4 Clean Skincare and Makeup Brands
BY SUOMO QUARSHIE
People of all ages enjoy buying makeup and skincare, and these products mean something different to each person. For many, makeup and skincare are part of one’s daily routine. For others, influencing others to buy products is how they make a living. While the beauty industry as a whole has a net worth of 526.6 billion USD, it comes at an environmental cost. According to Sustainable Earth, the cosmetic industry is likely responsible for one third of landfill waste. The 120 billion units of beauty packaging used each year leads to excessive plastic pollution and expedited climate change. Furthermore, the contents of many popular beauty products contain chemicals known to harm the environment and the skin. Knowing this information is important to choosing makeup and skincare that helps you while simultaneously protecting the environment.
You can accomplish these goals by buying clean cosmetics. Clean products are those that are free from harmful chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and sulfates. Some products come with sustainable packaging that can be broken down or be refilled. “I love doing my skincare! It's really important to me that my skin stays healthy and it feels really great when I see a product I want and it has the ‘clean’ check mark. It makes my purchase feel more justified,” says freshman Olivia Sisson when describing why clean skincare is important to her. “I would love to see some of the brands whose products are better be spotlighted,” she added.
ILIA
Minis for Any Mood Gift Set. Ilia
Ilia is a makeup and skincare brand founded by Sasha Plavsic in 2011 with the goal of reviving your skin and the earth through clean products free of dangerous chemicals. The brand is the recipient of multiple Allure’s Best of Beauty Awards and also supports reforestation. 1% of profits from its Super Serum Skin Tint go towards reforestation efforts in Peru, Brazil and Ecuador.
BIOSSANCE
Biossance is a skincare brand focused on keeping your skin hydrated through high-performing natural ingredients and biotechnology. Biossance chemists work to create innovative products using primarily sugar cane and environmentally safe ingredients.
Hydration on Deck Set. Biossance
In addition to clean ingredients, the brand uses sugar cane pulp in its packaging. By 2030, Biossance hopes to have 100% recyclable packaging. The brand prevents waste by using 95% of hazardous waste as fuel in its labs.
CREDO
Maya Chia the the Straight A Retinol. Credo
Credo is the perfect place to shop for clean beauty, selling skincare, makeup, and hair care lacking harmful chemicals and packaged sustainably by LolaVie. As a brand that seeks to go beyond merely checking boxes, Credo was called the “world's most innovative beauty company” by Fast Company.
KOSAS
Another world-renowned clean skincare and makeup brand is Kosas, founded by Sheena Yaitanes in 2015. Yaitanes started by making lipsticks in her kitchen and now runs a business worth 20 million dollars. Products like their concealer and sprays have become social media sensations. Now, Kosas is focused on using nature and healthy ingredients to create products for all skin types. It has started using contemporary ingredients like bamboo stem extract, passionfruit leaf extract, and many more. “Oh my goodness, I love Kosas – especially their spray. I had no idea they were a clean brand,” says a sophomore.
Build-Your-Own 10-Second Eye Trio.
With the beauty industry as a whole fuelling the rise of climate change, it is imperative that one makes an effort to buy sustainable products for both their skin and the earth. Many of these brands have already become mainstream, making it easier and easier to do so.
