For the first 26 years of my life, my skincare routine consisted of daily sunscreen in the morning and a quick splash of water to rinse at night. I didn’t want to spend the money or time on makeup and skincare products and figured I was better off not drenching my skin in harmful chemicals. When persistent dry skin and the first hints of wrinkles finally convinced me to think about starting a skincare regimen, I knew I wanted to find products that I felt good about putting on my body. I’ve always paid a lot of attention to the food I eat and figured I should take the same care with the products I put on my skin.
Despite the rise in consumer demand for ‘clean beauty’ products, the industry still feels a bit like the Wild West. The FDA has limited oversight of the beauty industry, meaning it can be incredibly difficult to figure out which products are truly safe and which are simply trying to hop on the clean beauty bandwagon by labeling their items ‘natural.’ Combine the lack of regulation with the fact that we still don’t know all that much about the effects of many commonly-used ingredients and choosing safe skincare products can feel extremely daunting.
One resource I’ve found to be incredibly helpful in my search for safe skincare is the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep database. For nearly three decades, the EWG has worked to educate consumers about outdated legislation, harmful agricultural practices, and industry loopholes that pose a risk to human and environmental health. The Skin Deep database provides information about thousands of consumer products, from shampoo to makeup to household cleaning supplies, that have been tested and rated by EWG. Of course, nothing is perfect and many ingredients still have limited data associated with them, however, it’s a start. All products are rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the 'cleanest' and 10 the 'dirtiest.' These days, before I purchase a product or try a new brand, I look it up in the SkinDeep database - you can even use their app to scan barcodes, so you can get information in real-time as you shop!
Below are 9 of my very favorite, tried-and-true clean beauty products:
This daily sunscreen leaves my skin feeling dewy and fresh without any of the heavy, white zinc residue that’s so common in “safe” sunscreens. Check it out on Skin Deep.
I use this hyaluronic acid every morning and night after I wash my face. It works as a humectant, meaning it helps the skin retain moisture. Since I started using it, I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my typically dry, flaky skin. Check it out on Skin Deep.
When I told my dermatologist I wanted a simple, impactful skincare routine with as few products as possible, she recommended vitamin C serum. Vitamin C serum helps promote collagen growth and acts as an antioxidant, helping prevent fine lines and wrinkles. I use this serum every morning on top of my hyaluronic acid. Check it out on Skin Deep.
This night serum contains vegan AHA lactic acid which acts as an exfoliant and promotes cell turnover. I typically use it every other night but sometimes I use it every day when I’m wanting an extra boost. Check it out on Skin Deep.
I’ve always struggled with dry, chapped lips. I’ve tried lots of things to soften them up - every drugstore chapstick, homemade lip scrubs, drinking buckets of water - but this nighttime lip therapy is one of the first products that’s helped me see a real difference. Check it out on Skin Deep.
As someone who never wore foundation or concealer, finding a product that felt understated and comfortable was my top priority. This portable little liquid concealer tube is exactly what I needed - it’s light, it blends beautifully, and provides good coverage of under-eye circles, pimples, and more. Check out Bareminerals other concealers on Skin Deep.
I bought this lipstick in ‘Crush’ for my wedding (stay tuned for a wedding makeup blog!) and I adore it. It’s subtle, creamy, and incredibly long-lasting. I like to layer it over my Bite Beauty Agave Lip Therapy for a hydrating, comfortable wear. Skin Deep does highlight a few concerning ingredients, however, the overall score remains relatively low at 3 out of 10. Check it out on Skin Deep.
I love adding a swipe of this shimmery, dewy highlighter on top of my daily sunscreen on the days I want to look natural and fresh. It glides on easily and adds the perfect amount of shine to make me feel ever so slightly dressed up. I use the ‘mai-light’ shade which offers a soft, rose gold tone. Check it out on Skin Deep.
Finding a natural deodorant is a process. I’ve tried many, many brands with mixed success - some gave me rashes, some offered no protection against smell, etc. The pro is that Native Deodorant smells great. The con is that it smells great because it contains fragrance (which is notoriously toxic). Despite that, it still earns a 3 out of 10 on Skin Deep and I’ve decided that I’ll continue to use it until I find something else that works better. Check it out on Skin Deep.
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