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Green Beauty On A Budget – Affordable Nontoxic & Organic Skincare

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My last green beauty post where I talked about makeup, I had many of you ask about affordable organic skincare. It used to be that green beauty was expensive and not widely available, but things have changed a lot in recent years. There are lots of brands that are committed to offering safer and affordable products, though you won’t see them in your local Sephora or Walgreens. Green beauty on a budget is very doable.

Skincare is another industry where companies hide toxic ingredients. If you do a google search for toxic ingredients in personal care products you will find many long lists with lots of scary claims. While many are valid, some are a bit overblown for dramatic effect, and I am not a purist. If a product contains 0.05% of a questionable ingredient, then that’s not really a big deal to me.

Some great resources to start learning about what’s in products and how they can be harmful are the EWG’s Skindeep Cosmetics Database and the ThinkDirty app which allow you to search and scan products and individual ingredients to see a rating, along with the toxicity for each ingredient. This is a good starting point but I suggest you really read why a product or ingredient was rated the way it was as they can be a little unfair and sometimes exaggerate.

Nontoxic Skincare

The top toxic ingredients to look out for:

  1. Fragrance – Sometimes listed as parfum, this is like an umbrella term so that companies can hide chemical ingredients claiming “propriety information”. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that the average fragrance contained 14 chemicals that were not disclosed on the label. Fragrance itself is not toxic, but who knows what’s really in the product.
  2. Parabens – These popular preservatives have been a hot topic for a few years, for their supposed link to breast cancer and other hormonal concerns.
  3. Phthalates – Phthalates are found in a variety of products from skincare to vinyl flooring. They are used to soften plastics but have been linked to adverse effects on the development of male reproductive system.
  4. Triclosan – Triclosan is usually found in antibacterial products, though it was recently banned from soaps. It has been associated with hormone and muscle disruption in humans. Studies have also linked triclosan to cancer, developmental defects, and liver and inhalation toxicity.
  5. Formaldehyde – Many personal care products contain ingredients that generate formaldehyde, so you will not find “formaldehyde” on any ingredients list. This is one that everyone knows causes cancer so just look for these: DMDM hydantoin, Imidazolidinyl urea, Diazolidinyl urea, Quaternium-15, Bronopol (2bromo2nitropropane1,3-diol ), 5-Bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane, Hydroxymethylglycinate
  6. Toluene – Toluene is usually found in nail polish. It is a solvent used to make aviation gasoline, spray and wall paints, paint thinner, medicine, dyes, explosives, detergents, spot removers, lacquers, adhesives, rubber, and antifreeze and a VOC (volatile organic compound).
  7. Petrolatum – Petroleum jelly, aka mineral oil, liquid paraffin, toluene, and xylene. Petrolatum absorbs UV light and contains 1,4-Dioxane.

As I have said before, the nontoxic life is a journey. It can get overwhelming and seem like too much so please take it slow and do your research so that you can make your own decisions.

A few tips to keep things affordable:

  1. Switch 1 product at a time. Start with the products you use on a daily or more regular basis that cover a lot of your skin like lotion, deodorant, and foundation.
  2. Decide where your line is. What ingredients are you not comfortable with in any amount, and which ones are ok. Do your research and make your own decisions. If you only use certain products once a month, you might be ok with them having parabens or other not so clean ingredients.
  3. Remember that green beauty brands are not huge corporations with mega profits like Cetaphil and MAC. Yes these products will cost a bit more, but you are supporting small businesses doing good things, as well as your health. It’s like that quote about paying for good food now or cancer later. Although that’s an extreme comparison, the idea is you pay less overall by focusing on living healthy now.
  4. Take advantage of samples or try out subscription boxes.
  5. Purchase during sales or with coupon codes after signing up.

Affordable green beauty brands & shops

Most of these I have tried, and the others have great reviews overall.

Remember that “clean” has a different meaning for everyone. I’m not anti synthetics, just anti toxic ingredients and I usually stay away from fragrances (not essential oils). Most of these brands are organic, plant based, and eco-friendly too.

Vitacost is my favorite for affordability.  They have the biggest range of the cheapest clean beauty products. Plus, they constantly have sales and email coupon codes.

Credo Beauty , Petit Vourand The Detox Market are green beauty stores that carry hundreds of clean skincare and makeup brands at different price points.

Shop Credo budget nontoxic clean skincare with a 10% discount
Shop Green Beauty At The Detox Market

Follain – Check out the Clean Essentials Kit from Follain. It has the basics to help you transition to a nontoxic skincare routine. All the products included are best sellers so you know they’re good!

You can get this set right now for only $22 + free shipping with code {holisticenchilada}. Watch how I use these products at the end of this section.

100% Pure: Fruit pigmented makeup and natural skincare. They are affordable but some of their products contain natural fragrance. However, they are still clean and perform well.

Honest Beauty – Most people know about this brand and while their range is not very large they have great basics and are very affordable.

Andalou Naturals: A huge range of very affordable skincare for all skin types and needs.

Acure: Very affordable brand with a variety of products, and can be found at Target and Whole Foods.

OSEA : They have everyday essentials starter kits with trial size products which are great for trying out the brand. I love everything I have tried so far from this brand. The cleansing milk is amazing!

Lone Body Care: The BEST baking soda free deodorant I have found. I have tried all of them and this one not only helps with smell and sweat, but it’s also a creamy formula much like conventional deodorants making for a nice application. Plus, it doesn’t stain your clothes!

Annmarie Gianni Skincare – Wildcrafted, organic skincare that is ]affordable. I have not tried this brand but have heard lots of good things.

CV Skinlabs – They make an excellent moisturizer for sensitive skin types. It hydrates my dry skin very well and reduces redness. It’s my favorite moisturizer right now.

Juice Beauty – All kinds of skincare at affordable prices.

Leahlani Skincare: All the products from this line are amazing but some are more affordable than others. The scents and textures make this more than just skincare and feed your soul.

Alder New York: Basic skincare at moderate and fair prices.

Natural Beauty Boxes

Another way I like to find new brands and test products affordably is through the Petit Vour monthly beauty box. It’s only $18 a month, and they curate amazing, clean and cruelty free brands. Every month you get 4 products valued between $45-60 that are picked for you based on your personal profile that you create when you sign up. This is by far my favorite way to sample and discover new clean products and brands. Use code HE25 to get 25% off your first box.

View this post on Instagram

✨@petitvour April beauty box✨⁣ This month’s box will give your skin what it needs! Watch my stories for the unboxing 👀⁣ The box contains:⁣ ⁣ @caleycosmetics Beach Babe Natural Brows $14 – A brow pencil made with castor oil to stimulate growth.⁣ ⁣ @eirnyc Active Face Wash $20 – This foaming cleanser exfoliates, minimizes scarring, and reduces breakouts.⁣ ⁣ @blissomaskin Refine Clay Renewal Treatment Mask $10 – A clay mask to draw out impurities, refine skin texture, improve hydration, and prevent and treat breakouts.⁣ ⁣ @juicebeauty Antioxidant Serum $6 – A daily serum to infuse your skin with resveratrol and hyaluronic acid.⁣ ⁣ All together that’s $50 of clean, luxury, cruelty free beauty products for only $18!⁣ _____⁣ Here are a few reasons I love this subscription:⁣ ✨Only $18/month for $45-$60 worth of products⁣ ✨Cruelty free AND clean⁣ ✨Cash back for reviewing items⁣ ✨Huge variety of brands and products to choose from when you shop!⁣ _____⁣ If you’re ready to sign up head over to the affiliate link in my bio.⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #petitvour #petitvourbeautybox #beautybox #subscriptionbox #cleanbeauty #cleanbeautyrevolution #indiebeauty #skincarejunkie #skincarecommunity #crueltyfreebeauty #nontoxicskincare #nontoxicbeauty #skincareritual #naturallife #naturalmom #organicmama #cleanliving #greenbeauty #healthyliving #organicbeauty #holisticskincare #holisticliving #naturallycurly #curlygirl #juicebeauty #nontoxichome #mypetitvour #nontoxicmakeup⁣

A post shared by Delilah 🇨🇺 (@holisticenchilada) on

I hope this post has helped you find some green beauty skincare products. If you’re interested in nontoxic makeup, read my blog post on affordable green beauty makeup.

Budget green beauty nontoxic skincare and makeup

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38 Comments

  1. Fragrance may not be toxic, but a lot of people are very sensitive to it. I wish manufacturers would curb its use but that seems like a losing battle! (I do LOVE a good facial mist though!)

  2. I almost fell over when I saw formaldehyde. It would be easier if they listed it a such but then people wouldn’t buy their products. The fact that companies are allowed to sell products made with cancer inducing ingredients is scary. I’m going to have to look a lot more closely at labels the next time I go shopping for makeup.

    1. I know right! I started noticing these things because many companies actually formulate 2 versions, a safer one for Europe because they have banned many of these ingredients, and the U.S. version. That really irritates me!

  3. Wooow! This is such amazing information! Honestly, I have searched for this online before because I am worried about what kind of chemicals I put on my skin! Thanks so much! I am saving it for later!

  4. Still just makes me so stinkin’ mad that they can make these products with such crap in them. Thank you for sharing the info that you do!

  5. Great post and products. I am always looking for natural alternatives, but don’t always have time to do the research. Thank you! Oh and I nominated you for a Sunshine Blogger Award.

  6. Shopping “green” is so much easier than it used to be! Back when I started (maybe 12 years ago) it wasn’t nearly as popular. Washing my counters with vinegar water got some pretty strange looks from people, lol. Anyway, thanks for the info. These products look great.

  7. Wow…hiding toxins in products should be illegal. This is absolutely ridiculous!! Thank you for opening my eyes to some of the things to look for in skin care products and giving alternatives

  8. Woah! I’m really enjoying the template/theme of this website.

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  9. Amazing information ! I started getting super conscious after I got pregnant and since then have been on the look out of natural affordable make up ! Thank you for compiling such an awesome research based info !!
    Much love

  10. What are your thoughts on the company Evan Healy? They are potentially not as inexpensive but also come in glass containers. How do you feel about the amount of plastic we use in our hair and face routines? Just something I have been trying to pay attention to lately.

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