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.
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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.
'Love Island USA' Star JaNa Craig On The Reality Of Black Women On Dating Shows
Love Island USA just wrapped up its sixth season, and it has been the talk of the town. According to Nielsen, it's the No. 1 show on streaming, proving it's just as entertaining as the UK version. One of the reasons this season has been successful is due to the authentic relationships formed between the islanders in the villa.
You have the sisterhood between Serena Page, JaNa Craig, and Leah Kateb, aka PPG, and the real relationship moments between couples like Serena Page and Kordell Beckham, who were named the winners of this season. The other finalists include Leah Kateb and Miguel Harichi, Nicole Jacky and Kendall Washington, and JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez.
While JaNa made it to the finale with her boo Kenny, her journey in the villa was far from perfect. Viewers saw the Las Vegas native get her heart stomped on a few times after many of her connections didn't work out.
At one point, it even looked like she was getting kicked off the island. While she had a lot of support from people watching the show, it was clear that she was in a position that many Black women on reality dating shows find themselves in: not being desired.
It has been an ongoing conversation among Black women watching reality dating shows as we see time and time again that non-Black women or racially ambiguous-looking women are often chosen over Black women, especially dark-skinned women. In a discussion with Shadow and Act, JaNa opened up about the support she received from viewers.
@cineaxries i love them 🤧 #janacraig #janaandkenny #loveislandusa #foryou #peacock #loveisland #janaloveisland #xybca #kennyloveisland #janaedit #loveislandedit #janaedits #loveislandusaedit #viral #loveislandusaseason6 #foryoupage #peacocktv
"You know what’s so crazy? I’m so grateful, because when I got my phone, the way they’re making us The Princess and The Frog…I felt honored. I will be that beautiful chocolate queen if I need to be. And the comments like 'beautiful chocolate girl,' I’m like, all Black women are beautiful. There’s the whole light skin versus dark skin, which breaks my heart. I just really don’t understand that, but I will take pride and represent us well," she said.
She also candidly discussed her experience as a dark-skinned Black woman on the show. JaNa and Serena had been in the villa since the first episode, and they were the only dark-skinned Black women there. As new men aka bombshells came into the villa, they found themselves not being wanted by many of them.
"Me and Serena literally had a heart-to-heart before Kenny came in and she’s like, I just don’t think it’s fair that the Black girls don’t get enough fair chance.' Every islander that came in, we were not their top pick. And we just [thought], maybe because we’re Black girls, and the dark-skinned Black girls. It sucked," she said.
"I’m like, 'Serena, we know what we bring to the table. We’re great personalities. A guy’s going to come in for us.' That’s when we manifested what we wanted, and that’s when I manifested Kenny."
@ashleyvera__ We love to see it 🥰 #loveislandusa #loveisland #loveisland2024 #janaandkenny #loveislandseason6 #peacock #realitytv #fypage
After many failed connections, Kenny came in and immediately turned JaNa's experience around. America watched the model get the care and attention that she deserved.
"I’m not going to hold you. When I was in the bottom for a quick second, I’m like, ‘There’s no way America doesn’t [ride for us]. I know Black America had to ride for me, but maybe because I’m a dark-skinned … hmm … maybe … you feel me? And you saw the Casa Amor lineup. Beautiful, beautiful light-skinned [women]," she said.
"We looked at each other like, 'Damn, Love Island did their big one with this. And every single Casa Amor girl was like, 'You girls are gorgeous, you guys are stunning.' They expressed love. You guys are beautiful and it felt good."
Although she and Kenny came in third place, JaNa is happy that she got her man in the end. "I think the thing I’m most grateful about is the fact that this is a beautiful love story like you guys complement each other and there’s no hate toward the skin color. It’s all love and support. I love that more than anything," she said.
"That’s why I was like, 'I won,' even though I didn’t win. And the fact that Serena won, we were like, 'Yeah, run that.' Either way, we won. And I love the support from all communities."
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This Private Chef Is Giving Us The Secret To Curating The Perfect Summer Supper Moment
During the summertime, nothing brings friends, family, and community together like a well-cooked meal. Today, more than ever, gathering around intimate dining experiences and curated suppers has become a way to form new connections and spread love through the quickest way to our hearts—our stomachs. One chef is using her cultural background and vibrant culinary style to show us how to host our next summer gathering.
Chef Daya's culinary journey is a vibrant tapestry of cultural influences and passionate pursuits. The Haiti-born, Miami-raised, “New York-seasoned,” and now Atlanta-based chef was brought up in a Caribbean culture that celebrated food and togetherness.
Her decorated culinary path has since led her to work in Michelin restaurants, catering high-profile events like Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and Grammy after-parties, and playing a vital hand in the curation of innovative dishes that blended Jamaican, Haitian, and African influences for Atlanta’s top restaurants.
Now, as a private chef, Daya thrives on elevating culinary experiences through her supper club, Dine with Day, while continuing to make waves in the food industry with her unique and flavorful creations. For xoNecole, she’s dishing her tips on how to spice up your summer cuisine and add some flavor to your next summer gathering.
On the inspiration behind starting her culinary catering experience, Dine with Day:
“It started back in 2017, I was living in Brooklyn, and I would cook for all my friends on Sundays. That’s when I could test all my recipes. I just loved to host, so I wanted to bring that speakeasy dining to the forefront. It's great to be able to give people an experience that they otherwise don't think they have access to, or maybe they just want to value otherwise. You're getting seven courses, art, music, a beautiful, well-decorated space, and a moment to be amongst the community and let your hair down.”
“I’m able to curate a space based on a theme and bring the theme to life with the food, the sights, the smells, and bring that all together. It's my happy place, my creative space where I may or may not make money from it, but it’s my form of self-expression — almost like writing a short story in the form of a dinner party.”
On the three things you need to make your next dinner party special:
The Setting and Atmosphere:
“Making sure that the setting is warm and comfortable and people's needs and expectations are accounted for is a part of service that I really enjoy. Setting that intentional space, whether it be a beautiful flower arrangement or decorations so that people feel like you're in an elevated space.”
Music:
“Music plays a big part at a lot of my dinner parties. I usually have one or two songs that were inspired by the menu, so I'll curate a playlist around that. I also bring in local artists, whether it's a poet, a saxophone player, or a harpist, to allow another artist to showcase of their talents.”
Keep Community In Mind:
“People now, more than ever, are looking for community. Whether it's in the run clubs we're all seeing, or a hiking and pottery club, community is so important. There's so much going on around us that we can't directly control, but the way that we open ourselves up to community is going to do a lot for our well-being and keep us on track, even though things are very chaotic. People may come alone, but they’ll leave with a few new friends."
On the inspiration behind her signature dish with Topo Chico, grilled lobster with Scotch Bonnet honey glaze:
“I've had that recipe for a while and the sauce is featured in a lot of other dishes — it's one of those staples that goes good on everything. When Topo Chico approached me and told me about the flavor profiles of their drinks and the feeling of summer that they wanted to put out, immediately I was like I'm putting lobster on the grill — that's a no-brainer.”
It has all my favorite things on: the scotch bonnet pepper, which is a staple in most Caribbean households, delicious raw honey, and succulent lobster. It was really fun being able to show people you can have sparkling water pair well with something decadent.”
On how to stay creative in the kitchen and elevate your summertime recipes:
“Sauces! Make your own sauces. Find that small batch of sauce at your local store, stock up on that, and put it on everything to elevate your cuisine. Cooking isn't as hard as you might think it is, and playing around with some of the trends can make cooking a little bit more accessible.”
“Stay curious, pick up a cookbook you probably wouldn't just to try new recipes in there, and watch a new cooking show. Social media also has so many great creators and different chefs on there to educate you on new things. Fail twice and get it right the third time — go after the new. Everybody has the ability to cook if they trust their instincts, so experiment and step outside of the box.”
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Featured image by Chef Day/Instagram