I'm Skeptical of Organic Skincare—But These 3 Brands Have Completely Won Me Over

I'm addicted to how instantaneously glowy and clear my skin looks after I use this everyday exfoliating cleanser. It's not harsh like so many other formulas I've tried thanks to the ultra-gentle physical and chemical exfoliation your skin gets thanks to apricot microspheres and BHA from white willow bark.

I rotate between this mask and Tata Harper's clarifying formula below. When I'm feeling especially dull, however, I reach for this one since it has an immediate effect and makes my skin look impressively radiant and smooth. It's great pre-makeup.

If I'm feeling especially congested, this lime-green clarifying solution is my right-hand gal. It's not too harsh for my sensitive skin, and it utilizes a soothing melding of cell-sloughing superfruits (which are rich in AHAs), quartz micro-crystals, and raw honey to dramatically improve redness, breakouts, clogged pores, and uneven skin texture. I like to use this one at night since it can make my skin a tad alive and pink-looking! 

Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm not a huge fan of mists and essences, so you know a product is the real damn deal if I'm telling you it's worth a $215 price tag. Now, obviously, I'm not telling you this is essential. It's luxurious, but it's expensive, and I'd characterize it as a lovely indulgence to treat yourself to if your budget allows. This specialized essence is lightweight, brightening, and it enhances the effects of any other skin treatments you apply afterward.
I've noticed a difference in redness and lingering acne scars thanks to the multi-targeted formula featuring nine natural brightening agents, seven natural skin-evening agents, 10 hydration-promoting plumping agents, and seven natural sources of nourishing vitamins and minerals. It's like the most nutritious green juice but for your face! 

A tiny bit of this luminous serum goes a long way, so I'd suggest trying the smaller size, which will still last you a surprisingly long time while being a bit more affordable. Like the essence, this super-targeted serum is part of the brand's Supernaturals line and does major work against dark spots, dullness, and uneven skin tone. It's pure dynamite if you apply it in conjunction with the brightening essence above. 

Tata Harper makes a nice variety of moisturizers for different skin types and even has a few that are specifically designed for oily, combination, or acne-prone skin like mine. I favor this lightweight mattifying version that provides my skin with the hydration it craves and needs to heal from past breakouts, while never leaving my skin greasy or with that dreaded cloying feeling so many moisturizers leave behind.

I collect eye creams like they're going out of style, and my main goal is to diffuse my dark circles as much as possible. This specific formula is geared to just that and—wait for it—uses illuminating diamond dust to achieve said goal. You can use it morning and night, but don't even get me started on how glorious it is underneath your concealer and foundation. 

I'm a big fan of this nourishing cleanser from the brand's Clear collection, which is specifically formulated for those with oily, combination, or blemish-prone skin. So many oil- and acne-geared cleansers suck every ounce of dewy moisture from my face, leaving it tight and irritated. However, this lush mix of healing green tea, white tea, black willow bark extract (nature's version of acne-disrupting salicylic acid), and soothing helichrysum is an exception. 

This hydration-packed exfoliating mask features lactic acid, avocado butter, and astaxanthin and does the work of a one-hour facial in under 10 minutes. Plus, thanks to other additions like jasmine, ylang-ylang, and bergamot, it has the added perk of smelling like a spiced cookie.

After my skin is nice and exfoliated, I like to tag-team and maximize my masking routine with a clay- and charcoal-infused detoxifying mask like this brand-new launch. Plant-based squalane keeps my skin from getting parched or dehydrated, while key additions like glacial clay and activated bamboo charcoal nix the accumulation of toxins, pollutants, and bacteria that can cause pimples, sensitivity, dullness, and anything else I don't want on my face

Again, not a face-mist person, but this is one I really, really like! (I also appreciate the fact that it's $28, which feels very manageable.) I've been trying to be better about keeping my skin's hydration levels filled up at all times, and this vitamin-like elixir helps me achieve that goal. The roster of antioxidant-rich additions like algae extract, kombucha, rose, and both green and white teas is just what the doctor ordered. 

I'm also not a huge face-oil person, but this is one formula that I truly do love and that has never exacerbated (only helped!) with blemishes and acne scarring. In fact, it's specifically formulated to address breakouts and telltale signs of aging by promoting a clear, radiant complexion thanks to potent antioxidants and omega-3 essential fatty acids sourced from hemp, pumpkin, and grape-seed oils, algae extract, astaxanthin, and helichrysum. (Psst! Use it before your serums to maximize the benefits.)

This isn't your average clarifying serum. Unlike so many acne-geared serums I've tried (and failed to remain monogamous to), this lovely treatment helps manage and prevent breakouts while also restoring and strengthening the skin with strategic MVP complexion players like hyaluronic acid and extracts from black willow bark and olive leaf. 

I'm a lip balm fiend, but I'm also annoyingly picky about the formulas I actually choose to remain loyal to. This hydration-sealing balm keeps my chapped lips on their best behavior. I blame the surge of thirst-quenching hyaluronic acid and gloss-promoting plant oils. I also appreciate the featherlight and silky finish since I pretty much hate anything that leaves me feeling sticky. 

Éminence actually makes tons of really lovely cleansers, but it's this probiotic-enriched formula I keep coming back to. It's very gentle and soothing and boosted with juice-bar level ingredients like toning cucumber juice, exfoliating yogurt, nourishing sweet almond milk, clarifying tea tree oil, and willow bark extract, which acts as a natural astringent and is very helpful for encouraging your clearest, brightest skin. 

Strawberry, rhubarb, chickpea and oat flours—you'd think I was reciting the ingredients to a tasty strawberry rhubarb pie. Alas, it's this game-changing exfoliating concoction. (For the record, it's also boosted with lactic acid, rice powder, and heilmoor clay.) It smooths skin, banishes excess oil, and curbs the appearance of pores. 

This nourishing mask contains paprika, the brand's trademark BioComplex, honey, chaste berry, and extracts from hops, yucca, and flaxseed oil blend. It's a stellar option if you're acne-prone or if you're looking to boost glow-giving circulation. Fun fact: It gets *very* warm thanks to the blood-pumping addition of paprika, and your skin will be red, hot, and tingly for an hour or so after use. Therefore, I'd recommend keeping this one tucked away for your pre-beauty sleep ritual.

Are you noticing a theme here? My apologies, but I'm just so obsessed with the brand's strawberry- and rhubarb-spiked options, and they're really the products that have made the biggest difference with the health and look of my skin. This is like a delicious strawberry milkshake for your complexion. Seriously, it might be the most delectable thing to ever grace my face. It mixes the aforementioned strawberry (which is a naturally occurring exfoliating agent), antibacterial rhubarb, hydrating shea butter, botanical hyaluronic acid, and last but not least, the brand's BioComplex. So yes, in addition to the obsession-forming scent, it does serious good on your face!

When I started regularly using this organic serum, my breakouts significantly subsided. (Also, it's garnered 189 reviews and a solid five-star average rating, so I'm not the only one with major success!) The efficacy is not surprising considering the dreamy blend of strawberry, rhubarb, botanical hyaluronic acid from marshmallow plant extract, honey, aloe vera, and the brand's signature BioComplex, featuring antioxidants, coenzyme Q10, and alpha-lipoic acid.

FYI: This is one of Meghan Markle's favorite products from the line, and it's also one of its best sellers. It gifts your skin with hydration and brims with suppleness-enhancing ingredients like bamboo, coconut oil, coconut water, monoi, Swiss green apple stem cells, and the brand's Natural Retinol Alternative Complex, which contains chicory root oligosaccharides and tara tree. If you're super acne-prone (like I am), use it sparingly and only on days or nights when you need an extra hit of hydration. The coconut oil can clog your pores if you're overzealous with your application. But it's lovely nonetheless. 

This is one of the only facial oils I can use on my congestion-prone skin—organic and otherwise! It's designed to play well with all skin types but is especially friendly for those with quick-to-grease complexions. The all-star lineup contains clary sage oil, olive oil, sage leaf extract, ylang-ylang.
Up next: The 17 Best Organic Skincare Brands and the Holy-Grail Pick From Each