We hear a lot about the benefits of eating clean, organic foods. So let's take the next step and think about cleaning up our beauty products.

Clean or non-toxic makeup does not include ingredients deemed toxic by the Environmental Working Group, which includes ingredients such as lead, mercury, phthalates, triclosan, and dioxin. Parabens, a group of ingredients prevalent in cosmetics in the US, are likely endocrine disruptors and should be avoided.

The cosmetic industry in the US is not regulated, so labels like “natural” and “organic” have no real meaning and are simply used as marketing tools. To put it into perspective, the EU has banned around 1,400 ingredients while the US has only banned 30.

In the past, clean beauty options were somewhat limited and inferior to traditional makeup.  However, more consumer demand and awareness has led to more and more options.  It has never been easier to avoid controversial ingredients.  Last year, for example, Sephora launched their Clean at Sephora category that clearly establishes which products avoid using harmful ingredients.

Here are a few clean products/brands that I have tried and loved:

• Let's start with sunscreen.  Definitely stick to mineral, not chemical, sunscreens. For face, I love Revision Intellishade TruPhysical.  Another great brand is Babo.
• There are lots of great brands to try for your makeup.  Anything from Ilia is great, but their mascara in particular, is fantastic! For a hint of color on your lids, RMS has beautiful options. Additionally, anything from Tula is great, but definitely try the eye brightening balm.  Lastly, Olio E Osso has the best blush.
• At the end of the day, wash it all off with btru botanicals facial oil and then pat on their beautiful hydrating serum for a healthy glow! Your face will thank you!

Do you have any favorite clean skin care products?  Let us know - we'd love to try them out!