Beauty companies are offering a wider “natural” products selection than ever before for the ingredient-savvy consumer. Despite the amazing array of brands and products that can be found just about anywhere, the love for the health food stores is still relevant. I may be able to run to my local beauty store for every hair care item I need, but I still love running into my Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market and finding a well-stocked beauty section for women. These stores offer products that take organic ingredients seriously while offering alternatives for individuals with specific allergy and sensitivity needs. They also offer hair care brands that may be hard to find in other stores but are just as loved by curly girls. Here are three we love.
Desert Essence
Founded in 1978, Desert Essence was centered on a simple concept: “beauty is natural, and nature is beautiful.” Desert Essence can be found in Health Food Stores like Natural Grocers, Sprouts, and Whole Foods Markets aligning themselves with the natural and organic mindset of those successful chains. With the foundation of any and every product being the ingredients, Desert Essence believes in using only high quality natural ingredients for an all-over healthy beauty experience. They carry baby, bath & body, dental, hair care and skin care products and make sure to source their ingredients responsibly. None of their products contain artificial color or fragrances and are created to work in harmony with the body.
Aubrey Organics
Aubrey Organics was originally founded by Aubrey Hampton, an organic chemist in 1967. Like many organic skin care lines, they started out with a few products but have blossomed into a massive personal care company with over 200 products and distribution in over 4,500 retail outlets across the country. Despite their size, Aubrey Organics takes the artisanal approach with tiny batches of no more than 50 gallons. They are then shipped directly to local distributors with no warehousing, minimizing the time between production and application by the consumer. They maintain an unflinching commitment to all–natural ingredients which are certified organic and use no artificial ingredients or fragrances. Although not a hypoallergenic line, they do include labeling of allergens on their products; they also have a Vegecol collection, which contains no allergens. Freshness, authenticity, and natural are important to this line and the health food stores that carry them.
Nature’s Gate
Founded in 1972, Nature’s Gate was inspired by the eco-conscious consumer while being influenced by Mother Nature. Two brothers from Venice Beach, CA were determined to create a shampoo containing only the freshest and cleanest ingredients on earth. Inspired by natural rainwater, they used it as their primary ingredient before adding therapeutic herbs to create the Rainwater Herbal Shampoo. They now carry a vast array of holistic line of beauty products for babies, oral, body and hair care and pride themselves on honesty and integrity. Their products can be found in Sprouts, Vitamin Cottages, Whole Food Markets, and Natural Grocers around the country. This line is dedicated to bringing environmentally-friendly and cruelty-free botanical products containing all natural herbs and pH balanced formulas.
