Ingredient-led. Editorially driven.
In this editorial, we’re unpacking three complexion products that fall into the “clean-adjacent” category. They’re marketed as better-for-you options, but how do they stack up when it comes to actual ingredient transparency? We’re comparing: These are formulas many have used and even loved, but for anyone trying to steer clear of PEGs, phenoxyethanol, and silicone, …
$20 | Vegan | Clean Formula | Dermatologist-developedAvailable at Well People and Amazon (affiliate)Made in Germany Well People’s Expressionist Lengthening Mascara is everything a clean mascara should be—gentle, effective, and refreshingly transparent. The wand is sponge-like and easy to maneuver, coating lashes evenly without clumps. It noticeably lengthens lashes, creating a natural-but-defined look that wears …
Clean beauty has always been about more than just what’s in the jar. It’s about transparency. A belief that consumers have a right to know what they’re putting on their skin—and, increasingly, what they’re supporting with their wallet. But what if the money behind the clean beauty movement isn’t so clean? Consider Thirteen Lune, a …
If you’ve worn eye makeup for decades, you probably already know: what works at 25 might backfire at 45. The skin around the eyes is not only thinner and more delicate—it also remembers. Years of eyeliner, waterproof mascara, and daily remover routines can lead to long-term sensitivity, dryness, or even tiny clogged pores (aka milia). …
Rimmel Kind & Free Was a Rare Gem—Here’s Why That Matters Mascara: it’s the one product many of us wear even when we’re “not wearing makeup.” It’s also the first to smudge, flake, or migrate straight into our tear ducts—so you’d think that of all things, mascara would be among the first to go clean. …
Clean beauty didn’t invent transparency, but it helped popularize it. And now, more than ever, that expectation extends beyond ingredients to funding, ownership, and accountability across the beauty industry. Clean beauty has always promised more than just better ingredients, it has promised integrity. Transparency about what’s in the bottle, where it comes from, and how …
Smudge-proof, vegan, and surprisingly affordable, the Heimish Dailism Smudge Stop Mascara has built a following among K-beauty fans and after testing it myself, I can see why. I chose the ‘curling’ mascara, which isn’t particularly thickening or volumizing, however Heimish has a ‘volume’ mascara as well. It applies smoothly, defines lashes naturally without clumps, and …
Adapted from The Last Lipstick Generation, an upcoming editorial on the cultural shift from glam to glow in modern beauty. Beauty has long been considered one of the most resilient discretionary categories, a belief tied to the so-called Lipstick Effect, an economic theory that when consumers sense a recession looming, sales of affordable luxuries like …
Artificial intelligence may be trying to match your undertone with a few clicks and a smartphone selfie, but until it’s perfected, there’s still no substitute for a good old-fashioned swatch comparison. Take the image below: each of these formulas is labeled as a “light neutral” tint. And yet, the differences are obvious—one leans peach, another …
And Look at Her Now. We just unpacked the latest science behind titanium dioxide in lip products here, but let’s take a lighter moment to ask: what would Joan Collins say? Joan Collins is 90-something, fabulous, and possibly walking, talking proof that decades of titanium dioxide-laced lipstick haven’t killed anyone. Watching her in this interview, …
In 2022, the EU banned titanium dioxide as a food additive due to concerns over nano-sized particles that may accumulate in the body and potentially damage DNA over time. While this doesn’t apply to cosmetics, it raises questions for lip products, which can be incidentally ingested. The move reflects a precautionary approach, not proven toxicity, …
Fragrance-free. Vegan. Waterproof. Leaping Bunny Certified by Cruelty-free International. $10.50. The COVERGIRL Lash Blast Cleantopia Waterproof Mascara checks a lot of boxes, and with a softly tapered brush that builds fluffy volume, it looked like a clean beauty unicorn. Even better? The ingredient list on COVERGIRL’s official Amazon storefront didn’t mention polyethylene, a commonly used …