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 ... ›
'Sistas' Star Skyh Black On The Power Of Hypnotherapy & Emotional Vulnerability For Men
In this insightful episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Sistas star Skyh Black, as he opened up about his journey of emotional growth, resilience, and self-discovery. The episode touches on emotional availability, self-worth, masculinity, and the importance of therapy in overcoming personal struggles.
Skyh Black on Emotional Availability & Love
On Emotional Availability & Vulnerability
“My wife and I wouldn't be where we are today if both of us weren't emotionally available,” he shared about his wife and Sistas co-star KJ Smith, highlighting the value of vulnerability and emotional openness in a relationship. His approach to masculinity stands in contrast to the traditional, stoic ideals. Skyh is not afraid to embrace softness as part of his emotional expression.
On Overcoming Self-Doubt & Worthiness Issues
Skyh reflected on the self-doubt and worthiness issues that he struggled with, especially early in his career. He opens up about his time in Los Angeles, living what he calls the “LA struggle story”—in a one-bedroom with three roommates—and being homeless three times over the span of 16 years. “I always had this self-sabotaging thought process,” Skyh said. “For me, I feel therapy is essential, period. I have a regular therapist and I go to a hypnotherapist.”
How Therapy Helped Him Heal From Self-Doubt
On Hypnotherapy & Empowering Self-Acceptance
Skyh’s journey is a testament to the power of tapping into self-development despite life’s struggles and being open to growth. “I had to submit to the fact that God was doing good in my life, and that I'm worthy of it. I had a worthiness issue and I did not realize that. So, that’s what the hypnotherapy did. It brought me back to the core. What is wrong so that I can fix it?”
Watch the full podcast episode below:
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by
Quinta Brunson Gets Real About Divorce, Boundaries & Becoming
Quinta Brunson is the woman who chooses herself, even when the world is watching. And in her June 30 cover story for Bustle, she gives us a rare glimpse into the soft, centered place she's navigating her life from now. From leading one of television's most beloved series in the last decade to quietly moving through life shifts, the creator of Abbott Elementary is walking through a personal evolution and doing so with intention, grace, and a firm grip on her boundaries.
Back in March, the 35-year-old filed for divorce from Kevin Jay Anik after nearly three years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." The news hit the headlines of news outlets fast, but Quinta hadn't planned to announce their dissolution to the public so quickly.
Quinta Brunson On Divorce, Public Scrutiny & Sacred Boundaries
"I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce,’" she told Bustle. “I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you. No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life. It’s just that that’s public record information."
In regards to her private moves becoming tabloid fodder, Quinta continued, "I hated that. I hate all of it."
"I Am An Artist First": Quinta On Cutting Her Hair & Reclaiming Herself
Still, the diminutive phenom holds her crown high in the face of change and is returning to the essence of who she is, especially as an artist. "Cutting my hair reminded me that I am an artist first. I want to feel things. I want to make choices. I want to be a person, and not just stuck in having to be a certain way for business." It's giving sacred rebirth. It's giving self-liberation. It's especially giving main character energy.
And while the headlines keep spinning their narratives, the one that Quinta is focused on is her own. For her, slowing down and nourishing herself in ways that feed her is what matters. "It’s a transitional time. I think it’s true for me and my personal life, and it’s how I feel about myself, my career, and the world," Quinta shared with Bustle. “I feel very serious about focusing on watering my own gardens, taking care of myself and the people around me who I actually interact with day-to-day."
That includes indulging in simple rituals that ground her like "making myself a meal" which has become "really, really important to me."
That spirit of agency doesn't stop at the personal. In her professional world, as the creator, executive producer, and lead actress of the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary, Quinta understands the weight her choices carry, both on- and off-screen. She revealed to Bustle, "People used to tell me at the beginning of this that the No. 1 on the call sheet sets the tone, and the producer sets the tone — and I’m both of those roles."
She continued, "I understand now, after doing this for four years, how important it was that I set the tone that I did when we first started."
Quinta doesn't just lead, she understands the importance of curating the energy of any space she enters. Even amid a season of shifts and shedding, her power speaks loudly. Sometimes that power looks like quiet resistance. Sometimes that power is soft leadership.
And sometimes that power looks like cutting your hair and taking back your name in rooms that have forgotten you were an artist long before you were a brand.
Read Quinta's cover story on Bustle here to witness the fullness of Quinta's becoming.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Zach Hilty/BFA.com/Shutterstock