Some women have the wrong idea about green beauty.
They assume that it’s all about “toxin” paranoia and patchouli overload. And—even worse—they’ve never tried a natural beauty product good enough to keep ‘em coming back for more.
So here they are: six makeup and skincare products that raise the bar on clean beauty. They use high-quality, nontoxic ingredients and deliver on their promises.
In other words: they really work.
As usual, this post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own.
Lily Lolo Foundation
Not all mineral foundations are created equal.
Other mineral foundations often contain bismuth oxychloride, which causes redness and irritation, especially in warm weather or if you sweat. But Lily Lolo has a simple and safe ingredient list that doesn’t cause redness.
Ingredients: mica, zinc oxide. May contain: titanium dioxide, iron oxides.
| Extremely Safe | Reasonably Safe | Proceed with Caution | Insufficient Data |
Lily Lolo’s Foundation ($22) effortlessly creates an even, radiant complexion that can look like skin itself or a glam airbrushed look, depending on how it’s applied.
For a perfect application, I recommend using a densely packed brush and finishing with a setting mist. This is one of those products I can’t imagine being without, and many readers of The Beauty Proof have happily switched to.
Vitamin C Booster from True Botanicals
Vitamin C is one of the most safe and effective ingredients for younger looking skin. But Vitamin C is also notoriously unstable in skincare preparations. As soon as Vitamin C is mixed into a liquid, it begins to oxidize and lose its power.
Think about all the serums and creams that boast the research-backed benefits of Vitamin C, yet don’t deliver on their promises.
That’s why this Vitamin C Booster from True Botanicals is different. It made my skin visibly brighter, smoother, firmer and even improved hyperpigmentation (read more about my results here).
By separating the serum from the Vitamin C, the Vitamin C Booster retains maximum potency until mixed with a serum in the palm of your hand. (Here’s the serum I love!)
Ingredients: organic tapioca starch, vitamin C as L-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid.
The Vitamin C Booster from True Botanicals is $90 for a .49 oz glass shaker bottle. It lasts much longer than you’d expect.
GET THE VITAMIN C BOOSTER HERE
Organic Jojoba Oil from Desert Essence
There’s a wide variety of uses for jojoba oil, but the main reason I’m a fan is because it’s an excellent choice for people whose skin can’t handle other plant-based oils, like coconut.
Technically, jojoba oil isn’t an oil, but a liquid wax. And it works well for acne-prone skin, mature skin, dry skin or oily skin. There’s few skin types or concerns that jojoba can’t handle.
Jojoba oil can be used as a facial moisturizer, a pre-shampoo hair mask, a makeup remover, a shave oil, and an effective body oil.
I’ve tried a few other brands, but I keep coming back to Desert Essence. It’s my preferred brand of jojoba oil. And no, I wasn’t paid to say that!
Ingredient: USDA-certified organic jojoba oil, AKA simmondsia chinensis.
Desert Essence’s Organic Jojoba Oil is usually $15 for a 4oz bottle, but you can find it here for less.
Once you have that bottle, be sure to check out Jojoba Oil: 7 Ways to Use This Green Beauty Essential.
Eyeshadow Quattro from Antonym
These stunning nude eyeshadows apply smoothly and evenly; sadly, not all “natural” eyeshadows can do that. And more importantly, Antonym’s eyeshadows don’t melt away by lunchtime.
99.62% of the ingredients are from a natural origin, and 12% of the total ingredients are from organic farming. Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter that the organic percentage is so low…. as a mineral-based eyeshadow, this is, by definition, primarily an inorganic product.
Ingredients: talc, mica, wheat starch/wheat, organic wheat starch, organic corn starch, phytosqualan, caprylic/capric triglyceride, isoamyl laurate, zinc stearate, glyceryl caprylate, magnesium stearate, lauroyl lysine, sorbic acid, octyldodecanol, silica. May contain: CI 77491 (iron-based colorant), CI 77492 (iron-based colorant), iron oxides, titanium dioxide.
The Antonym Noisette Eye Shadow Quattro is $39.
Or read my full review of the Antonym eyeshadows.
Golden Hour Recovery Cream from Ursa Major
This isn’t your typical face cream. It has a pale golden hue with an earthy, herbal scent.
What makes the Golden Hour Recovery Cream remarkable is the effect it has on skin. It’s rich, without being heavy or greasy, and helps skin appear refined and smoothed.
I’ve found that little lines and imperfections are minimized, and skin appears firmer and plumper.
And of course, the ingredients are clean and high quality, with 81% certified organic content.
Ingredients: organic aloe leaf juice, organic sunflower seed oil, glyceryl stearate citrate, cetearyl alcohol, glyceryl caprylate, leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate, organic glycerin, meadowfoam seed oil, glyceryl undecylenate, galactoarabinan, cetyl palmitate, octyldodecanol, black currant seed oil, sunflower seed oil unsaponifiables, balloon plant flower/leaf/vine extract, tocopherol, organicrosemary leaf extract, organic seabuckthorn fruit extract, sandalwood wood oil, organic rose flower oil, organic neroli flower oil, palmarosa leaf oil, organic calendula flower extract, sodium anisate, sclerotium gum, xanthan gum, sodium phytate, alcohol.
The Golden Hour Recovery Cream from Ursa Major is $48 for a 1.7oz jar.
Or check out my full review of the cream.
Lipstick from Ilia
Ilia’s Lipstick combines lip-nourishing oils like castor, jojoba and sesame into one of the most beloved makeup products in the green beauty universe. The finish is creamy semi-matte, and the 15 shades range from nude to vibrant orchid.
With the sleek packaging, on-trend colors, and perfectly wearable formulation, it’s hard to beat these lipsticks.
Ingredients: organic castor seed oil, organic sesame seed oil, organic jojoba seed oil, organic sunflower seed oil, organic beeswax, triisostearyl citrate, candelilla wax, organic cocoa seed butter, organic tapioca starch, aloe, grape seed oil, rose hip fruit oil, sage leaf extract, tocopherol. May contain: mica, titanium dioxide, and iron oxides.
Ilia Lipstick is $26.
Or check out my full review of the Ilia lip shades.
*This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
**Products get makeovers too. Be sure to check if this product has been recently re-formulated before using it yourself.
