Not that long ago, women everywhere turned to big name department stores to stock up on designer beauty and skincare products, paying little to no attention to what they were slathering all over their faces. But now, consumers are more savvy when it comes to their beauty and skincare routines, and the beauty industry has taken notice. Now, take a trip to a drug or department store or even a local boutique and you’ll find a wealth of brands both designer and indie, all debuting clean formulas and ingredient lists that actually do wonders for your skin. In case you haven’t forayed into the world of clean and natural beauty, we’ve compiled a short list of our favourite clean beauty brands — some of them born right here in Canada.
Tata Harper
Colombian-born Tata Harper’s line of 100% natural and organic products are a big hit these days in the natural beauty world and it’s no wonder — she’s a genius! Harper (the founder of the company) develops products at her farm in Vermont in her in-house lab where she produces her incredible lineup of lotions, oils, essences, and moisturizers in small batches made from ingredients from her farm. This ensures every product is made with fresh, totally traceable and bio-compatible formulas. From skincare and aromatic treatments to her own line of cosmetics, Tata Harper has something for every taste, skin type, and concern. 29Secrets Pick: Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser, $103
Graydon Skincare
Graydon Skincare understands that what you put on your skin is just as important as what goes into your body. And if you’re looking to feed your skin with natural ingredients, look no further than Graydon’s plant powered skincare line. The Canadian brand combines the best of both the conventional and green beauty worlds — clinically formulated effective products combined with the goodness of plant-powered, clean ingredients. Regardless of your skin type or skin concern, Graydon has an impressive arsenal of products that range from unscented cleansers and superfood masks and scrubs to serums and elixir oils. 29Secrets Pick: Graydon Face Glow, $38
Drunk Elephant
Recognized as one of the fastest-growing skin-care brands in Sephora history, Drunk Elephant was created by Tiffany Masterson, a stay-at-home mom from Houston, Texas. Prior to creating Drunk Elephant, Tiffany spent her spare time researching ingredients she typically found in her own beauty products to learn what was causing her various skin ailments. She identified six ingredients she believed were causing her skin issues, which she calls the suspicious 6 because once she stopped using products with these ingredients her skin irritations disappeared. Unable to find skincare products without one or more of the Suspicious 6 in them, Masterson decided to develop a line of products herself. From products geared toward moisturizing and hydrating to exfoliating and protecting, each Drunk Elephant product is made with high-quality, proven ingredients (read: glycolic acid, vitamin C, etc.) that are safe, unscented and non-irritating. 29Secrets Pick: Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream, $84
ILIA
Founded by Vancouverite and former graphic designer Sasha Plavsi, ILIA is no newbie to the clean beauty crowd, yet the brand continues to be a force to be reckoned with. What started as a modest collection of six tinted lip conditioners in 2011, has evolved into an impressive lineup that includes everything from foundations and mascara to eyeshadows, eyeliners, and even brushes. All of ILIA’s products are made with no less than 85 per cent bioactive organic ingredients and come packaged in recycled aluminum cases, which is something we can definitely get behind. 29Secrets Pick: Illia All of Me, $34
Juice Beauty
This California brand crafts its products using a base of cold-pressed liquids that are then combined with plant-derived pigments like aubergine fruit extract, red seaweed extract and rose petal powder. This powerful yet effective combination creates Juice Beauty’s 100 per cent vegan and toxin-free range of lip crayons, shadow sticks, and more. Today, Juice Beauty offers award-winning skincare and makeup products that range from cleansers and toners to all-natural mascaras and liquid lipsticks. 29Secrets Pick: Juice Beauty GREEN APPLE Peel Full Strength Exfoliating Mask, $48
RMS Beauty
Developed by veteran makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift, RMS Beauty is dedicated to transforming the way women use makeup. From its rosy blushes and creamy shadows to its juicy lip shines and beauty oils, each product is formulated with raw, food grade and organic ingredients in their natural state, allowing their healing attributes to penetrate and rejuvenate the skin. 29Secrets Pick: RMS Beauty Magic Luminizer, $47.50
LASPA
This Canadian brand has a killer lineup of sunscreens that are both light and translucent and made with 100 per cent all-natural, plant-based ingredients, minerals and essential oils. LASPA’s weightless formulas smooth easily onto skin, leaving behind no whiteness or greasy feel. The best part? This hydrating sunscreen will leave you with a smooth, matte finish. 29Secrets Pick: LASPA Moisturizing Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30, $40
This Works
Developed in the UK, This Works‘ entire skincare range is made with clean formulas infused with 100% natural ingredients like almond oil, eucalyptus, evening primrose, lavender and rosehip that help improve the look and feel of skin. From the conditioning body oils to the soothing lavender-infused night cream that combats signs of tiredness, This Works has a product for every need. 29Secrets Pick: This Works No Wrinkles Midnight Moisture, $84
Main image via @RMSBeauty; Makeup by @ingmakeup
