Today, April 22, is Earth Day, and we’re celebrating the only way we know how: Beauty! While you could continue using your favorite body lotion or shampoo that you’ve been relying on up until this point, these eco-conscious beauty brands could change your tune.
Lush
Jason And The Argan Oil Shampoo Bar, $9.95, lushusa.com
We all know and love Lush, and for good reason! Every time we step into their delicious-smelling store, we know what we pick up is made up of fresh ingredients (think fruits, vegetables, and essential oils), are ethically sourced, and hasn't been through any animal testing. If that’s not worth supporting, what is?
Free Your Mane
Sulfate Free Hydrating Shampoo, $16, freeyourmane.com
If you’ve been looking for an eco-conscious brand to take care of ethnic hair, this is it. Enriched with baobab oil from the Baobab superfruit that grows on the African Tree of Life, this brand's products help manage and seriously hydrate dry, brittle, or frizzy hair. Treat your hair to paraben-, sulfate-, and phthalate-free showers from now on.
Scotch Naturals
Canal Street Daisy, $15, scotchnaturals.com
Our nails shouldn’t have to suffer harsh chemicals, and Scotch Naturals has the answer to that problem. They’ve introduced NaturaLaq, the world’s premier nature-based nail lacquer. Not only are they phthalate-, paraben-, toxin-, cruelty-, and gluten-free, but they have also eliminated that horrible nail polish odor. Mani-pedi, anyone?
Jurlique
Herbal Recovery Antioxidant Cleansing Mousse, $34, jurlique.com
We love how Jurlique has a beautiful farm in South Australia to grow organic rose, chamomile, and lavender for all their products. They use a Bio-Intrinsic extraction process to make sure no part of the plants are wasted while you still get all the good stuff. Sign us up!
Drunk Elephant
Umbra Sheer Physical Defense SPF 30, $38, drunkelephant.com
This awesome skincare brand hasn’t been gaining popularity for no reason. All their products are non-toxic, and the brand makes an effort to remind (and enlighten) us that the label “natural” does not always mean a product is effective and/or safe for your skin. To keep us informed, the brand has a long list of “Blacklisted” ingredients, and we’re thankful Drunk Elephant is leaving them off our faces!
Bite Beauty
Smashed Agave Lip Mask, $26, sephora.com
You may know Bite for their colorful lipsticks, but did you also know they’re gluten-, polybutenes-, and petroleum-free? Basically, they're such good quality, you could eat them and not worry about the ingredients—though we recommend wearing over eating.
Nature’s Gate
Açai Body Wash, price varies, natures-gate.com
You’ve probably seen their products in your local Whole Foods, and now you’ll know Nature’s Gate provides us with great holistic beauty products. Their products are made in an eco-conscious facility and packaged in post-consumer recyclable materials.
Juara
Invigorating Coffee Scrub, $38, juaraskincare.com
This skincare line is centered on the Indonesian JAMU tradition, which is a longstanding practice that uses herbal medicine for truly natural beauty. They are 100 percent vegetarian and include a long list of no-nos that include being free of harsh chemicals and artificial colorants.
Elemental Herbology
Purify & Soothe Facial Cleansing Balm, $52, elementalherbology.com
If you want great skin from the inside out, turn to Elemental Herbology. Made in England, they support responsible sourcing of all ingredients to ensure they're getting the best materials for their nutrient-packed products. They’ve managed to stay eco-friendly without sacrificing any performance—they’re not just a pretty face!
How will you celebrate Earth Day?