8 Skincare Brands With Non-Toxic Ingredients We're Obsessing Over
Once every three to four months, I find myself having a massive breakout because I've given up my Burt's Bees Oil Cleanser to try something new. One of these days, I'm going to learn to take the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" approach to my skincare routine. Now, I can't say for sure that natural skincare is better because I'm no dermatologist, and I have even had adverse reactions to natural skincare products that were too strong or that my skin didn't like.
But, I knew I wanted to find highly-reviewed lines that work for a variety of skin types and concerns made with good, non-toxic ingredients. Since I know what works for me may not work for you, I shared the skincare brand and one of their best products.
Here are eight natural skincare brands to look into adding to your skincare routine:
Anita Grant
I found Anita Grant while I was looking for skincare products for sensitive skin, and realized the natural beauty line had hair products too. From body oils, cleansers, and gels, this line has it all. If you have sensitive skin like me, having pure aloe on deck is always a good idea, and, A.G.'s all-natural aloe is a fan favorite.
S.W. Basics of Brooklyn
Finding the right toner that cleanses and balances without stripping the skin can be a struggle. S.W. Basics make their products with five or less all-natural ingredients, and their toner is one of their highest-rated bestselling products. The brand also makes baby butter and diaper creams, making them a one-stop-shop for mom and baby skincare.
Youth To The People
You could get your entire skincare routine from this 100% vegan brand. With only ten products in their product line, you know they do their cleansers, toners, and masks well. I recommend starting with the Superfood cleanser as it comes highly-rated by reviews and beauty industry vets like Allure.
Anne's Apothecary
Whether you're looking for cleanser, oil, mask, or bath soak, Anne's has a small but mighty collection made with ingredients like honey, charcoal, and mud from the Dead Sea. Customers seem to love their Black Honey Facial Cleanser, which is packed with natural anti-acne and anti-aging ingredients.
Blade + Bloom
Handmade in small batches in Chicago, the 100% plant-based apothecary makes essential oil and butter-based scrubs, balms, soap, and oatmeal-based rice face polish.
PLANT Apothecary
Born out of Holly's (the brand's founder) need to find skincare products that didn't irritate her sensitive skin, PLANT Apothecary Organic Oil-Free Makeup Remover is my top pick for end of the day double-cleansing.
ACURE
I became familiar with ACURE shopping the aisles of Target looking for new hair products I didn't need (story of my life). After looking at reviews, I gave their soothing line a try because my skin always seems to be just one wash away from irritation.
Sorella Apothecary
Since this line combines science and nature, their formulas are one of my new favorites. When I was introduced to this brand, my skin was going through a purge I created using too many new products at the same time. I know that honey can help calm and add moisture to the skin, so I reached for their Peach and Honey Mask and followed up with their Daily Greens Moisturizer. The next morning, my skin felt less irritated, and the angry red bumps I was trying to do away with were smaller and less noticeable.
Want more stories like this? Sign up for our newsletter here and check out the related reads below:
This Is Why Your Skincare Routine Isn't Working
We Asked A Dermatologist All Your Burning Skincare Questions
The Best Body Products For Healing Sunburn & Sun Damage
- 11 clean skin-care brands that don't use questionable ingredients ... ›
- Organic All Natural Skin Care Brands - The Best Clean and Non ... ›
- How to Buy Non-Toxic Beauty and Personal Care Products ›
- Best Organic Skin Care Brands of 2019: The Ultimate List - Skin ... ›
- 15 Best Natural & Organic Skincare Brands For That Perfect Pure Glow ›
- The Most Affordable Clean and Nontoxic Skincare Brands - Ecocult ›
- I Switched to Nontoxic Makeup, and This Is What I Learned ›
- 13 Best Natural & Organic Skincare Products - Non-Toxic and ... ›
Bianca Lambert is a proud Atlanta native soaking up the Los Angeles sun. She is the founder of Mae B: a stationery company for women of color and a digital content creator on a mission to elevate the voices of women of color everywhere.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
Courtesy
Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
Courtesy
Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
Courtesy
Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy