I am always looking for opportunities to make small changes each day that will help create a more sustainable lifestyle and a healthier home. I know that perfection in this arena is impossible, but I want to be part of the collective effort to make a difference.
Because of this commitment, I started to research and exclusively use natural, non-toxic beauty products that are responsibly packaged and shipped. I tried almost every brand on the market, researched ingredients, read about each company’s philosophy, and found out where the products were manufactured and what type of packaging was used.
I naturally wanted to transfer this knowledge to my work as a makeup artist, so I made it a mission to create a red carpet worthy kit comprised entirely of clean and green cosmetics that perform as well as luxury cosmetic brands. I tested these products against red carpets, long filming days, and different studio lighting conditions. I now consider some of these products below to be the new luxury in cosmetics.
Not every company listed here scores perfectly across the board, but by switching a few of your products, you will be making small changes that make big statements to the cosmetic and beauty industry. Here are the standouts:
Makeup Remover:
Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes are bargain priced, have minimal ingredients and packaging–and one wipe removes an entire face of makeup.
Facial Cleansers:
Dr. Hauschka Soothing Cleansing Milk is a gentle, non-foaming lotion cleanser for all skin types that can be used daily in all climates.
Hanalei Papaya Enzyme Powder Cleanser is a water activated cleanser that was introduced to me by the Today Show hair department head, Laura Castorino. It is also available in clever travel packets for a completely plastic free option.
Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser is an exfoliating and renewing face wash that can also be used in conjunction with my Aspirin Mask.
Daytime Moisturizers:
Gressa Purifying Oil is a simple and clean facial oil that is gorgeously packaged. Its gentle hydration conditions the skin, and prepares it for makeup or just a clean face. Gressa philosophies include redefining beauty standards and honoring the environment. Follow their Instagram for their earnest and bold statements on the cosmetics industry.
Dr. Haushka Rose Day Cream is a lightly fragranced moisturizer that has a similar feeling as Creme de la Mer. It’s a good choice for dry or mature skin, or for normal to oily skin in colder, drier climates.
Night Moisturizers:
The Ordinary Rose Hip Seed Oil is an absolute must-have beauty product for everyone. (And by everyone, I have been told it’s even a secret weapon during high stakes negotiations!) It can actually be used day and/or night, on all skin types, and has a refreshingly affordable price–under $10!
Gressa Night Repair Elixer is a facial treatment oil that penetrates deeply into the skin and aids in the repair process that happens as we sleep. This concoction is decadence in a bottle, and you will see results in the morning after the first use.
Tata Harper Beautifying Face Oil feels lightweight and fresh on the skin, and the fragrance is genuinely mood altering.
Biafine Emulsion is used in France for sunburns, diaper rash, and various skin irritations and inflammations. It’s also an excellent repair cream when your skin needs extra attention.
Lip Balms:
Dr. Bronner’s Lip Balm is an affordable lip balm for every day protection and maintenance. It’s universal appeal and great price makes it an excellent addition to any gift basket.
Jowaé Nourishing Lip Balm is a luxurious treatment lip balm for chapped or damaged lips without a medicinal fragrance.
Boiron Homeoplasmine is an over the counter skin treatment sold in France that is similar to Aquaphor or Vaseline, but it contains Calendula for additional soothing.
Boiron Homeostik was introduced after Homeoplasmine became the international beauty star that it is now. It is a slightly modified formula is stick form, so you can keep it in your pocket.
Sunscreens:
NIOD Survival 30 is a hi-tech, thin sunscreen that was introduced to me by a friend on a visit to London who also introduced me to DECIEM, NIOD’s parent company. As a makeup artist, it is incredibly difficult to find a sunscreen that doesn’t interfere with lighting, flash photography, or foundation application, but this lightweight formula does the trick. It’s also available in SPF 20, and I own and recommend both!
Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen – Kids, SPF 30+ is the sunscreen that you need when you are looking for full sun protection. Kid’s sunscreen formulas are often safer and less toxic–with minimal fragrance and ingredients. This is my choice for our entire family.
Facial Treatments Masks:
Gressa Dirty Pretty Things is, in one word, surprising. It looks and smells like hot cocoa, and when you add water, it becomes an active mask that completely renews and brightens your skin after 10 minutes. This beautifully packaged mask is a great stocking stuffer or addition to a spa gift basket.
The Aspirin Mask is my tried and true facial treatment that I have doing weekly since the 90’s. You can read about it here.
Acne Treatment:
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion has been around forever, and this simple formula is still one of the most effective spot treatments available.
Foundation:
Gressa Mininalist Corrective Serum Foundation is every bit as good as Armani Luminous Glow, if not better–and you only need 3 drops. It photographs beautifully, reads like skin on film, and acts as a skin treatment while you wear it. I find the Gressa Purifying Oil to be best skincare base for this foundation. Buy their Air Focus Foundation Brush if you don’t already have one.
Concealer:
RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up can be used as both foundation or concealer, but I like to use it as a concealer and eyeshadow base. If you sweep a thin layer of this product from lash to brow, and set with W3ll Beauty Bio Brightener, your eye makeup will last hours longer.
Powder:
W3ll Beauty Bio Brightener is a feather light, no-color powder that is most clearly manufactured from clouds and is the cleaner and greener sister to Laura Mercier’s Brightening Powder.
Blush:
Gressa Lip Boost is a product made for lips, but works as a perfect cream blush that you can apply with your fingers. Brilliant is a rosy, apricot shade that gives a healthy glow to your skin.
Eyeshadows:
Viseart Eyeshadows are the industry standard for makeup artists. Their original Neutral Mattes Palette has been and still is ubiquitous in every makeup artist’s kit for as long as I can remember. They have since expanded their product line, but their eyeshadows remain high performing while still being hand pressed with the finest and safest ingredients.
Gressa Eye Tint is a cream eyeshadow buildable formula that can be used as a sweep of color or under a powder eyeshadow for depth and impact. Everyone that works woth me has heard me sing the praises of this company, but truly, these shadows are impressive. You need them.
RMS Eye Polish and Swift Shadows are created by a makeup artist and delivers professional color payoff as well as well as a wearable color range for a makeup kit or personal beauty bag.
Kjaer Weis Eyeshadows are refillable powder and cream eyeshadows that can easily compete with the packaging or presentation of any luxury brand. If you still need to feel like you are using cosmetics from one of the Paris fashion houses, these are for you.
Eye Pencils:
Kjaer Weis Eye Pencil is luxuriously but sustainably packaged, with professional staying power. I love these pencils for smoldering, red carpet eyes.
Tarte Double Duty Beauty Clay Liner is a good choice for a daily eye pencil that will stay put during your day. Tarte is also one of the few cosmetic brands that run sales, so watch for a deal and grab some!
Mascara:
Tarte Tartist Lash Paint is the only cleaner ingredient mascara that passes the test for me for thicker, velvety lashes with staying power.
Glossier Lash Slick will deliver a clean coat of inky black to your lashes when you want a natural look, but its also great as a topcoat to separate and lengthen a thicker mascara like the Tartist Lash Paint.
Tarte Lights! Camera! Splashes! is a waterproof mascara is too drying for every day, but has perfect staying power for swimming or teary eyed occasions.
Liquid Liner:
Tarte Tartist Clay Paint Liner is the most hygenic option for a liquid liner in a makeup artist’s kit, and also earns a point as an easy to use liquid liner for makeup beginners. It comes with a perfect brush for personal use. Pro tip: Apply liquid liner after mascara, so you can use the lashes as a little liner “wall” to glide the brush.
Lipstick:
Gressa Lip Boost is mentioned above, because it makes a great blush, but the shade Aux Rouge is also my daily lipstick. Bare is a makeup kit must have for me–I reach for it whenever I want to create a classic pouty lip found in the films of the 60s.
Rouje is a small Parisian fashion brand that offers a handful of cosmetics, including lipsticks packaged in chic, gold tubes. This creamy matte formula lasts all day but keeps your lips feeling healthy.
FLOWER Beauty is an affordably priced cosmetics line by Drew Barrymore sold at Walmart that I have been using in my kit for years. These Sheer Up Lip Tints are safely made in the USA, and every shade is wearable. Seriously, buy these!
Wycon Lipsticks are luxurious and velvety, but priced at under $10, so I populate my kit with these lovely colors. The Wycon store is a necessary kit replenishment stop for me every time I am in Italy, but you can order online to the United States.
KIKO Lipsticks are from another Italian brand that has now expanded into the USA. Their lipsticks are under $10, and make great gifts or kit items. Visit one of their stores if you can!
Besame is a Hollywood inspired makeup brand with lovely packaging that you will want to keep in your evening bag. The creator of Besame, Gabriela Hernandez, is also a cosmetics historian whose book is an excellent reference and gift.
Lip pencil:
Wycon Wonderproof Lip Pencils are formulated without harmful ingredients to strict European Union standards and also come in the variety of colors I need in my kit. They glide smoothly, and blend into the lips without feathering. Oh, and they are affordable!
KIKO Creamy Colour Comfort Lip Liners are the obly other lip pencil brand besides Wycon that I like to buy for my kit. The low price point and huge color range makes it easy to buy a dozen of these at a time!
Makeup Brushes:
bDellium Tools (the b is silent) produce professional natural and synthetic hair brushes that are both cruelty-free and made responsibly. I have many of these in my kit, and they sustain constant washing and disinfection with alcohol. The craftsmanship of these brushes makes it easy to accomplish even the most detailed of makeup looks.
Hakuhodo S100 Series Brushes are, in my opinion, the finest makeup brushes available. They are certainly a luxury item, but are handmade by artisans and last forever. These brushes make a very appreciated gift, but are also wonderful and long-lasting additions to a makeup artist brush collection. I make it a goal to add a new one to my kit every year.
Brush Cleanser:
Dr Bronner’s Soap is my choice for all brush and implement cleaning. Their soaps come in both solid and liquid form, in both scented and unscented, and will clean even the most stubborn lip and foundation products off of your brushes. The run off from this soap is 100% safe to our water and earth.
70% Isopropyl Alcohol is a legal disinfectant for most state cosmetology boards. After washing your brushes and implements with soap and water, follow with alcohol to kill harmful bacteria and viruses, including coronavirus.
Deoderant:
AHURA Apothecary Organic Dry Cream Deodorant is handmade in small batches, comes packed in a no-waste glass jar, and has a mild lemony scent. The creator of AHURA Apothecary is a dear friend of mine who also provides empowering content on Instagram. Follow her!
Native Deodorant is now available in a plastic free container. Their Coconut & Vanilla scent is mild, but effective, and they also make adorable minis that are great for travel or an afternoon freshen-up.
Vanicream Anti-Perspirant Deodorant is not as clean and green as I would like, but if you do need something stronger, this one is very effective and a bit cleaner than most.
Body Moisturizer:
AHURA Jasmine Rose Bath + Body Oil has a subtly intoxicating fragrance that melds with your own body chemistry and delivers the perfect amount of moisture to your skin for any season.
Shampoo/Conditioner:
AHURA Apothecary Rosemary Mint Zero Waste Solid Shampoo Bar is the plastic free shampoo that we have all been awaiting. I was told that it might take my hair an adjustment period, but I had great results after the first use. This bar gives a rich lather that gently cleans your hair without drying. Also, how amazing will this product be for post pandemic travel?
Jäson Dandruff Relief Treatment Shampoo 2-in1 is a more natural medicinal shampoo for dandruff or dry scalp conditions. It’s also a great reset shampoo when the weather becomes more dry.
Alba Botanica Coconut Milk Conditioner is silicone free, whipped conditioner that nourishes and protects your hair. Full disclosure, I wish the coconut scent was more subtle, but I can’t deny the conditioning benefits here.
This list is very long, but I tried many more products that didn’t make the cut, That said, I would like for this to be a living reference document that can be revised and updated with new products. Feel free to suggest a new category or a product that you love! If we all make an effort to switch to even just one clean and green product, not only will our bodies and earth be healthier, but our collective impact will be greater!