The Tot 10: Clean Beauty Brands
While you may be picky about what goes on your baby’s skin, have you considered what’s going on yours? In this guide, we share the ingredients we avoid in skincare as well as our top 10 clean beauty brand picks!
When you’re pregnant or a new parent, finding the time and energy to take care of your own skin can feel about as easy as trying to paint the nails on your less dominant hand. (While some people may be good at it, we’re going to argue most find the task nearly impossible!)
Finding the time to research which brands are actually clean, sustainable, and effective? Forget it!
As parents who know what it’s like to have your hands full, we’ve done the research so you don’t have to!
In The Tot Clean Beauty Brand Guide, we’ll go over:
- The benefits of developing a prenatal and/or postpartum skincare routine
- Ingredients to avoid in skincare
- Our top 10 clean beauty brands
Scroll down to learn more!
The benefits of developing a prenatal and/or postpartum skincare routine
While reaping the aesthetic benefits is definitely a plus, the main reasons we’re such advocates of implementing a skincare routine are:
- Promotes self-love, self-care and mindfulness
- Can help the skin adapt to body changes
- Nourishes skin that has been overstretched
- Re-hydrates skin (Particularly important for those who are breastfeeding)
- Can help skin find balance after being disrupted by hormonal changes
With that being said, deciding which products to use before, during and after pregnancy is incredibly important due to the fact that many of the ingredients can be absorbed into your bloodstream.
Ingredients to avoid in skincare
At The Tot, we never use or recommend anything that hasn’t passed The Tot Test. This means we’ve looked deep into third-party testing, examined ingredients lists and asked in-depth questions about a product’s composition to ensure it doesn’t contain any of the chemicals we avoid.
When it comes to choosing skincare*, we are particularly wary of ingredients such as:
- Synthetic Fragrance – Synthetic fragrances can contain dozens of chemicals that often do not need to be disclosed. Some of the most common chemicals found in man-made fragrances include phthalates, which are endocrine disruptors, and benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and toluene, which are known carcinogens.
- Parabens – Often used as a skincare preservative, these are known hormone disrupters, carcinogens, and skin irritants. When reading an ingredients list, make sure there isn’t anything with ‘paraben’ on the end such as methylparaben, ethlyparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben, or isopropylparaben. But beware: sometimes a company will shorten the word to just methyl, ethyl or propyl!
- Petrochemicals – The problem with petrochemicals is that they can be contaminated with 1,4 dioxane, which is a volatile organic compound known to cause cancer, irritation and damage to your central nervous system. These include ingredients like parfum, fragrance, butyl alcohol, butylparaben, butylene glycol, mineral oil, toluene, benzene, polyethylene glycol (PEG) as well as ethanolamine and dietanolamine.
- Phthalates – Phthalates are used as a plasticizer and are found in nail polish, hair spray, perfumes, lotions, soaps, shampoos and more. As known endocrine disruptors associated with liver and kidney lesions and increasing your risk of certain cancers, they may exacerbate asthma and allergies in children.
- Synthetic Dyes + Colorants – Many synthetic dyes and colorants can contain heavy metals that cause skin irritation and organ toxicity. B
- Harmful Preservatives – Harmful preservatives such as formaldehyde are commonly known carcinogens. Formaldehyde, even at very low levels, can irritate and burn the eyes, nose, throat, and skin.
Click here to learn more about the ingredients we caution and why.
*Before using a product, always check with your doctor to ensure it’s safe for your particular situation.
Our top 10 clean beauty brands
All Tot Tested and approved, here are our top ten favorite clean beauty brands.
#1 Esker
Made in the USA from non-GMO and vegan ingredients, Esker’s collection of body oils and tools will make your home bathroom feel like a day spa!
With blends for stretch marks, blemishes, wrinkles and stress, you’ll love knowing that they’re packaged in a recyclable glass bottle and in a box made from recycled materials.
Esker Uplifting Belly Oil
$75
Esker Restorative Oil + Body Plane Set
$120
Esker Tool Set
$128
#2 Freegirl Skincare
On top of being Made Safe Certified®, Freegirl is made in the USA using non-GMO, food-grade and vegan ingredients. Featuring products like cleansers, moisturizers, masks and serum, your face will get the refresh you’ve been dreaming of.
Freegirl Skincare Lovely Crème Cleanser
$52
Freegirl Skincare True Moisture Crème
$68
Freegirl Skincare Energetic Reparative Eye Crème
$62
#3 Earth Harbor
Earth Harbor was created by a health toxicologist and herbalist who wanted to provide her customers with non-toxic, synthetic-free, plant-based skincare products.
Made in the USA from certified organic, non-GMO, vegan ingredients, their collection of aromatic balms, polishes, creams and serums will leave you glowing. They also have beautiful gemstone tools that offer additional calming properties.
Earth Harbor Citrine Sea Purifying Exfoliation Potion
$20
Earth Harbor Glow Juice Refining Enzyme Mask
$40
Earth Harbor Island Jade Gemstone Eye Mask
$42
#4 LOLI Beauty
Made Safe Certified® and made in the USA, LOLI Beauty is a game-changer in the world of natural beauty products. With products like pitaya masks, chamomile lavender water and hand tonics, you’ll be blown away by how effective their food-grade and non-GMO ingredients are.
LOLI Beauty Pank Pitaya Mask
$38
LOLI Beauty Tea Seed Elixir
$42
LOLI Beauty Matcha Coconut Paste
$38
#5 Sahara Rose
Sustainable and seriously wonderful, Sahara Rose is another made in the USA brand we can’t get enough of.
By using ingredients such as ruby crystals, desert rose petals, chamomile, and calendula, Sahara Rose has managed to create cleansers, serums, oils and balms that will make you never want to skip your evening skincare regime!
Sahara Rose Luminous Clarifying Cleanser
$32
Sahara Rose Divine Beauty Serum
$48
Sahara Rose Natural Radiance Duo Set
$65
#6 Matana Organics
Finding a petrochemical-free stretch mark oil is not always easy! With so many things lurking in ingredients lists, we couldn’t have been more thrilled to discover Matana Organics!
Made in the USA, this back-to-the-basics brand uses simple ingredients to provide women with the soothing nutrients their bodies need to throughout and after pregnancy.
Matana Organics Stretch Mark Oil
$25
EXCLUSIVE
Matana Organics Postpartum Recovery Sitz Bath
$18
EXCLUSIVE
Matana Organics Postpartum Mama Bundle
$40
EXCLUSIVE
#7 Doctor Rogers Restore
Hypoallergenic and free of nasties, Doctors Rogers Restore is a brand that’s often recommended to optimize results after skin procedures such as chemical peels, laser procedures, micro-blading and tattooing.
We love their range of washes, lotions and balms because they’re made in the USA and free of all the chemicals we avoid.
Doctors Rogers Restore Face Wash
$42
Doctors Roger Restore Face Cream
$72
Doctor Rogers Restore Gift Set
$270
#8 Province Apothecary
Made in small batches in Canada, Province Apothecary is passionate about creating biodynamic, certified organic, vegan, cruelty-free, and Green Business Certified skincare products. While we love their cleansers and creams, we extra love that they have a non-toxic make up remover that actually works!
Province Apothecary Anti-Inflammatory + Detoxifying Kit
$178
Province Apothecary Moisturizing Oil Cleanser + Make Up Remover
$44
Province Apothecary Luxurious Hydrating Treatment
$54
#9 The Organic Pharmacy
For over thirty years, the made-in-London brand, The Organic Pharmacy, has been pioneering the way for organic skincare brands. With products for both parents and babies, you’ll find everything from massage oil to face cream.
The Organic Pharmacy Double Rose Rejuvenating Face Cream
$88
The Organic Pharmacy Rose & Chamomile Cleansing Milk
$67
The Organic Pharmacy Stabilised Vitamin C Serum
$65
#10 PAAVANI Ayurveda
Made in the USA, PAAVANI Ayurveda uses organic, wild-harvested, non-toxic, and good-enough-to-eat ingredients to bring customers ayurvedic oils for their skin, mouths, ears and nose.
Packaged in non-leaching glass instead of plastic and with each label printed on recycled paper with non-toxic inks, it’s a brand that is equally passionate about sustainability as non-toxicity.
PAAVANI Ayurveda The Radiant Skin Ritual Set
$64
EXCLUSIVE
PAAVANI Ayurveda Pitta Body Oil
Ranging from $32 to $55
PAAVANI Ayurveda Nose & Ear Oil
$28
EXCLUSIVE
Interviews, stories, and guides on thetot.com contain information that is general in nature and should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical condition or concern or plan on trying a new diet, supplement or workout, it’s best to first consult with your physician or qualified health professional.
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