5 Eco Friendly Brands You Should Know

Tata Harper

We are all crazed about trying to only put good ingredients into our bodies, but we tend to forget that we should also be putting good ingredients into our bodies–especially since our skin absorbs about 60% of what we use topically. In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to showcase a few of my favorite brands that lean more natural and actually work (because I have tried a few natural deodorants, highlights, and lip products that didn’t perform exactly how I wanted.)

1. Juice Beauty

Founder, Karen Behnke, wanted healthy beauty products after experiencing hormonal changes with her first pregnancy. So she created Juice Beauty, which formulates their products without (are you ready?): parabens, petroleum, pesticides, propylene or butylene glycols, silicones, talc, carbon black, phthalates, sulfates, PEGs, TEA, DEA, GMO, silicones, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances. Their products are also vegan, cruelty free, and USDA Organic. And to top it off, they source as many ingredients as possible locally and box products in recycled paper and use soy ink. And to make matters better, Juice Beauty has now partnered with wellness powerhouse, Gweneth Paltrow.

My Best Products: Green Apple Age Defy Moisturizer, Phyto-Pigments Satin Lip Cream

2. Farmacy

If you’re concerned about the future of our bee population (and we all should be), this is a brand you should read up on. Not only are their products amazingly effective and luxurious feeling, they are natural, creating jobs, revitalizing their communities to boot. The plant-based beauty brand turns honey harvested from farms in upstate New York into their honey potion line of moisturizing products, and proceeds from the Honey Potion mask goes to City Growers, a non-profit that shows urban students where our food comes from and why it matters.

My Best Products: Honey Potion mask, All-in-One Skin Repair Salve, Rise and Shine Daily Moisture Lock

Farmacy

3. Aveda

Aveda might be one of the largest and well known natural brands in the world, used in salons and spas across the country, and for good reason. They have a “green promise” which means they only use naturally derived ingredients (90% of their ingredients are certified organic); they also use 100% wind power in manufacturing. They utilize hand crafted, forest friendly paper from Nepal to keep packaging natural and to employee and sustain civilians. They are cruelty free and have aided numerous wildlife and environmental organizations. Each year, they sell a candle that’s proceeds are donated to making lives better and providing clean water. And, regardless of all of their sustainable efforts, their products are seriously amazing.

My Best Products: Pure Abundance 

 

4. Tata Harper

Located in Vermont, on 1,200 acres of farm, Tata Harper produces their own ingredients, and the ones they can’t produce, they sustainably source, never test on animals, and contain no synthetic ingredients. Their goal is to pack as many active and natural ingredients into each product, so you can use a less amount of product with the same, effective results. They own their own research and manufacture everything in their home of Vermont to better ensure high quality and freshness. I’m going to pull a quote from their site, because I just love it: We are committed to using natural and nontoxic ingredients for health and for the results they deliver, not so that we can advertise ourselves as “green” for marketing purposes.

My Best Products: Resurfacing Mask, Illuminating Eye Cream 

Korres

5. Korres

When I want a product I know will make my skin feel amazing, I immediately think Korres. They only use biodegradable ingredients, recyclable packaging, and tons of eco-friendly manufacturing processes–including steam generating their facilities. They collaborate with 8 research centers across the globe to develop the most effective and natural formulas. They use medicinal herbs, Greek flora, food grade ingredients, and natural active ingredients for their beauty products.

My Best Products: Rose Butter Lip Butter Stick, Greek Yogurt Sleeping Facial