Clean Beauty Finds For Summer — As Seen On KOMO’s “Seattle Refined”

The skin is the body’s largest organ, and it absorbs approximately 64% of what you apply on it, so why would you ever want to coat it with products containing suspicious and potentially harmful chemicals? To stay healthy and beautiful inside and out, it’s best to search for plant-based, nature-derived, non-toxic haircare and skincare products. But learning which products in the ever-expanding clean beauty space actually deliver can prove to be a daunting process. That’s why I stopped by KOMO’s “Seattle Refined” to chat about some efficacious clean beauty product to help you look and feel your best this summer. From glow-boosting peels and serums to reef-safe mineral sunscreens and frizz-fighting  hair styling products, these products are nicer to both your skin and the planet.

Check out the segment above and read on for the scoop on the products shown on air!

DERMA E VITAMIN C INSTANT RADIANCE CITRUS FACIAL PEEL & VITAMIN C CONCENTRATED SERUM

We all want to embrace a laid-back, minimalist makeup routine come summer, but that means our skin needs to look its best — and that, of course, means a dewy glow.  And when it comes to boosting radiance, Vitamin C is of paramount importance.

Eco-ethical brand Derma E has an amazing Vitamin C collection, and these two products in particular will give skin a lit-from-within glow so you can feel like the ultimate beach goddess.

To give your skin a brighter future, try the new Derma E Vitamin C Instant Radiance Citrus Facial Peel ($23.95 at DermaE.com and Ulta.com). This is a weekly glow-boosting, non-abrasive skin-resurfacing peel. As a side note, please don’t take the word “peel” literally — I promise you’re not going to be plucking off layers of skin as if you were a molting cicada! Yes, this amazing treatment does contain glycolic acid to remove dead and dull surface skin cells, but the process is so gentle: you simply apply the product at night to your clean and dry face, wait 3 to five minutes, and then rinse off and pat your face dry. You’ll instantly notice a glow-up, but there will be no flakiness, no irritation, no peeling of any kind — it’s almost as if a layer of dust or grime had been swept off your face (in much the same way that you’d wipe a dusty or grimy mirror and then marvel at its splendor).  In addition to glycolic acid, this peel contains vitamin C to boost radiance and stimulate collagen production, and  a citrus peel puree to fade dark spots and even skin tone.

To complement this weekly treatment, you need a daily product that will keep that skin vibrant. I swear by the Derma E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum ($23.95 at DermaE.com and Ulta.com) — it’s literally my favorite Derma E product ever (and that is saying a lot because I love the brand!).  It’s a really lightweight hydrating and revitalizing serum with a perky citrus aroma that lifts your spirit as it refreshes and illuminates your skin. The serum contains vitamin C, along with soothing aloe, hyaluronic acid to moisturize skin and instantly plump and smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and antioxidant-packed green tea extract to protect skin.

OZ NATURALS DRAGON’S BLOOD FACIAL SERUM

This skin-healing product is on fire!  It’s the new OZ Naturals Dragon’s Blood Facial Serum ($24.95 at Amazon.com and OZNaturals.com), and it’s basically magical. And while it has “dragon’s blood” in the name, I promise Daenerys Targaryen aka Khaleesi would co-sign this products as absolutely no dragons were harmed in its making (And yes, that’s a joke! I’m totally aware of dragons being mythical creatures along with all-seeing three-eyes ravens, Ice Kings, White Walkers, etc.)

So what is the mystery ingredient in the product’s name? Well, dragon’s blood is actually the deep red sap of the dragon tree, which is found in the Amazon rainforest. The resin is sustainably extracted by tapping the tree’s trunk, much like you’d do to extract syrup from a maple tree, so no trees are felled in the process. As a result, the extraction process is completely sustainable.

And what makes dragon’s blood a great skincare ingredient is that it’s loaded with antioxidants (in fact, it’s more potent than vitamin C in its antioxidant capacity), so it protects the skin from environmental stressors, reduces redness, and helps heal everything from acne to rosacea and hyperpigmentation.

In this serum, that superhero ingredient is accompanied by rose hips, vitamin C and green tea, so that the product helps to heal the skin, stimulate cellular regeneration, repair damaged collagen, jumpstart collagen synthesis, and give skin a youthful glow.

Plus, because OZ Naturals uses a cold-processing process when creating its products, all those natural ingredients retain their nutrients so they truly deliver the benefits we seek.

JUICE BEAUTY SPF 30 OIL-FREE MOISTURIZER & STEM CELLULAR CC CREAM

Whether it’s a sweltering 100+ degrees in your area or the temperatures are hovering in the comfy mid-70s range, you can’t forget to apply sunscreen. And yes, you do need to apply sunscreen on cloudy days too, folks! So, on that note, I suggest protecting your neck (and face) with these two fantastic, reef-safe, chemical-free, mineral sunscreen options from Juice Beauty. Both of these sunscreens are all-natural and feature certified organic ingredients, plus they only contain the mineral sunscreen zinc oxide so that there are no chemical UV filters.

If you’re a bit hazy on the mineral vs. chemical sunscreen issue, here’s a primer. Chemical UV filters rely on ingredients like Avobenzone, Octisalate, Octocrylene, and Oxybenzone, and they’re said to absorb UV rays, then cause a chemical reaction on the skin that converts that UV radiation into heat energy, thereby neutralizing UV rays. Mineral sunscreens (which typically contain ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide), meanwhile, create a protective layer on the skin that works as armor, blocking and reflectingUVA and UVB rays. If, like me, you’re suspicious of those ingredients in chemical UV filters (some have been linked to hormone disruptions while others are actually damaging our coral reefs!), then you know mineral sunscreen is the way to go.

Now, if you have oily or blemish-prone skin, you’ll love the Juice Beauty SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer ($30 at JuiceBeauty.com) because it won’t clog pores or leave your complexion looking greasy —instead, it will help to balance your skin. It contains zinc oxide for broad spectrum UV protection, as well as hydrating and nourishing ingredients like aloe (to soothe and hydrate), certified organic grape and pomegranate juices (which are rich in antioxidants and help to fend off premature aging signs), sea algae (another anti-aging powerhouse), and vegetable hyaluronic acid (to moisturize and plump skin without any heaviness).

On days when you want a bit of coverage along with that solar protection, you  reach for the Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream ($39 at JuiceBeauty.com). This multi-tasking cream contains mineral pigments to even skin tone and create a radiant complexion, as well as zinc oxide to deliver SPF 30 protection. And that’s not all: it has hydrating and anti-aging benefits thanks to ingredients like malic acid derived from organic apple juice (which is an alpha hydroxy acid that promotes cellular turnover to keep skin youthful and radiant), coconut oil (an emollient and moisturizer), aloe (which is rich in glycoproteins and nutrients), sunflower seed oil (a great source of vitamin E), and more. It’s available in 5 adaptive shades: Natural Glow, Desert Glow, Warm Glow, Sun-Kissed Glow, and Deep Glow.

Want to give these products a whirl? Do so now and you’ll get 20% off your order at JuiceBeauty.com when you enter the code SEATTLE20 at checkout.

CoTZ PURE BOTANICALS SPF 45 LIGHTLY TINTED PLANT BASED MINERAL SUNSCREEN

Now that we’ve got solar protection for our face, we can’t forget to protect the skin below the neck, right? To keep our bodies safe from harfmul UV rays, we can trun to the CoTZ Pure Botanicals SPF 45 Lightly Tinted ($23.99 at COTZskincare.com and ULTA).

This lightweight product is reef-safe and contains only the mineral sunscreens titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, so it’s 100% free of chemical sunscreen filters. Plus, it doesn’t contain any preservatives or artificial fragrances — instead, its plant-based formula contains skin-loving ingredients like shea butter, green tea, marula oil, and rosemary extract, so it hydrates, softens, and soothes the skin while protecting it.

Another plus: this sunscreen has a sheer tint that blends right into the skin and leaves behind a silky, translucent finish.

AVALON ORGANICS DEEP HYDRATION MAPLE SAP & MAGNOLIA SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

If all that sun exposure and all those dips in the pool have left your strands feeling thirsty, you can quench their thirst with the Avalon Organics Deep Hydration Maple Sap & Magnolia Shampoo and Conditioner ($11.99 each at Whole Foods Market).

If you’ve been on Pinterest for long enough, then you might know that maple syrup has long been used in DIY hair masks because it’s rich in amino acids, and it acts as a natural humectant, drawing moisture to strands. It is, however, a difficult ingredient to handle as it’s thick, viscous, and sticky. That’s precisely why Avalon Organics created this collection: so we can bypass those messy kitchen chemistry experiments and go straight to enjoying the benefits of maple sap.

The shampoo and conditioner also contain magnolia extract, so that they smell like a sweet floral bouquet while boosting your locks’ shine. The EWG verified products also feature a potent blend of argan, jojoba, and coconut oils to repair, nourish and moisturize hair.

SHEAMOISTURE COCONUT & HIBISCUS FRIZZ-FREE CURL MOUSSE

If you want to rock those gorgeous curls without dealing with the frizz-tastrophes that tend to arise on humid days, check out the SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Frizz-Free Curl Mousse ($11.99 at Target, ULTA, and Walgreens stores).

This product enhances your strands’ natural curl memory and wave pattern, while preventing frizz – all without leaving hair stiff, crunchy or flaky.

The sulfate-free and color-safe mousse contains coconut oil to moisturize and prevent breakage, neem oil to fight frizz, shea butter to detangle and nourish, and silk protein to leave hair soft and smooth. To use, divide damp hair into sections and apply 2-3 pumps to each section. You can then air-dry or blow-dry your strands and style as desired!