Makeup Brands That Are Actually Good For You
Winter has arrived, and we can officially wear foundation without it sweating off! We have rounded up some famous, and little-known makeup brands, that are as good for you as they’ll look on you. And nothing makes a better gift (to yourself) than make-up. But what exactly qualifies as a good-for-you makeup brand? It could mean anything from avoiding one of these 7 controversial ingredients, lab-innovated goodness (like Juice Beauty), or aims to nourish with natural oils.
Kosas
Kosas aims to be clean, they have banned over 2700 different ingredients and adhere to Sephora clean standards. Beyond their impressive ban list, they want their products to feel different; lighter, and more breathable than a traditional foundation.
Kosas enriches products like their Tinted Face Oil Foundation, Comfy Skin Tint. This foundation is made with: “moisturizing Avocado Oil, plumping Meadowfoam Oil, reparative Red Raspberry Oil, soothing Jojoba Oil, nourishing Camellia Seed Oil, and brightening Rosehip Seed Oil.”
ILIA
You may not picture radical and potent as the ideal words to describe a make-up brand but for Ilia, it works: “We challenge the conventions of clean beauty to create something radically new, through safe, potent formulas that protect and revive your skin.”
Their Fade Into You: Soft Focus Finishing Powder’s first three ingredients are corn starch, castor seed oil, and bamboo stem extract (we could almost say yum!)
Juice Beauty
Would you like a side of orange juice with your lipstick? Yes, well then you are in luck. Juice beauty took 5 years to formulate, but we won’t overwhelm you with 5 years of data (not that we even have access to that information.)
While your skin will tolerate most PEGS (Polyethylene glycols), but that doesn’t translate to nourishing. And that’s part of the problem Juice Beauty sat out to solve. How can make-up become skin food? JuiceBeauty uses, “an antioxidant and vitamin-rich organic botanical juice base [over water or PEGS/petroleum derivatives.]” The brand’s cream blush features, “luxurious, silky color powered by plant-derived Phyto-Pigments instead of artificial dyes.”
Honest Beauty
This brand lures us in with its transparency. Honest Beauty isn’t synthetic-free but they certainly try. “We always strive to use natural or naturally-derived ingredients first such as beneficial botanicals in our paraben-free skincare.” When the brand must use synthetic ingredients, the brand sources from “vetted raw-material partners.”
Lily Lolo
Promises to not use Parabens, phthalates, synthetic perfumes, synthetic dyes, or nano-particles in any of their products. Lily Lolo is a 15-year-old brand, so hopefully, you’ve heard of them?! We’re joking, this is actually a London brand, so it is totally okay if you haven’t heard of them. This vegan and the non-GMO brand has had high standards since the beginning. The Lily Lolo Natural BB Cream is formulated with skin-soothing Lavender Oil and Aloe.
Aether Beauty Co.
A brand that crystal-charges their products? Ummm...yes, please. When they can Aether Beauty Co., prioritizes using naturally derived, organic, and Fair Trade products. The company touts being both Vegan and organic.
Their Joshua Tree Palette is infused with citrine-crystal energy, “to promote cell regeneration and a balanced complexion. as well as: Organic Coconut Oil to calm, protect, and hydrate. Organic Shea Butter for a smooth, buttery texture. Organic Hempseed Oil to keep skin hydrated and promote a radiant glow.”