Tried and True: Clean Skincare Favorites

My Skincare Philosophy

Lately, I’ve been trying to be more aware of what I’m putting on my skin. After listening to the Bad on Paper podcast episode with Indie Lee, I have done my best to embrace an 80/20 clean skincare style. What I mean by this is that I have been moving towards using clean skincare 80% of the time and non-clean skincare 20% of the time. I don’t think I’m at 80/20 yet, but I have been making small steps in that direction.

As much as I love skincare, I find it very frustrating to try to figure out what is and isn’t “clean.” I try to look for ingredients that are either marked as “clean” by stores I generally trust (IE: Sephora and Nordstrom) or by the brands themselves (see, e.g., Indie Lee and Tata Harper). This may not be a perfect strategy. However, it is so easy to get lost and overwhelmed with the ingredient lists of products that if I didn’t rely on these sources, I’d probably just give up on even trying to learn about it all. Incremental growth is better than nothing!

Tried and True Clean Skincare

Old Favorites That Happen to Be Clean

I’ve been pleased to realize that some of my favorite skincare products are actually clean beauty — mainly, the Youth to the People products and my favorite Fresh lip balm. Youth to the People’s Kale + Spinach Green Tea Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer, for example, was one of my (inadvertent) first steps into the clean skincare and clean beauty world. It’s been a favorite of mine, and while it is a little pricy (or pricier than the Trader Joe’s dupe I found), I still think it’s worth it.

My Staple Favorites

Sunday Riley and Indie Lee are staple brands in my skincare regimen. I think part of my devotion to Indie Lee comes from the fact that I credit my introduction to clean skincare to her. Regardless of this, though, I do genuinely love her products. I’ve written about the Brightening Cleanser before, and the mini version (just $10!) is my go-to for travel face wash at the moment.

Typically, I’d include Herbivore in this post, too, since I’ve had great results from their products, but I’ve not loved how the serums and oils have held up over time. The Sunday Riley Juno facial oil has replaced some of my discolored Herbivore favorites, but I’ve heard they’re changing the formulas, so I might have to give them a second chance.

Aspirational Clean Skincare

Tata Haper is another favorite of mine, but I haven’t been able to try as many products as I’d like because of the higher price point. Still, I have purchased the clear lip balm and acne spot solution treatment and have had great results with both products. I am planning on scoping out Tata Harper holiday gift sets to try some of the other products out. I like the company’s philosophy, plus it’s female-founded, which I always love to support!

Tried and True Clean Skincare Favorites by Christine Csencsitz -- featuring Tata Harper Clarifying Spot Treatment, Indie Lee I-Waken Eye Serum, Sunday Riley Juno Essential Face Oil, Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser, Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Brightening Serum, Youth to the People Superfood Skin Reset Mask, Tata Harper Skincare Natural Lip Treatment, Youth to the People Superfood Peptide Eye Cream, Indie Lee Clarity Kit, Fresh Travel Size Soy Face Cleanser® & Sugar Lip Treatment Set, Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil, Youth to the People Superfood Air Whip Moisture Cream

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