Hello friends! The time has come for yet another clean beauty review! As you know, I have expanded content here on TSS to include more beauty related topics this year. And sequential to my 1st quarter beauty review, the itch to try out all things new continues. From the long list of products that have taken over my bathroom counter the past several months, I am extremely excited to be drafting this post and finally share with you my findings. Not just any findings tho. Yes, these beauty finds are clean and you can bet I gave them all a proper two week go round. But aside from hitting all my requirements when it comes to products, these beauty finds are all accessible. All of the brands and products that I’ll be listing for you today can be found at drugstores (ie. Target, WholeFoods, Amazon). Knowing the search for clean beauty products can be difficult, I really wanted to find accessible clean beauty products that can be in hand today or on your doorstep tomorrow.
I am happy to report my findings have swayed any skepticism. I thought there’s no way drugstores are going to have clean beauty products. But they do. Quite a lot, actually! I’ve learned, however, what I consider clean may differ from the brands definition. And the ‘formulated without’ list of ingredients may differ from one clean program to the next. For example, I found that many products within the clean program at Target hold fragrance or perfume. According to the International Fragrance Association, ‘fragrance’ as an ingredient can house thousands of unknown components. Many can remain hidden under that name alone.
I’ll also note that these beauty trials have shed light on my own definition of clean and acceptance threshold. Fragrance may not be a determining factor in your buy – and it truthfully isn’t always in mine and that’s completely okay. If you take anything away from these reviews, I would hope they spotlight the importance of conscious beauty and provide you the opportunity to review your own thought on it. We’ve all different motives when it comes to shopping, we’ve all different skin concerns, and we address them all differently. My hope is to simply share what I find, while discovering hidden truths behind the label.
I’ll admit, I haven’t fully made the clean beauty switch. There are still products I use that aren’t clean and tip the ewg rating scale a bit higher than I’d like to admit. Some are bought out of habit, and some based on affordability and convenience. But I am more conscious in the choices I make when it comes to beauty and I am proud of staying true to the standards I’ve set when seeking out new.
Below I’ve outlined the retailer and corresponding brands available.
AMAZON
Dr. Squatch // Let me tell you – when your husband discovers a soap brand that is clean, you first take a moment to pride yourself a little on your influence and second, you add it to your list of shares. Dr. Squatch is changing the way men approach hygiene by providing natural, healthy products that make your man feel his best and smell amazing. Patrick has given quite a few scents a try. Agreeable favorites include Pine Tar, Cool Fresh Aloe, and Eucalyptus greek yogurt.
Tools // Aside from the skincare and makeup, I thought to include a few of my favorite tools and prime subscribed items on list. Beauty blenders, hair wraps, facial ice roller, an at home derma-planing tool, mask applicators, and a luxurious skincare mini fridge – they all serve purpose in making my daily regimen more sufficient.
Vit. E enhance oil // I just looked, and I’ve purchased this 6 times; It’s clearly on my empties/repeater list. Vitamin E is so good for your skin in general, and with added organic jojoba, avocado, and lavender essential oil it packs benefit. This oil helps with discoloration, reduces wrinkles and fine lines, heals under eye circles, and promotes collagen and elastin production. I’ve seen and continue to see a dramatic difference from use and have been adding 1 -2 drops to my am moisturizer.
TARGET & WHOLE FOODS
Alba Botanica // A friend I follow had raved about this all over body lotion available at Whole Foods and I
sought to give it a try. The Very Emollient body lotion in coconut rescue is my now goto daily lotion. It’s not greasy and provides your skin the moisture it needs. The light coconut scent is not too overpowering, either. This accessible plant based brand has a wide range of products that seek to address beauty concerns, naturally.
Cocokind // One of my favorite brands, hands down. Completely naive to the benefits of Chia seeds, I did a little research before trying out this top seller. I was a little skeptical to try another facial oil, but positive reviews and a long list of benefits convinced the buy. This Chia Facial oil is now part of my daily regimen. It leaves my skin extremely soft, soothes and supple looking. I’ve also given the Mai-Light Rose highlighter stick a try and love the dewy look it gives.
DermaE // I discovered DermaE over a year ago and fell in love with their Vitamin C hydrogel under eye patches. If you’ve followed me a while, you know these are used religiously and are very prevalent in my morning routine. I stick them in my mini fridge and my skin enjoys a cooling dose of Vit. C. I’ve tried many products in the DermaE line since. Favorites to list are: Microdermabrasion Scrub and the Vitamin C Instant Radiance Citrus Facial Peel. Both Target and Wholefoods carry select DermaE products, tho I’ve found a wider product selection at Whole Foods.
Honest Beauty // If you read my Q1 review, you’ve learned my love for the Honest mascara. I’ve tried several products in the line since and can honestly say this brand is one of my favorite clean accessible brands. Favorites include the Makeup remover wipes, Hydrogel cream, and the Deep hydration eye cream.
Kristen Ess // Seems as if alot of hair care products are going sulfate free these days, but that doesn’t deter me from researching the products in full before use. Not all dry shampoos are created equal, and not all are sulfate and paraben free. I’ll admit, there are other clean dry shampoos that I favor over Kristen Ess (just being honest), but if I am in a pinch, or shopping on budget, I’d 100% choose this line over any others on shelf. The Revive dry Shampoo smells great, holds no visible residue, and does the job!
Pixi by Petra // My love for this brand started with the Brightening correction concentrate. I’d grown fond of the Becca cosmetics under eye brightener, and knew there had to be cleaner accessible options out there. On a whim Target run, I gave this a try and think it does the job really well. Over the past year or so, I’ve given a few more products in the line a go and many (if not all) have taken a spot in my daily makeup and skincare regimen. A few products I absolutely love are the Glow Tonic to Go exfoliating toner pads, Glow Peel Advanced exfoliating pads, and the DetoxifEYE de-puffing eye patches.
Weleda // I originally saw this brand at Target, but then found a wider selection accessible at Whole Foods. I’ve only tried one product – the Skin Food Original Ultra rich cream. It’s heavenly. Just as it states, Skin Food is a universal savior of dry, rough skin on faces, elbows, hands and feet. It’s extremely rich and effective. I have both the Lip Butter and Body Butter on my next to try list.
There you have it, your list of clean beauty drugstore favorites to grab on your next day out! Until our next review, thanks for stopping by!
