, be sure to read the labels and ingredient lists. Just because a product is labeled “clean” doesn’t mean that it’s the right type of skin care for you and your skin concerns. Always consult your professional skin care consultant or dermatologist if you have questions. Just because something “feels good” on your skin doesn’t mean it’s doing anything productive or useful for you.
I’d also like to mention that there is a difference between “clean” and “natural” and “organic”. Those terms are not interchangeable nor should they be. If you’re going to put it on your body, be sure to research it just like anything else. “Clean” also does not mean “acid free”. Some of the acids in skin care are sourced from nature but they might not be the right fit for your skin (or the right fit at this time).
Just because something is clean also doesn’t mean that it’s 100% safe for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Again, be sure to consult your professional skin care consultant or dermatologist if you aren’t sure. This blogger posted a glossary of clean beauty terms which you might find helpful as well!
