My Favorite 2018 Green Beauty Buys

It's crazy to think not just the year being over, but how my clean beauty journey is hitting 2 whole years. While I still haven't tried a ton of new brands, I did test a few new products and from all that testing I found products that reach for continuously all year that I wanted to share with you. And if you can't tell from above, I'm going to need to be restocking a few of these. If you're thinking of switching out your makeup to cleaner brands (or just keeping your options open), I would say this is post I wish I would have read when I was transitioning. So here are old and new favorites I cannot live without:

1. 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Water Foundation

While I have been a 100% Pure fan for a long time, I never could find a foundation I had that "Ahh-ha" moment. That is until they came out with their Water Foundation this year. It gives enough coverage, but leaves a light, dewy girl you're glowing finish. It's one of those foundations that makes you wonder how you lived without this stuff. 

2. DERMA E Radiant Glow Oil

With oils being all the rage, I definitely tried one or two here and there. I never really gave one a chance, but with so many ways the Radiant Glow Oil can be used I got hooked. It's affordable. It's generous in size. It's a do it all-add it to foundation, use it in your hair, use it as a body moisturizer. I have been simultaneously been using it with my W3ll People Bio Tint (that'll be #3). It does have mica, which gives it a shimmer, but promise you won't end up looking like a glitter fest.

3. W3ll People Bio Tint

For those everyday looks, I'm all about this tinted moisturizer packed with zinc oxide sunscreen. I mix in 2-3 drops of Radiant Glow Oil and apply with a brush for a flawless application. I have every intention of repurchasing this one.

4. Honest Beauty Mascara

There was a ton of hype when this came out and even more hype when they rebranded/relaunched. Truthfully, I debated countless trips to Target over this one. And if you can't tell I already had a favorite mascara. Well, I found out I can have more than one favorite mascara. Totally not a bad thing, right? This has a two step application to give you some volume. One side is a primer and the other side is mascara. While I always want the best lashes, I don't have enough time to use this everyday, so it's my evening and weekend mascara.

5. W3ll People Expressionist Mascara

One of my very first green beauty products and still a favorite. I actually think my love for this mascara has grown. From the wand to the formula, it's just the perfect extra something, something for daytime lashes.

6. W3ll People Bio Bronzer Powder

Okay, okay I clearly have A LOT of W3ll People favorites. They haven't disappointed and you just can't beat how clean the ingredients are. They are also EWG verified and rank 0-3 in the Think Dirty app. But now back to this bronzer. You won't catch me without it and has lasted over a year-so it's gotten it's money's worth. They came out with a baked bronzer that I'm going to be testing soon. 

Let me know if you have any questions about these items or have a favorite green beauty product you couldn't live without! Here's to a cleaner 2019!

The Best Green Beauty Products of 2017

Never in my life have I been into beauty products until last year. I was that one girl, who if she found something she stuck with it. Basically, I used all the same skincare and beauty products for a good decade. That all changed when cancer hit real close to home (you can read more here) and found myself head deep in trying to make some preventative changes for myself. While I kept replacing and discovering new-to-me brands/products, I came to find some I flat out hated and loved. Lucky for me, there were more loves than hates, but it's not fun wasting money. So after a year of discovering, these are my favorite green beauty products and hopefully helps you find a clean replacement!

Sway Deodorant
The first thing I tried hard to switch was deodorant and let's just say it was a very stinky year until November/December. This brand has only been on the market for less than a year, but it works like no other natural deodorant. It does come in a kit with the deodorant and dusting powder. There will be a full review coming this month, but had to mention it.

Lansinoh Salve (AKA Nipple Cream)
If there's one thing I learned from my former boss, it's nipple cream is the best chapstick of your life. I did work in the mom industry, in case your wondering how the heck this topic came up.Believe me when I say that you're looking at the girl, who had the worst chapped lips all year long. Nothing ever worked until I used this. They come in small tubes (practically lipgloss size) making it discrete and convenient to use on your face.

OSEA Vitamin C Polish
Not only is OSEA natural, but they are family owned and have been doing this for 20 years. While their Vitamin C Polish is one of their newer products, it's a splurge that is worth it. Powder based, it's a probiotic for your face and does the best exfoliating job. You always hear about glowing skin, while this is my glowing skin product rave. Again, it's an investment, but a little goes a long way for results you can see and feel.

Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Daily Shade Facial Lotion
Obviously, I care about my skin and protecting it from the sun is equally as important as the ingredients I use. But finding an SPF moisturizer when your tan complected is no easy task! Just picture me walking around with a white film on my face--not cute! You don't get that from this affordable moisturizer. The rose scent is mild and no where near off putting.

100% Pure Lipsticks
We can all agree finding your favorite nude lipstick is a big task. After realizing that my conventional lipsticks were ending up in my stomach from eating and lip licking, I made it a priority to find replacements. Out of the one's I tried this year, 100% Pure's latest lipsticks in mojave and cassia are clean and the prettiest nude shades.

Skylar Perfume
One of the big giveaways that something is not clean and green is if it has fragrance. Finding a non-toxic perfume was one I thought would take me years to come by, but so glad Skylar landed in my hands. They were created by a mom, who wanted something clean and hypoallergenic. Besides having minimal packaging that I'm all about, the scents are fresh and unique. You can find my wearing Meadow everyday! While I feel (and smell) good wearing them, I do notice they fade quicker. My tip: spray your hair and clothes to make the scent last.

Defy & Inspire Nail Polish
While there is no such thing as a completely clean nail polish, there are better choices. Trust me, it was hard tossing my collection of beloved Essie bottles both for the money spent and plain vanity. But this brand is one you can find at Target making it easily accessible and affordable. They are 5-free (I've only seen 7 or 9-free), so they are middle of the green standard. They last just as long as your average nail polish and appreciate the range of colors.

Have you bought any green beauty items? I would love to hear your favorites!

This Green Beauty Line Smells Good Enough to Eat

Let me just say that it's been a battle to come to this point. Yes, this is a makeup post. But finding a brand that is doing it without all the harsh chemicals AND still giving you the results has been hard to come by. Don't let my sister know, but I kinda let her be the genie pig when I got her a few things for Christmas from 100% Pure. She ended up loving the stuff, so I got a few things for myself. And you know what? I.GET.IT. 

When you start learning about the stuff that goes into makeup and making the green switch, you learn that fragrance is big sign it's not natural. That means finding a lot of products that are natural BUT smell well let's just say like the earth. It's not always pretty. So one of the best things about 100% Pure is they've magically found ways to make all their makeup smell good without any added artificial fragrance. You guys I almost want to eat it-that's how good!

 

Maracuja Oil Mascara in Black Tea $25 

Don't ask me why I smelled this, but I did. Anyway, it does smell good. But besides that, I love that it actually gets the black color from black tea. Maracuja oil comes from passion fruit, which is full of fatty acids and is good hydration. I'm thinking this is why it smells good. It gives your lashes a dark coating and adds some volume. I wasn't sure how it would hold all day, but no issue there. 

Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream $25

Now this stuff is life. It's basically an espresso shot for your eyes. And yes you will want to eat it. It actually smells like something you'd find in a bakery. A little goes a long way, but you can say goodbye to puff under eyes. 

Fruit Pigmented Pomegranate Lipstick in Calendula $29

One of the big things I've been trying so hard to replace is lipsticks and lip balms. The thing that I find with natural lip colors are them being either too sheer or don't feel quite right on. That's not the case here. They go on smoothly and have all the pigment I'm hoping for in a lipstick. The Calendula shade is a very pretty coral nude. I'm thinking about picking up this brownish nude. 

Have you ever tried anything from 100% Pure? They have stores, too. I've been to my local one a few times and it's helpful to swatch things.

*This post was sponsored, but genuinely use the products.