About a year ago I decided I wanted to find clean makeup products I could feel good about using everyday. I mean, I had already done this with my skincare products, and it was beginning to feel counterproductive to put on my usual makeup right after taking such care with what went on before. Personally, I like to wear makeup almost everyday. I find it therapeutic to get ready in the morning and I always feel better throughout the day if I put a little on. That made me even more motivated to find clean products that would work just as well (if not better) than what I had been using. If I’m putting it on my face everyday, don’t I want to make sure it’s clean? Absolutely. So, here are my top 5 current (clean) makeup favorites. They’re clean, cruelty free AND they really work:
I recently had to replace my old primer from Coola (that I loved) because it’d been discontinued. I was super bummed at first, but then I found the TULA primer- so glad I was forced to make the switch. Although I loved that the old primer had SPF, this one provides skincare benefits with probiotic extracts and superfoods, and gives a nice glow as well. You can use it alone if you’re just trying to get a little color, or you can use it as the first step in your makeup routine.
2. Lawless The Little One Palette
I am absolutely obsessed with this brand! Annie Lawless, the brains behind this operation, has done an incredible job of creating a product line that is clean, cruelty-free and can be used for every look. I feel like many beauty brands focus on products that can be used for natural looks (or at least that’s how they’ve marketed it). While I do love that, it’s nice to have products that I know will wear well for night-time looks too, and that I can also feel good about using. Annie’s Instagram is full of makeup tutorials of her doing her own makeup with her own products to provide inspo on all that her line is capable of. Definitely check her out!
This eyeshadow palette is the perfect place to get started, if you’re looking to make the switch to cleaner makeup. It’s sulfate, paraben, talc and cruelty-free.
3. Lawless Bronzer in Golden Hour
You might be noticing a trend here, and it’s going to keep going lol pretty much any powder products I use now are from Lawless because they’re made without talc. Talc is an ingredient in most shadows, bronzers, etc., and it’s an important one to look out for. This mineral can form with asbestos, so any time you use a product with it inside, you may be exposing yourself to asbestos as well (read more about it here). Whether a direct link has technically been found between talc cosmetics and asbestos side effects or not, I think it’s a smart thing to stay away from. Information changes all the time and there’s enough damning evidence for me at this point to want to avoid it as much as possible.
This bronzer has amazing pigment, looks natural and lasts all day. It’s also clean and cruelty-free.
4. Lawless Blush in Indian Summer
This blush adds the perfect color to the cheeks- also apply across the top of your nose for a perfect sun-kissed look. As the rest of the Lawless products are, this blush is made with clean ingredients, no-talc and is cruelty-free.
5. Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara
This mascara exceeded my every expectation- the more I use it the more I love it. It’s non-toxic and cruelty free but it also REALLY works. It’s buildable so you get length and thickness AND it doesn’t flake throughout the day. This formula is everything you need and more and if there’s one thing you get off this list I’d highly recommend it be this one.
So there you have it- my top 5 current (clean) makeup favorites. Not only are they clean and cruelty-free; they really work too. Not sure where you’re at on your journey to find clean makeup products that work for you, but this is a great place to start. I do still use non-clean products here and there, but I think if majority of what you put on your face is clean, that’s a huge step in the right direction. For more details about how I use these products, you can check out my most recent makeup tutorial here.
Would love to hear about any products you guys are using and loving, share them in the comments below!
And if you’re looking to make the switch to cleaner products, you may also like My Daily (Clean) Skincare Routine.