Green glow up: 4 must-try clean beauty brands
Whilst there is no universal definition for clean beauty, it generally refers to cosmetics made from natural, organic and ethically sourced ingredients. Clean beauty products are usually vegan and cruelty-free, meaning they do not use animal or animal derived products and are not tested on animals.
Clean beauty products are increasing in popularity for the benefits to skin, animals and environment that come with using kinder ingredients.
However, increasing greenwashing from large cosmetics companies, such as false or exaggerated statements about ingredients, is blurring the lines between true clean beauty products and cosmetics that are being advertised in a misleading way.
This makes it difficult for consumers who are wanting to try clean beauty, but are not sure what ingredients or markers to look for to ensure they are buying genuine clean cosmetics, to make informed purchases.
To try and help those wanting to give clean beauty products a go but aren’t sure where to start, I’ve compiled a list of 6 brands to give a try and why.
Elate Beauty
Elate advocates for creating a capsule makeup bag, which is similar to a capsule wardrobe, and refers to a minimalist collection of makeup items that meet a person's essential beauty needs.
Reducing waste being sent to landfill is a top priority for Elate, who offer reusable, refillable and recyclable packaging. Some packaging can even be planted where it will compost! Its ethos is kindness; being kind to ourselves, the planet and animals. As a result, its products are 100% vegan and cruelty free.
Demonstrating a commitment to the people in the cosmetics supply chain, Elate uses organic ingredients where possible or, where not possible, Fairtrade ingredients, which ensure integrity and fair wages for farmers.
Offering refillable palettes, face, eye and lip products, there is something for everyone from Elate. Refill your beauty and refresh the planet!
2. ILIA Beauty
One of the better known brands in the clean beauty space, ILIA has grown in popularity amongst beauty gurus for its kind-to-skin ingredients that can be used to create beautiful no-makeup, makeup looks.
Seeing skincare and makeup as one in the same, ILIA’s products are designed to shield the skin from environmental pollutants, without compromising on coverage or pigment.
With products that are multi-use and easy to apply, ILIA advocates for the less is more approach, with consumers able to buy one product that can be applied to eyes, lips and cheeks, then thrown into their bags for on- the-go touch ups.
Advocating for transparency in the beauty industry and using consciously and carefully selected ingredients that are kind to skin and planet, ILIA is a great choice for those wanting to try a trending clean beauty brand.
3. Kosas Cosmetics
It's giving… bold, colourful and Y2K. Kosas is an on-trend clean beauty brand looking to tear up the rulebooks and make clean beauty cool(er).
Although not an original clean beauty brand per se, Kosas started out wanting to make products that feel good on the skin and improve it at the same time, and arrived at the use of minimal, natural ingredients to do this, rendering them a clean beauty brand.
Kosas offers a host of bright, playful and pigmented products, which use minimal ingredients that are kind to even the most sensitive of skin. Its products are free from over 2,700 less-than-clean ingredients, including parabens, silicones and sulphates.
Kosas is perfect for anyone wanting to swap their usual bold looks for more planet-friendly versions, which are still Insta worthy!
4. Alima Pure
Alima Pure products are made using clean and non-toxic ingredients, as its name suggests! Its products are cruelty-free and do not contain parabens, sulphates or other controversial ingredients.
Its ethos is all about enhancing natural beauty with natural ingredients, offering consumers luxurious and high-performance cosmetics such as blushes, mineral eyeshadows and cream highlighters.
Alima Pure also offers refillable options for customers, which minimises packaging waste and saves money, as refills are available for a cheaper price than buying new. Refillable beauty products reduce single-use packaging waste and encourages consumers to reuse containers, creating a mindset that values resource efficiency and waste reduction, which can translate to other areas of life.
Having been awarded B Corp status over 10 years ago, Alima Pure is dedicated to reducing any negative environmental impacts of its cosmetics production, offsetting corporate carbon emissions, participating in a renewable energy program, and committing to planting a million trees by 2025.
Final thoughts
The quest to find beauty products that align with our environmental and social values can be difficult, made even harder by the abundance of greenwashing and shady marketing tactics used by big brands.
However, clean beauty products and the brands offering them are growing in popularity, as people begin to realise the harmful impacts cosmetics can have on the environment, their skin, and the people involved in the supply chain.
Clean beauty is more than just a trend, it's about shifting our mindsets to be more conscious of our purchases and the impacts they have on people and the planet. Trying clean beauty brands and swapping out your faves for more sustainable alternatives is a small act that could have a big impact on the future of the cosmetics industry.
