11 products representing the best natural beauty buys around, from a vegan eyeliner to a cult sustainable moisturiser, worth over £100 but whizzing to your door for £39 - meet the Clean Beauty Edit by Feel Unique
“Clean beauty” is a loaded term - not quite to the same degree as clean eating that came before it, but what defines “clean” is often ironically unclear and implies that cosmetics not under this banner are de facto dirty or “toxic”. It’s a problematic and confusing market, but coming under the umbrella of “clean” are brands that make products using natural, organic and sustainably produced ingredients, often using recycled and recyclable packaging, made locally or in small batches and sometimes tailored to vegans. That’s a lot of “clean” variables, but the shift towards a more natural approach to beauty is palpable in terms of launches and sales figures - Mintel reports that the UK accounted for 21 per cent of all clean cosmetics launches globally, with both skincare and makeup increasingly carrying ‘free-from’, ‘natural’ and ‘ethical and environmental’ claims. If fits with wider lifestyle trends, and as such big name retailers are increasingly stocking products that offer consumers more choice in natural beauty sector.
Enter the Feel Unique Clean Beauty Edit , coming in at just under forty quid but worth over £109 and intended as a “deep dive into natural and eco-conscious beauty”. If a curated edit of beauty products with green leanings appeals, it’s a bargain, and even if you’re not seduced by the “clean” labelling, many of the skin, hair and makeup picks within are top performers technically anyway. Here’s what’s in the limited edition box…
Lily Lolo Eyeliner Pencil (brown)
If you’re yet to hear of Lily Lolo, it’s a homegrown Brit brand that majors on natural mineral makeup. This intense liner has lots of slip thanks to added moisturising jojoba and canola oil as well as shea butter and vitamin E, plus it’s certified vegan and cruelty-free.
Inika Curvy Lash Mascara, 8ml
It’s notoriously tricky to formulate natural mascaras - often they don’t deliver in terms of lift and staying power vs. synthetic options but this is probably one of the best of the bunch (it’s Emma Watson’s red carpet mascara of choice). Certified organic carnauba wax helps to give this vegan, 100 per cent natural and cruelty-free option hold while nourishing eyelashes to keep them from becoming dry and brittle.
bareMinerals Prime Time Brightening Foundation Primer, 30ml
If you like your primers with a bit of a glow as opposed to a matte finish, this smoothing base will fit the bill. It slips on nicely and has a bit of luminosity without veering into glitter territory (because that definitely wouldn’t be green beauty territory unless you’re talking eco glitter ).
Burts Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream, 20g
This 99.99 per cent naturally derived cream cleanser is especially suited to dry skin and makes for a lush feeling first cleanse - if you’ve been wearing makeup or SPF (or both) you’ll probably want to go in for a second wash although you be the judge there. It contains cooling aloe vera and anti-inflammatory soap bark to soothe skin as you rinse.
Evolve Daily Renew Face Cream, 30ml
Handmade in Hertfordshire, this is probably as wholesome as moisturisers get. 99.9 per cent natural, with a base of hydrating organic plant oils, this vegan and cruelty-free face cream contains low molecular weight hyaluronic acid to bind moisture to the skin and fatty acid rich argan oil to smooth over rough patches. Packaging is made with recyclable materials and can be recycled after use, so all in all it’s a good guy.
Balance Me Radiance Face Oil, 10ml
If you love the juicy radiance than a facial oil can deliver, this award-winning 100 per cent natural blend includes rosehip, chamomile, yarrow and Amazonian buriti nut oil to soothe, calm and help skin to keep hydration in. The rollerball ‘pen’ means it won’t go all over your luggage or cosmetics bag too.
Lumene Nordic C Glow Reveal Peeling Mask, 15ml
Speaking of radiance, this vegan AHA based mask clears the decks thanks to refining glycolic acid and the gentler lactic acid, while vitamin C helps to brighten skin tone over time (although a leave-on vitamin C serum would achieve this more effectively - prioritise this for highly effective exfoliation).
Beauty Kitchen Pick Me Up Seahorse Plankton + Miracle Mask, 6ml
Vegan and 100 per cent natural, this microalgae rich mask claims to work in just five minutes, although I’d give it double that to plump and hydrate skin.
Antipodes Worship Antioxidant Skin Defence Serum, 10ml
With antioxidant loaded plant-based ingredients of 95 per cent organic cultivation, this popular serum hails from New Zealand and targets oxidative stress by way of blackcurrant, boysenberry, kiwi and grape extracts. Don’t be put off by the brown colour - it’s transparent on skin.
Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair, 10ml
This 98 per cent natural leave-in treatment helps to turn rough ends to silk while limiting breakage. It also offers a barrier against heat damage and the plant oil rich formula aids detangling .
Beauty Kitchen Pick Me Up Abyssinian Oil Beauty Balm, 6ml
A daily pick me up in non-caffeinated form, this mini balm presents ‘a little goes a long way’ situation - dot on everything from cuticles to eyebrows to rough elbows to for an on the go fix. Omega rich oils provide abundant moisture for dry bits and the thick formulation keeps brows in place. It’s 100 per cent natural, cruelty-free, suitable for vegetarians and smells like a flowery field, which may or may not be your vibe.
Feel Unique Clean Beauty Edit, £39, buy it now