There are many other brands across the country that are aiming to make the world a better place. Whether it’s building eco-friendly facilities, donating to charitable causes, or promising transparency, here’s a list of ethical beauty brands that are making a difference in our communities.
1. EO Products
For the past 24 years, this San Rafael-based company has been sourcing natural, organic, and responsibly-farmed ingredients for its essential oils. Many EO products are EWG verified and have earned other important certifications. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), an American non-profit dedicated to protecting human health and the environment, certification ensures items are free from harsh and harmful ingredients. Just 1,300 products world-wide have been EWG VERIFIED and 32 of those are EO products. In fact, EO Products gel and spray hand sanitizers were the first sanitizers ever to be EWG verified.
2. True Botanicals
After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer, True Botanicals founder Hillary Peterson made it her quest to create beauty products that are pure, potent, and proven to be good for people and the planet. Every True Botanicals formula is MADE SAFE certified. MADE SAFE products are entirely free of: endocrine (hormone) disruptors, carcinogens, parabens, SLS and SLES, phthalates, synthetic fragrance, GMOs and animal cruelty. Additionally, every True Botanicals item is developed, produced, packaged, and shipped in a way that minimizes its impact on the environment.
3. Laurel
Laurel offers a range of organic skincare firmly rooted in the principles and practices of Slow Beauty that are formulated with whole plant ingredients and without aloe, glycerine or alcohol — common ingredients that dilute or cheapen the formulas. Instead, Laurel products are made with hydrosols, which are raw living bioactive plant waters that benefit our skin. Laurel Hydrosols are made by distilling fresh rain or spring water through freshly harvested plant material, and in turn, the water captures the medicinal properties of the plant.
4. Vintner’s Daughter
Producing an active botanical serum as well as an active treatment essence, Vintner’s Daughter formulations are designed to take the place of several standard skincare steps. From day one, the company has donated two percent of every purchase to charitable organizations dedicated to protecting, educating, and empowering women and children around the world. Vintner’s Daughter selects more than ten charities making an impact every year and donates funds to help support the work they do.
5. Juice Beauty
Started in 2005 by Karen Behnke, a serial wellness entrepreneur, who built one of the first corporate wellness companies in the country, Juice Beauty products have an antioxidant and vitamin-rich organic botanical juice base and never include potentially harmful endocrine disrupting ingredients. Juice Beauty skincare and makeup products meet rigorous USA organic regulations supported by solid eco-values that include purchasing many ingredients locally from West Coast certified organic farmers, manufacturing only in the USA — often with solar and wind power — using sustainable containers and printing with soy ink.
6. Andalou Naturals
In 2011, Andalou became the first beauty brand to achieve 100% Non-GMO Project verification on every single product. Its signature innovation — PhytoCellTec Fruit Stem Cell Science — uses a blend of bioactive stem cells from the heirloom apple, grape, Swiss alpine rose, argan tree and hemp plant to target skin cells, support skin protection, restoration and radiance. 98% nature-derived, and vegetarian with a large vegan offering, Andalou is also gluten free, cruelty free and never tests on animals.
7. Innersense Organic Beauty
These organic hair products deliver salon-quality results without any of the harsh or toxic ingredients commonly found in most salons. Committed to complete ingredient transparency, Innersense uses organic, wild-harvested and biodynamic plant ingredients, that are free of sulfates, ethoxylates, petrochemicals, formaldehyde compounds, PEGs and phthalates and more. A certified green company, Innersense is also a compact signer of the Safe Cosmetics and Truth in Labeling Acts.
Kasia Pawlowska loves words. A native of Poland, Kasia moved to the States when she was seven. The San Francisco State University creative writing graduate went on to write for publications like the San Francisco Bay Guardian and KQED Arts among others prior to joining the Marin Magazine staff. Topics Kasia has covered include travel, trends, mushroom hunting, an award-winning series on social media addiction, and loads of other random things. When she’s not busy blogging or researching and writing articles, she’s either at home writing postcards and reading or going to shows. Recently, Kasia has been trying to branch out and diversify, ie: use different emojis. Her quest for the perfect chip is a never-ending endeavor.
