Natural Beauty

Keep your skincare regimen as pure as the organic foods you eat

Maybe, like me, you've swapped the highly processed food in your pantry and fridge for whole grains and organic fruits and vegetables. You wouldn't think of sleeping on polyester sheets and you even try to clean your home and clothes with nontoxic products. Yet, the creams and lotions you use to cleanse, tone and treat your skin are filled with chemicals and preservatives. "If you wouldn't put an ingredient in your body why would you put it on your body?" asks Kristin Arnett, a green makeup artist.

You don't have to. There are some terrific natural skincare brands available that rely on plant and mineral-based ingredients and don't skimp on performance. Even if you don't want to overhaul your entire beauty regimen, it's worth trying out some of these lines and products. After all, you can have your cake and still eat kale, right?

Juicy Beauty
Many products that splash the word "organic" on their label use only a few organic ingredients in a water base. The total organic content is often less than 5 percent. Juice puts more than 100 USDA-certified organic ingredients into a 100 percent organic juice base.

The total organic content: 98 percent. The extensive skincare line (there are makeup products, too) includes cleansers, toners, moisturizers, sunscreens, serums and masks. Juice Beauty's Green Apple Peel Full Strength has been winning wows from beauty editors. Its powerful mix of alpha and beta hydroxyl acids, formulated from apple, lemon, grape, raw cane sugar and willow bark, delivers the kind of exfoliation, firming and brightening you'd expect from a pricey spa facial.

100 Percent Pure
The name says it all: the 100 Percent Pure line of skincare produces and makeup is made with all-natural, organic, vegan and fruit-pigmented ingredients. That means no chemical preservatives, artificial fragrances or colors, harsh detergents or any other unhealthy toxins. Plus, no thickeners or emulsifiers are used as filler, which means 100 Percent Pure products are highly concentrated and highly effective. Try the Organic Vanilla Bean Buttercream Body Scrub in the bath or shower—it's a delicious treat.