5 Clean beauty products you probably haven’t tried yet
Written by Meghan Gilmore
This June, a new study revealed that around half of all cosmetics sold in the U.S. are likely to contain toxic ingredients. By July, I decided to start paying a lot more attention to clean beauty.
For a while, prioritizing clean ingredients hadn’t seemed worth the effort. After all, makeup is makeup, and “clean beauty” is just another way for companies to greenwash, right?
Wrong. After some research — and some realizations that a long-lasting mascara isn’t worth long-term health impacts — I started to appreciate clean makeup brands for avoiding harmful and questionable ingredients. Transparency is at the core of these brands, and who doesn’t love that? So today, the spotlight is on some great new releases from brands we love.
All the products below are clean, but they’re not satisfied with just one function. They’re also skincare hybrids that will help leave your skin better than you found it, even when you decide to wear that new avant-garde look to the grocery store. (You know, just because you can.)
1. Brow Renew Clean Tinted Eyebrow-Growth Gel – Rose Inc.
After years as an editorial beauty site, Rose Inc. announced their venture into the cosmetics industry last month, and they’re already winning us over with their thoughtful designs and ethical practices. All of their products are vegan and non-comedogenic, so sensitive skin is safe. Plus, the packaging isn’t just cute — it’s made with recycled materials. Their new brow gel holds brows in place with a natural tint and hydrates with vitamin E and pea sprout extract. Retail: $26.
2. The Big Clean – Kosas
Kosas, run by Iranian CEO Sheena Yaitanes, focuses on comfortable, effective cosmetics. The brand just updated their fan-favorite volumizing mascara with a reformulation that doesn’t just promise longer wear time (up to 12 hours) and fluffy lashes. Its all-clean ingredients list boasts nourishing ingredients like castor oil and B5, which help to condition and strengthen your lashes. Retail: $26.
3. Bionic Liquid Blush – Milk Makeup
Founded and owned by Zanna and Mazdack Rassi in 2014, Milk is now a big name in vegan cosmetics. They’ve always focused on developing stellar multitask products, and their newest set of releases is no exception. This time, they’re blending makeup and skincare into one seamless package.
Their new Bionic Liquid Blush is formulated with hyaluronic acid, mushroom extracts and plant-derived collagen to help with skin hydration and elasticity. Retail: $20.
4. Sunshine Under Eye Tint + Brighten
The Sunshine Under Eye Tint + Brighten is packed with the same ingredients I look for in my eye creams. This lightweight, light coverage concealer has a second-skin finish, but it’s the brightening vitamin C, hydrating squalene and depuffing caffeine that have me reaching for this product so often! Retail: $28.
5. GLAZE #5 Fruity Cereal – iNNBEAUTY
iNNBEAUTY is still new to the game, but it’s quickly catching up to being one of my favorite sustainable (they’re plastic negative!) and affordable brands.
Their ultra-shiny lip oils will make you even more excited to join in on the lip gloss renaissance that’s been going on this year. Their newest plumping addition has a flavor inspired by the nostalgia-filled flavors of classic sugary cereals (am I the only one who’s sick of lip gloss that tastes bad?) and works to hydrate your lips immediately and long-term. Retail: $15.
Header photo by (Sora Shimazaki / Pexels)
