Making your beauty routine more conscious with all the broad and blurry terminology thrown around can get a tad confusing, to say the least. Even us beauty brainiacs are left with raised eyebrows sometimes. Please however, don’t let that put you off. Mother Nature needs us more than ever right now, and we’ll beg if we have to!
So, for all you eco-warriors in training, the 3 most common green beauty buzzwords out there: ‘natural’, ‘organic’, and ‘clean’, can help you shop more sustainably. However, as there are no official rules for using these terms, always look beyond the pretty packaging at the ingredients listed on the back to see if they really match their claims.
So, here we help you decipher the difference between natural, organic and clean beauty…
Natural
Natural beauty prioritises naturally sourced ingredients extracted from the earth, such as flowers and plants, rather than those man-made in a lab. They’re generally better for you, but they can contain unusual ingredients which are far less common than you may not have used before, which is why we’d always recommend doing a patch test first.
Natural Beauty Recommendations:
Liht Organics Youth Elixir Liquid Foundation – 209.00 AED
Made from 100 per cent natural ingredients, you won’t look back after Liht Organics Youth Elixir Liquid Foundation. It’s the perfect combo of makeup and skincare with radiant, all-day coverage and beneficial ingredients to boost skin health, in particular antioxidants to prevent free radical damage and the signs of ageing. The award-winning formula won’t clog your pores – can we get a hurrah for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin types – and comes in 9 different shades. But our favourite part? It smells of cupcakes. Y-u-m.
Essie Apricot Oil Cuticle Hydrator 13.5ml – 52.00 AED
Healthy nails begin with healthy cuticles. Enter: Essie Apricot Oil Cuticle Hydrator. Infused with 97 per cent natural ingredients, including apricot and jojoba oils to deeply moisturise, nourish, and soften the cuticles for salon results at home. Massage into the cuticles twice a day to help promote blood circulation, increase nutrient delivery, and kill surface bacteria for the healthiest nails of your life. Just a dab – a little goes a long way.
Organic
Organic beauty features organically grown ingredients without pesticides, GMOs (genetically modified organism), and chemical fertilisers. Basically, they’re kept in their natural state all the way from farm to face. It’s often confused with natural beauty, however, natural refers to the ingredient itself, whereas organic is the process behind the ingredient.
Organic Beauty Recommendations:
Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Kiss Cupuaçu Lip Butter – 85.00 AED
Kiss crusty lips goodbye with this beautifully rich balm by Sol De Janeiro (the brand that brought us Brazilian Bum Bum Cream that we’re still obsessing over). Packed with a bunch of organic ingredients such as coconut oil, açaí, and sunflower oils, it’ll leave your lips irresistibly soft with a dewy sheen. Use alone or as a hydrating base for lipsticks and lipglosses.
Isle of Paradise Disco Tan – 95.00 AED
Embrace your inner Dancing Queen with a disco-approved tan ready in minutes that adjusts to flatter all skin tones. Light-reflecting particles combined with Isle of Paradise’s Oxy-Glow™ complex will blur imperfections and keep you glowing from head to toe for up to 24 hours. It also won’t cling to dry patches thanks to moisturising grapefruit, chia seed and avocado oils for an even, streak-free finish. Apply one layer for a light bronze or layer up for a deeper tan that washes off with warm water.
Clean
If a beauty product is considered clean, it means it’s non-toxic and free from chemicals that can harm us or the environment. But just because a formula is natural and/or organic, it doesn’t make it automatically clean, so make sure to do your homework and check the ingredients before you say ka-ching.
Clean Beauty Recommendations:
Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek – 100.00 AED
This is your sign to try a 2-in-1 cream blush. Doubling up as a lipstick, the small but mighty stick promises long-lasting high pigment payoff (but you can totes turn it down if you prefer the au naturel look). It’s available in 10 delicious shades from bubblegum pink to soft coral. Formulated with mango butter and avocado and apricot oils, Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek is oh-so-hydrating and easily blended into the skin with your fingers or a makeup brush.
Skin Story Drama Mascara – 140.00 AED
Looking for a clean mascara that doesn’t clump, flake, or smudge? Drama Mascara by Skin Story is ya’ girl. Not only does it instantly thicken and lengthen your lashes for unmatched volume, but it also improves their overall health for long-term results with castor oil, peach leaf extract and peptides. *Immediately adds to basket*.
