When did people start caring about the chemicals in their makeup? Beauty brands are altering the formulations of their products to accommodate the client and environment. As a Sephora employee, here are 10 clean beauty brands you can purchase online or in-store!
Tower 28
It started with lipgloss, as it usually does when I befriend a new makeup brand. I was hunting for something pigmented when my coworker selected a berry-colored lacquer that changed my makeup regimen indefinitely. Tower 28 appeals to those with skin problems who may not be compatible with viral beauty products. Named after a lifeguard pillar, Tower 28 symbolizes safety and security as it obliges to standards established by the National Eczema Association. Their products are hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, dermatologist-tested, and gluten-free. Tower 28 is vegan and cruelty-free, with a price range that rivals famous drugstore brands like Elf and CoverGirl.
Pros: Good coverage, hydrating, skincare-based, natural finish.
Cons: Limited shade range.
Haus labs
What the fuck does Gaga know about makeup? This brand is overpriced but not overrated. Gaga's cosmetic line carries products embedded in the routines of legendary makeup artists and TikTok gurus without replicating what's been on the market for years. Haus Labs is good for the environment, with a track record of using sustainable packing methods to reduce its carbon footprint. Gaga uses science and creativity to cultivate an innovative brand that secures its shelf space in Sephora stores. The brand is known for its concealer, foundation, highlighters, and color-changing lip oils.
Pros: Glittery, doesn't emphasize texture, suitable for all skin types.
Cons: None
Saie
Saie Beauty is hit or miss. The mascara is decent, and their lip glosses smell like shit, but their serum foundation is very silky. Saie justifies the rancid smell of its products due to their efficacy and accessibility. It caters to sensitive skin types, ensuring its products nourish the skin at a reasonable price. The brand's best-selling items are their dew blush, glowy super gel primer, and hydrabeam eye brightener. Created By Laney Cowell in 2019, Saie won 3 Allure Best of Beauty awards in 2024.
Pros: It adds a wispy flare to the lashes, is non-irritating, and is easy to apply.
Cons: It may dry up after several uses; small wand.
Ilia
Ilia is costly despite the average quality of its cosmetics and skincare. Their super serum skin tint is designed to please the "no makeup, makeup" girls. The full-coverage "tint" was extremely popular on TikTok in the summer of 2022, amplifying the brand's reputation and capital. Organically sourced, their complexion products benefit acne-prone clients looking for decent coverage. While Ilia is not a brand I recommend often, they are inclusive and sell products curated with superior ingredients. Ilia is popular for their lip sketch crayons and limitless lash mascara in the shade "After Midnight."
Pros: Variety of shades that blend like a dream and give the skin subtle radiance.
Cons: It is very sheer and requires a heavy-handed application.
Merit
A brand that has yet to disappoint me when I need a client to leave me alone. Merit Beauty, founded by Katherine Power in 2021, emphasizes the importance of minimalism. Merit's products are manufactured in South Korea, China, and Italy, ensuring their cosmetics are of good quality. Regarding complexion, Merit's products are hydrating and blendable. I've matched several clients to their foundation stick and received no immediate complaints. Some popular items from this brand include their tinted lip oil, perfecting complexion stick, and cream blushes. Merit released its first-ever fragrance, "Retrospect," in 2024.
This luxury makeup brand was created by Gucci Westman, a mother and entrepreneur who invented the "second skin" finish. With 20 years of experience as a professional makeup artist, Westman delivers products sold at high-end retailers like Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman. She's worked with celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston, using her one-of-a-kind techniques to enhance cosmetic applications. The brand was founded in 2018, leaving a pleasant taste in the mouths of clients and other beauty professionals. Bestsellers from this brand include their vital skin foundation stick, face trace contour stick, and suede matte lipstick.
Milk Makeup, created in 2016, is one of the first brands to normalize the "clean girl" aesthetic. With the brand's popularity rising in 2018, the buzz surrounding environmentally friendly packaging intrigued consumers. The impeccable quality of Milk's cosmetics won the brand several awards, giving the company an edge in the clean makeup category. Based in New York City, Milk Makeup is passionate about the accessibility of clean cosmetics, ensuring all generations of beauty moguls continue to "live their look." To this day, 12-year-olds continue to bombard Sephora employees for the jelly blush that appeared on millions of "for you" pages last summer.
Pros: Tacky, blurring, long-lasting, performs well with other makeup products.
Cons: None
Lawless
Created by Annie Lawless in 2017, this cosmetic brand alleges to "enhance the quality" of one's skin. Their "forget the filler" lip gloss is the brand's holy grail product, as it blurs lip lines and leaves a mirror-like shine. Lawless hit Sephora stores in March 2018, creating a concrete impression on beauty buyers searching for the next big thing. Lawless represents the evolution of clean beauty within luxury cosmetics. The products responsible for the brand's success include their lip plumping mask and shiny lip color.
Pros: Smoothes lip lines, very pigmented, high shine finish, long lasting.
Cons: Very sticky
Kosas
Kosas is a TikTok icon with a stellar track record. Founded in 2016 with only lipsticks to monetize off, Kosas waited for their stardom in 2020 when they contributed to the peak of clean girl beauty. The brand did its homework by creating products aligned with its target audience. Kosas won various beauty awards in 2021 for best concealer. Their revealer concealer reduces the appearance of fine lines and brightens the under-eye area with minimal coverage. Kosas waited for its "aha" moment and ran with it. Their most popular products include their serum-infused setting spray and dream beam sunscreen.
Pros: Hydrating, medium coverage, depuffing agents.
Cons: May crease easily.
Summer Fridays
Marianna Hewet and Lauren Gores Ireland co-founded the skincare line created in 2018. Based in Los Angeles, CA, Summer Fridays upholds a colorful and lively image, adding a youthful touch to its semi-expensive skincare products. The brand ended its stagnant past by reformulating its famous lip butter balm, initially assembled in aluminum tubes before TikTok sold it out. With a minimal change to their signature lip balm, Summer Fridays created a clean skincare product for all ages. The brand remains relevant in the skincare industry with a promising future ahead. Bestsellers include the jet lag face mask, SPF skin tint, and vitamin C eye cream.
I clock out of Saks at 7:08, looking forward to an evening of tequila and solitude. After discovering an American dive bar near my house, my Thursday night routine took one year to perfect. I'd revisi
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