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These days it seems there’s a new buzzy beauty trend around every corner. But one that’s clearly here to stay? Organic skincare. The premise is basic: Products are formulated from the most natural, non-GMO, clean ingredient sources for the health of our skin, our body and the planet.
But what exactly qualifies as organic skincare and what brands can we trust to deliver organic formulas? Read on for everything you need to know about the 19 best organic skincare brands.
Much like food, skincare products can also be organic when made of naturally derived, farmed or raised ingredients. Karen Behnke, founder of Juice Beauty, a certified organic skincare line made in California, tells us that the U.S. Department of Agriculture monitors the use of the word organic on cosmetic products just like it does with food. She explains, “Per their strict standards, organic products have absolutely no GMOs, and pesticides and fertilizers must be from an approved and regulated list. In order to sell organic products online anywhere in the United States, and claim beauty or personal care products are organic, use the word organic or feature a seal on the front of the packaging, the National Organic Program requires the product to have at least 70 percent organic content (excluding water).”
But what about all those products that say “made with organic ingredients”? Hadley King, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, further explains that simply calling a product organic isn’t a catchall. There are actually four tiers of organic, which can be defined as follows:
The best way to guarantee you are getting an organic product? Suzanne LeRoux, founder of One Love Organics says, “Choose a product with a third-party certification seal-like ECOCERT/COSMOS, which One Love Organics’ manufacturing facility in Georgia has. This provides third-party assurance that products are of the highest quality, certified organic and environmentally friendly.”
Simply put, yes. Behnke says, “[An] organic ingredient must be farmed or raised, therefore a synthetic ingredient can never be referred to as organic.” This also means that 100 percent organic products are likely formulated without harsh chemical preservatives, which lessens the shelf life. “But after a customer buys a personal care product and opens it, it should be thrown out within a year anyway,” she explains.
Turns out, it might actually be pretty important. “We know that many topically applied ingredients do get absorbed into the bloodstream, but we have limited data about the absorption of most ingredients, and even more limited data about the effects and safety if they are absorbed,” says Dr. King. But through research for Juice Beauty, Behnke found that many chemical preservatives and surfactants were being absorbed through the outermost layer of skin, and measurable concentrations of parabens could be linked to certain cancers.
However, the benefits of organic skincare go beyond our own health. Dr. King and Behnke agree that organic ingredients are better for the environment. Behnke firmly believes that if you care about the health of your skin, you should also care about the health of the planet. By limiting pesticide and synthetic fertilizer residue and committing to being organic, skincare brands can help to mitigate the effects of global warming and climate change.
Just because a product is made with organic ingredients doesn’t mean it’s nontoxic. Hillary Peterson, founder of True Botanicals, explains, “It’s important to note that just because an ingredient is natural or organic doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you. Take talc or arsenic, for example; they are both natural ingredients but clearly not safe for human use. The key is to look for products that are natural and organic, but also certified nontoxic.”
Now that you know what makes a product organic, it’s on to the fun stuff: our favorite organic beauty brands. You’ll likely recognize many of these safe, effective and results-driven brands, but read on to discover what makes them unique and then shop our favorite products from each.
This Georgia-based skincare brand is one of PureWow beauty director Jenny Jin’s favorites. She explains, “Back when I was a baby beauty assistant with no real preference for clean beauty, I fell in love with the packaging, scents and textures of One Love Organics’ products. Now that I’m better versed in the whole world of organic beauty, I love that the brand is certified byECOCERT, one of the largest and most rigorous organic certification organizations in the world.”
The brand’s award-winning products are made in small batches in its ECOCERT/COSMOS licensed manufacturing facility, which is also the only facility of its kind in the entire state of Georgia. Each of its products is put through a demanding evaluation to ensure the highest quality and that they meet certified natural, organic and environmentally friendly standards. Inside the recyclable glass jars, you’ll find only high-performing organic oils, fruit extracts and chia. Plus, Jenny wasn’t kidding—the scents are divine.
After a thyroid cancer diagnosis, True Botanicals founder Hillary Peterson took a good look at all her beauty products and found something pretty jarring: Her entire skincare regimen contained toxins. So she spent eight years of intensive study with experts in the nontoxic beauty industry to develop a clean, natural skincare brand, formulated with mostly organic ingredients. The only elements that aren’t organic? Wild-crafted components like the seaweed that’s featured across all of her collections. But that doesn’t mean they’re any less good for you.
Peterson shared some of her own prerequisites as guidance for those looking to clean up their own routine. She says, “Start by getting rid of all the ingredients in our Toxic 10 list. Pay particular attention to synthetic fragrance—it’s full of endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates. And because fragrance is considered a trade secret, brands do not have to disclose what’s actually in their fragrance formulas, leaving consumers totally in the dark.”
Peterson loves her own line so much that she doesn’t use anything else. Among her daily must-haves are the three hero products below.
Dubbed one of the OG natural, organic beauty brands in the U.S. by Elle, Cosmopolitan and Forbes, this California-made line goes through thorough testing to ensure all products meet the highest organic standards. Founder Karen Behnke even went so far as to buy a Juice Beauty farm so she can commit fully to organic farming for ingredient sourcing. Oh, and she also helped Gwyneth Paltrow develop and formulate her ever-popular Goop skincare line (which just so happens to also be on this list).
Although she says it’s virtually impossible to choose among Juice Beauty’s top products, she counts the Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Booster Serum among her favorites. She says, “It’s so universal. It can be used immediately following cleansing and before moisturizing as a potent serum boost or it can be used as a primer prior to our Phyto-Pigments Flawless Serum Foundation. It’s such a beautiful gel serum that contains resveratrol-rich grape, vitamins C, B and E and fruit stem cells. Hydrating, powerful and multitasking!”
Admittedly, we were first drawn to this brand because of its minimalist packaging and bold product colors (the Lapis Face Oil is the most beautiful shade of blue, and don’t even get us started on the purple bakuchiol serum). But the formulations truly deliver and they’re made with organic ingredients.
Started in the Seattle kitchen of founders Julia Willis and Alex Kummerow, the brand is based on the premise that effective skincare can be powered from nature. Each formula is mixed from scratch, tested on people (never animals) and intentionally created to drive real results with therapeutic purpose. They eliminated fillers and amped up the concentration of active ingredients, and then packaged it all in the most #shelfie-ready (and recyclable) glass jars. Plus, their products are made with specific skin types and concerns in mind, so there’s something for everyone.
Every Kopari product smells like you’re stuck in a tropical dream, because they’re all made with 100 percent pure, organic coconut oil sustainably sourced from small family farms in the Philippines. But the brand puts the same love and pure intentions into every other ingredient included in its line, including shea butter, aloe vera, hibiscus oil, avocado oil and passion fruit oil.
Named after the Cypriot goddess, Kypris’s wild-crafted products are made to look and feel exotic and luxurious, without compromising on efficacy or safety. Each top-shelf-worthy glass jar is packed with science-backed active botanicals and nourishing oils that first and foremost perform like professional-grade formulas without a single toxin.
Chances are you’ve seen and admired May Lindstrom’s indigo balm, The Blue Cocoon, from afar (and how could you not?). But every product in her line is just as decadent. The brand is just as much about using the purest, most effective and organic ingredients in its microbatched products as it is about helping everyone find their own self-care ritual. It doesn’t hurt that the packaging is some of the chicest we’ve ever seen, which makes all aspects of using it indulgent.
Nike has its swoosh, Instagram has its camera logo and Tata Harper has its immediately recognizable (and recyclable) green glass jars—it’s no wonder we can spot this brand from a mile away. Tata Harper herself formulates and grows the majority of the ingredients in her products on her organic farm in Vermont, while the rest are sourced from 68 countries around the globe. She also doesn’t believe in fillers, so you’ll find only the most potent active ingredients in every nutrient-packed product.
Josh Rosebrook is a former hairstylist who was looking for naturally sourced yet professional-grade products. When he couldn’t find them, he decided to create his own line of 100 percent natural and organic formulations. As you can imagine, he got the whole hair care part down pat, but his skincare range is just as amazing. He creates all products to work in synergy with the body to draw upon its own healing abilities for healthy skin and hair without exposure to harmful toxins
If you’ve been to a spa that uses Naturopathica products, lucky you. When herbalist, aesthetician and aromatherapist Barbara Close founded Naturopathica in 1995, she set out to educate people on the benefits of holistic health and its connection to beauty. Each one of its organic formulations is audited, ECOCERT certified and developed using green technology. With calming aromas (think lavender and alpine rose) and no irritants or toxins, this beloved brand makes it extremely easy to fall in love with a natural skincare routine.
