Clean makeup: My picks
Featured: RMS Beauty, ILIA Beauty, MERIT Beauty
The global clean beauty market is expected to be worth $11.6 billion by 2027.
In 2021, clean beauty is far beyond “good for you ingredients.” Now, clean beauty brands are held accountable for their ingredient lists, packaging and overall carbon footprint.
I recently tried out a few makeup products from popular labels, including ILIA Beauty, RMS (one of the “original” clean makeup brands), and MERIT Beauty.
ILIA balmy gloss tinted lip oil: 4/5 ⭐️
Lip oils are perfect for an undone, “girl next door” makeup look. They offer a flush of color with long-lasting hydration, often outlasting sheer lip balms and other similar products.
The clear target consumers for clean makeup brands seem to be consumers who prefer the low-maintenance Glossier look — fresh skin with minimal makeup, far from a full-glam Kat Von D look.
I purchased a trial size of two popular shades — Tahiti and Saint for $18 from Sephora.
Tahiti is a light-pink shade with mauvy undertones, while Saint is a deeper pink with an orange undertone.
These lip oils last about 2-3 hours, without eating or drinking. With food and drinks, the color fades but leaves behind hydrated, non-sticky lips.
2. MERIT Beauty Day Glow Highlighting balm: 3/5 ⭐️
This vegan, fragrance-free, clean formula is packed with squalane, leaving a hydrated and dewy finish.
Lasting power could be better — not sure if it’s my skin type, but the product fades within a few hours.
I’d recommend this for consumers interested in the “I drink 12 glasses of water every day and have a balanced diet” glow, not the “I’m a glazed donut” glow.
Left: Merit Beauty Highlighting balm in shade Cava, swiped and unblended
Right: shade Cava, blended
2. rms “Un” Cover-Up Natural Finish Concealer: 3/5 ⭐️
3. rms beauty "Un" Cover-Up Natural Finish Concealer — $36 at SEPHORA
Known as one of the earliest “clean” makeup brands, this rms beauty concealer is a top-shelf product for Miranda Kerr, Lily Aldridge, and other supermodels alike.
This concealer is a great product for people who don’t need excessive coverage, as well as those who aim to achieve a “no make-up” make-up look. However, if you’re sleep-deprived or have hereditary dark circles, this concealer won’t do you any favors.
Some tips on how to make the most of this product: taking a brush and mix the product with a face oil. It’ll make it easier to blend onto your complexion and is a great, lighter swap for foundation.
Left image: an uncovered scar on my hand
Right image: the scar with “Un” cover-up concealer
4. ILIA Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara: 4.5/5 ⭐️
This is the best mascara I’ve ever used.
It has a jet black formula that lengthens, separates, and creates volume simultaneously.
It doesn’t smudge or flake and lasts up to 10+ hours.
With its 99% natural formula, it’s perfect for consumers like me who have sensitive eyes. Additionally, it’s formulated with ingredients like Shea Butter and keratin that help condition the lashes.
Lastly, it’s very easy to take off; mild soap (I use CeraVe) and some water does the trick!
The only caveat I’ll add is that it doesn’t hold a curl that well, I notice I have to re-curl my eyelashes every few hours while wearing this mascara. However, this is a common occurrence with a wide variety of non-waterproof mascaras.
The dual-ended wand of this mascara is designed to have the shorter side curl and create volume, and the longer bristles to lengthen and lift.
In this photo, I’m wearing 2 coats of ILIA’s Limitless Mascara paired with my Shiseido eyelash curler.
