Trust Me—These 10 Natural Beauty Products Actually Work
Sponsor Content Created With Liberty
I'll be the first to admit that natural beauty products still have a bit of a bad rep. Despite the number of sustainable beauty brands launching and growing in popularity, the notion that natural beauty products just don't really work that well is still a widely held perception. Not just amongst my friends, peers and colleagues within the industry, but I have to admit, with myself, too. Luckily, Liberty London—one of my favourite places to shop for beauty—has launched a Conscious Beauty edit that curates the best brands paving the way in ethical, earth-friendly beauty. And, boy, does it have some hidden gems.
From apothecary-style bottles of skin-brightening cleanser to possibly the chicest deodorant I've ever had the pleasure of using, this is a collection of natural beauty products that feels—and looks—totally luxurious. Not only will these products look beautiful on your bathroom side, but they also genuinely work.
Trust me—these 10 natural beauty products are amongst the best I've ever tried and will be making a permanent home in my beauty stash. Keep scrolling to find out what makes them so good, and then shop my favourites.
Breakthrough skincare brand Seed to Skin handcrafts every single one of its products in Tuscany. This, combined with the brand's focus on raw, pure, plant-based ingredients, means that the prices are a little eye-watering, but you really do get what you pay for. This cleanser uses a mix of enzymes and natural acid to provide an exfoliating cleanse that minimises pores, refines skin texture and purifies areas of congestion. Simply put, this is good skin in a bottle and will work particularly well on oily complexions like my own. Plus, I have to say I'm obsessed with the packaging.
A probiotic skincare brand, Aurelia restores good bacteria to your skin to help combat the effects of our busy lifestyles. This line proves that you don't have to rely on harsh chemicals to protect your skin against stress and pollution. Instead, this lightly whipped moisturiser uses plant botanicals, vitamin E and natural oils to hydrate and soothe the skin and restore a natural luminosity. I love that it has a matte finish, so it layers beautifully beneath makeup and still allows the skin's natural radiance to shine through.
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First up, this hair mask smells exactly like a really fancy hair salon—and I'm here for it. The star ingredient is a powerful antioxidant extract taken from the flesh of Fiaschetto di Torre Tomatoes, which lends this mask its reparative benefits. Coloured, heat-damaged or dry hair will really benefit from 10 minutes spent with this mask. Comb it through clean, towel-dried hair, leave it to sit for a while, and then rinse it away. My hair always feels so much softer and stronger after using this.
Acids aren't often associated with natural beauty, but in fact, there are plenty of chemical exfoliators that are natural, like this one from Herbivore. If your skin is looking a bit dull and lacklustre, this water-based serum will do an amazing job at brightening things up. It uses natural fruit extracts like sugar cane glycolic and orange peel citric to gently slough away dead skin cells while rosewater, aloe vera and vitamin C work to soothe and brighten. Just remember to use an SPF afterwards if you're using this in the day, as your skin will be more susceptible to sun damage.
This cool skincare brand is mainly targeted towards men's grooming solutions, but I've fallen in love with this natural, organic body wash. Enriched with organic green tea, evening primrose oil, green coffee oil and bergamot, it has a wonderfully fresh scent that lingers on your skin even after you've stepped out of the shower. Entirely free from harmful chemicals and synthetic fragrances, it lathers up really well—something that can often be lacking when formulas are free from artificial ingredients—and leaves the skin beautifully soft.
Sometimes I can feel overwhelmed when contemplating the number of changes I'd need to make in my daily life to make my usual routines more sustainable. However, this is one simple beauty tweak that I can make for a step in the right direction. These cotton buds are 100% biodegradable and made from sustainably grown bamboo and organic cotton. I always have cotton buds at home for applying spot treatments and fixing makeup mistakes, but I'm happy to make a permanent switch from my plastic ones to this eco-friendly option.
I've been trying to make a permanent switch to natural deodorant for a while now. In fact, it was probably the first beauty product that I started making a conscious effort to seek out natural alternatives for. I've tried plenty that don't work at all, a few that irritate my armpits (thanks to an excess of bicarbonate of soda) and one or two that genuinely work. This one, however, would definitely win the award for the prettiest deodorant bottle that I've ever come across. A completely vegan formula, this water-based deodorant uses sweet almond and avocado oils to nourish skin, bentonite clay to absorb excess sweat and is completely free from aluminium, parabens, talc and baking soda that can cause irritation. It has notes of mandarin, rose and violet, so you'll smell great too. Honestly, I'm in love.
Related: 5 Sustainable Beauty Brands I'd Definitely Recommend
There's nothing I enjoy more than discovering that a brand that I already know and love is actually natural too. Ren is one such brand. I've used its products for years but was never really aware of just how clean the formulas were. This skin-brightening mask is something of a cult favourite amongst beauty editors for the way it nibbles away at dead skin cells and illuminates skin in minutes. It uses glycolic acid harnessed from pineapple extract, lactic acid from passionfruit and papain from papaya to do the skin-sloughing hard work naturally. As well as leaving skin more radiant, it also helps to blur over fine lines and pores for an evener skin texture overall.
Skincare expert Susanne Kaufmann creates ultra-luxurious skincare remedies inspired by natural. In fact, she works from her spa in the middle of the Bregenzer Forest to formulate her hardworking skin treatments. For me, quality sleep is an intrinsic part of my beauty routine, and this pillow spray really does the trick if you have trouble drifting off at night. It contains lavender oil and orange oil to help you relax and unwind. It also supports your body's respiratory system for deep, calm sleep.
Made in England from 96% organic ingredients, this rich body balm was born of founder Karen Cummings-Palmer's desire to treat dry and eczema-prone skin without compromising on the indulgent beauty experience. She certainly ticked all the boxes with this. Formulated with shea butter, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid and rose quartz, this is a truly decadent lotion that really transforms the appearance of my skin. Now that summer dress weather has finally arrived, I've been slathering it on daily to give my legs some glow.
Next up, 10 candles all our fashion friends own.
Mica Ricketts is a freelance beauty editor, copywriter and regular contributor to Who What Wear UK. She also writes for titles including Marie Claire Refinery 29 and Cosmopolitan, and previously worked at Who What Wear UK as Beauty Editor. With experience in both editorial and content management, she also works with beauty brands and small businesses on brand messaging and content strategy. As a busy mum of two, she is passionate about finding efficacious beauty products that can disguise all signs of tiredness with minimal effort.
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