Our Take on THE BEST Organic and All Natural Skin Care Brands of 2020
Our Favorite (the Best) Organic & All Natural Skin Care Brands of 2020—All of Them Owned by Badass Womxn 🤘🏿
Gold Snow’s womxn of winter unabashedly present… the best organic, all natural skin care brands of 2020.
While we don’t claim to be experts, or even semi-professionals when it comes to organic and natural skin care, one thing is for certain and it’s that the crew here at Gold Snow spends a lot of time outside. Especially in winter. Which means we find ourselves in the centers of snowstorms that rival those of Winterfell, and in sun that rays itself at you from every possible direction (think: fanned out tri-fold sun reflector at the Jersey Shore, only more intense and nix the Hawaiian Tropic). There are also the intermittent periods of sleet or ice-pellet or ice rain that unfold like works of art on a Sophoclean stage, and the windstorms that may or may not double as microdermabrasion sessions.
In other words, we get to experience and revel in everything that is so beautifully harsh about winter. AND… we’ve researched and tested organic and natural skin care brands left, right, and sideways in order to determine which ones work for our sensitive, combination, over-exposed skins. And which ones don’t do it for us.
Enjoy, and be sure to make use of the links (this is how we get paid!) and discount codes throughout our roundup of the best organic and natural skin care brands of 2020.
Here’s a constellation of some of our favorite (in our opinion, the best) organic and natural skin care brands of 2020.
Maybe (hopefully?) some of our favorite natural skin care brands end up being your favorite, too. Who knows? Regardless, we’ve come up with a list of what our wintery selves feel are the best organic and natural skin care brands of 2020. This list is selective and extensive, and so we’re going to release it in chunks. Beginning first with our top-ten best organic and natural skin care brands of 2020. From here, we’ll continue to dream up and dish out posts that dive deeper into the kickass natural skincare products from these brands.
Speaking of kickass, did you know that all of the organic and natural skin care companies we highlight are womxn-owned and operated? Well now you know, so you can go on and snap to that and to these womxn. To their entrepreneurship, their marketing skills (hey, that shit’s more than half the battle), their hustle, and their organic, all natural skincare greatness.
Without further ado, check out the following summaries on our favorite natural and organic skin care brands. Enjoy.
9 Best Organic & All Natural Skin Care Brands of 2020 (in no particular order)
evanhealy Organic Skin Care
evanhealy. Ummm. WOW. We are almost not even sure where to begin with this one. But before we go overboard on all the reasons why we think Evan (the glowing co-foundress of evanhealy) is the firmly rooted mother/sister/daughter in us all, we’ll say this: evanhealy Organic Skin Care is the rosegold sunbolt blossom of the organic and natural skin care world. Like, the goddess of fucking goddesses.
Not only has evanhealy been crafting high-quality skin and body care products using, as evanhealy puts it, “simple plant-based, certified organic ingredients” since 1999 (That’s over twenty years, folx! Some of us were being birthed while Evan was busy being one of the first to identify and pioneer holistic beauty in the U.S.), but they also have never skipped a beat when it comes to ethical sourcing. Meaning, the organic plants and flowers and herbs and earthy magic that go into the luxe organic skin care products from evanhealy are all directly and fairly sourced from small, regional farms throughout the world.
And this is only one of six-hundred-and-thirty-four reasons why we adore evanhealy. Some of the others?
As womxn of the snow, there are a number of evanhealy products that work wonders in terms of rehydrating and rebalancing. Here are a few of them.
Whipped Shea Butter for Lips - This smooth stick of whipped shea rejuvenates and nourishes with confidence, making it an excellent choice for pre- and post-snowboarding (it’s non-SPF).
Whipped Shea Butter with Olive Leaf - The Whipped Shea Butter with Olive Leaf is also for pre- and post-shred. It’s a non-SPF moisture balm that’s meant to support and hydrate dry skin. Like buttercream for your face (minus the sticky part), this whipped shea sinks in to the bone to make your skin feel whole again.
Balancing Ritual - A collection of milky rose cleanser, rose geranium facial tonic HydroSoul, rosehip facial serum, rose vetiver moisturizer, and French rose clay—we cannot say enough about how the evanhealy Balancing Ritual feels, smells, and supports the skin. Especially after a shaken snow globe kind of day. We absolutely love this balancing skincare kit.
Wild Carrot Nourishing Eye Balm - If you’re prone to a little color change and/or puffiness under the eyes like some of us are, this eye balm is the shit. Pigpen now carries one around with her everywhere, including her snowboard bag. She does a carrot-y brushstroke or two beneath the eyes and on her lips for the feel and smell alone.
Blue Cactus Beauty Elixir - Silken, cerulean, and deeply nourishing, this blue cactus tincture is both highly effective and faintly nostalgic in the best possible way. We love it and so does our wind-worn skin.
To read more about the awesomeness of evanhealy, join our newsletter below and stay tuned.
Living Libations
According to the OED, a libation is defined as “a drink poured out as an offering to a deity.” Like pouring one out for the homies onto some gritty pavement, it’s a thing of reverence and homage. With this in mind, we can think of no better name for Living Libations than Living Libations. Their natural and organic skin care products are like nourishing elixirs and brews poured into chalices in honor of you. Which is pretty damn cool.
Not only are Living Libation’s all natural skin care products organic and wildcrafted (a verb meaning to gather herbs, plants, flowers, and such from the wild), raw, reef safe, and free from synthetics, they’re also downright luscious. (Full transparency here, we want to eat and drink these products—they are food grade…). And given the unadorned essential oils that go into the heartbeat of every Living Libations skin care product, they of course each have their own subjectively subtle aroma—none of them overbearing, all of them glorious and ahhhhyes-inducing. Among the essential aromas of LL you might stumble upon a muted whiff of honeycomb, blood orange, and Cassiopeia. Comet trail and sandalwood. Silver fir, ice melt, and tansy. Even some caught sun ray. All of them tethered to the natural world and undeniably lovely.
In addition to having an aura of its own (part really good branding, part really good ingredients and intentions), the Living Libations organic and natural skin care lineup also provides exactly what the skin wants after time on snow or out skating around town: hydration, rejuvenation, nourishment. Here are a few of our favorites from the guru-esque organic skin care brand that is Living Libations.
Lover Lips - These organic lip balms are everything you ever wanted your Lip Smacker’s set-of-five in a tin to be, and then some. And like when you were five, you could probably even try to eat them and it would be OK. No, we are not endorsing such a thing. Even though we kinda want to.
Best Skin Ever (Sandalwood) - Holy shit this shit is gorgeous food for your gorgeous skin. By which we mean: who knew you could rub a little oil on a damp cloth, gently move it across your face in small/circular motions, and end up feeling cleansed, exfoliated, and moisturized?!
Maverick Face Créme - WHOA. Post-shower, post-sun, pre-sunscreen, mid-movement. This shit is thick, but not overbearing, and that’s what we want. Yes yes yes and more yes.
Open Sky Eye Serum - Another whoa. Whether for eye puffiness, circles under the eyes, or just some eye fatigue after scoping lines and hotties all day, this faintly sweet-smelling eye serum is pretty damn sweet to have around.
More on Living Libations coming up! Stay tuned by signing up for our Gold Snow newsletter below.
Ursa Major
Nestled in the great state of Vermont (about a half hour from Burton headquarters—we love and miss you, Jake), Ursa Major is yet another rad all natural skin care brand we’re more than happy to rally behind. Founded by Emily Doyle and Oliver Sweatman, Ursa Major is the self-professed (and rightfully so) “Patagonia of skincare”—the outdoor clothing company, not the southernmost region of South America.
Why? In addition to speaking eloquently to the outdoor crowd via its aesthetics, messaging, and mission, Ursa Major also practices what it preaches through an accessible line of high-quality, sustainable, genderless all natural skin care products. Speaking of genderless, you know we love it when anyone, especially a brand or individual with a platform, does what they can to help dismantle the construct of gender and chip away at gender divisions (which if you hadn’t noticed, are extremely stark within the beauty industry). The whole gender-neutral approach of Ursa Major is something we would love to see more of… everywhere. Nice work, Ursa.
And as for trying out a few of the all natural skin care products from Ursa Major, the response over here as been resoundingly positive. In other words: we are pumped on the true north of the great bear that is this plant-powered skin care company! Here’s what we liked most, and what we’ll write more about in the near future…
Fortifying Face Balm - Balm balm balm. Balm balm, ba-balm. Meet the Fockers, anyone? Annnnyhow… we totally dig the way this lightweight balm brings a much needed citrus-burst of moisture to your skin.
Essential Face Tonic - One spritz of this citrusy Essential Facial Tonic and you’re instantly renewed (+ cleaned, exfoliated, soothed, and hydrated). No questions asked. We love it after a day of sweating into our helmets on hill.
Essential Face Wipes - Easy to carry face wipes made from bamboo? Sure, we’ll tote a few around in our snowboard bag and refresh the rest of the day post-snow or skate.
Join our mailing list below, stay tuned. More Ursa Major soon.
Elements of Aliel
At the center of Elements of Aliel—an all natural skin care brand whose roots are enriched with Ghanaian culture and motherhood—is the connection between skin health and overall, whole-body health. One reflects and effects the other, which in turn reflects and effects the other. And so on into this cyclical and simple, yet so often overlooked connection.
At Elements of Aliel, foundress LaKeisha Entsuah forges all natural skin care products from simple yet effective (no, the two are not mutually exclusive) ingredients, many of them native to Ghana. Which by the way: we are all about. Supporting women-owned businesses and black-owned businesses are two things we do as much as possible, whenever possible. And so when the two intersect… we’re over the fucking moon.
As for our thoughts on throwing a few of the chemical-free, all natural skin care products from Elements of Aliel into the mix? As womxn who stand sideways on snow and pavement, or just humans who spend a great deal of time exposed to the elements in general, we concur: let’s do it. Without any irritating ingredients, and with things like aloe, honey, and kukui nut, willow bark extract and shea butter, Elements of Aliel delivers nothing but nourishment for parched, sun-touched, wind-hit skin.
Here are two of our favorites from the Elements’ lineup, but also be sure to join our mailing list and catch future posts on this badass all natural skin care brand.
Glow Hydrating Facial Serum - Rose, white willow, and aloe come together to make this serum a go-to refresher for… whenever. We love how it smooths on, sinks in, and adds a little sun-glow.
Fresh Face Intense Moisture Balm - Out in the elements nearly every day (when we aren’t hustling words for Gold Snow!), this all natural face balm lifts dryness from the skin like puppies and unicorns lift spirits. It has a fine grit to it at first, but we kinda like this textural feeling before it swiftly dissolves into sheer skin moisture.
Otto Skin Goods
One of the biggest things we look for in an all natural skin care brand is simplicity. It’s a thread throughout all of the womxn-owned companies highlighted in this here “best organic and natural skin care brands of 2020” roundup, and it’s definitely a thread in Otto Skin Goods.
Founded by Sarah Otto, Otto Skin Goods offers three simple, straightforward (single-note formulated) plant-based skincare products. Through single-note formulation—which combines correct percentages of active ingredients with complementary plant-based extracts to create truly gentle, yet highly potent skin care potions that brighten, hydrate, and refresh accordingly—Otto Skin Goods gets to the point without all the fuss. That is, each of Otto’s three all natural skin care products (you could call them little bottles of utopia) accomplishes something specific—effectively, efficiently, and without causing harm to you or your sweet face.
At Gold Snow, we like a good ritual… especially if it doesn’t eat up our subjective concepts of time. With Otto Skin Goods, you get exactly that: a good, time-conscious ritual using natural skin care products that, as Otto puts it, are “amazing alone, but even better together.” For context, the Otto skincare routine goes something like this: cleanse face in the evening, apply night serum, apply face oil… sleep… rinse face with water, apply day serum… carry on.
With all the shit to gather and get ready before heading out on a snowboarding excursion—from boots and boards, to contacts, snacks, sunscreen, and an array of under layers and gloves to choose from, we couldn’t be happier to have a simple, all natural skincare routine that doesn’t take forever. Thanks for keeping it (and us) straight, Otto.
To check out the Otto ritual, peep their effortless trifecta below (use code eatgoldsnow15 for 15% off your order). And sign up for our newsletter below for future words on Otto Skin Goods.
Fresh Start Face Oil - With Vitamin C as its one and only active ingredient, this face oil adds a bright glow to your skin that seems to last. We love how all of Otto’s potions feel, and especially love the very light scent of lemon in this one.
Go-Getter Day Serum - In this serum, hyaluronic acid, watermelon, ginseng, and a few other juicy ingredients combine to create a barely there (but highly effective) skin hydration that sails on with you all day. We particularly like it under some SPF.
Multitasker Night Serum - Mellow into a mix of Niacinamide, Fruit Acid Complex, and apple fruit water (among a few other key elements) overnight with this face serum. Press this into the skin before drifting off to sleep and dream on.
hanahana beauty
If you take a look at the social impact section of hanahana beauty’s website, you’ll learn about one of the many reasons why we chose hanahana beauty for our list of the best natural skin care brands of 2020. The fact that hanahana even has a social impact section is thumbs way up in our book. Continue that with the reality of that social impact, and we’re very on board.
What hanahana beauty’s foundress, Abena Boamah, has going in terms of helping the world beyond her brand is something called a “circle of care.” Via this circle of care—a benefits initiative that supports the Katariga Women of Tamale, Ghana she sources from—hanahana beauty:
Pays 2x the fair trade cost for shea butter per kilo.
Offers biannual healthcare check days for women in the cooperatives.
Administers Hepatitis B vaccinations.
Among other things. To which we say…
Fuck yeah, hanahana beauty. Not only do you create rich, velvety, responsibly and ethically-sourced shea butters (vanilla lavender, lemongrass, eucalyptus), but you also give a damn about the humans who help make those shea butters as moisturizing as they are. We’ll support that any day.
Alright. Woman-owned, black-owned, and built with and through a conscience—go get you some hanahana beauty shea butter for that dry-ass skin of yours (just a hunch, not assuming!). Here’s a great place to start...
Osea
Osea—a non-toxic, all natural skin care brand that’s been at it since 1996—describes their history as one involving “the story of a long line of women inspired by the sea.” We’ll raise a glass to that. And to the fact that the women of Osea are doing quality work we can get behind.
Not only do the sea maidens of Osea support a handful of causes, including the Surfrider Foundation and Waves For Water (whose main goal is to provide access to what should be a fundamental human right: clean water), but they also commit themselves to using simple, sustainable, non-toxic ingredients that are healthy for you and your skin.
From hydrating formulas fashioned with mineral-rich seaweeds and variously hued oceanic algae, to cleansing milks that are like a dip in the sea itself, the all natural skin care products from Osea are pretty damn sweet. And as part of your winter skincare ritual? Even sweeter. Here’s what we’re into from Osea’s line of non-toxic skin care products. Enjoy.
Ocean Cleansing Mudd - This all natural, non-toxic skin cleanser brings us back to our days of playing in the mud (who are we kidding, we still roll around in the dirt). Apply this sea-faring mud, rinse clean, and feel damn good.
Black Algae Mask - We’re new to masks (well, the skin kind anyhow). But as newbies to the natural skin mask world, we can tell you that this is as good a gateway drug as any. In other words: try this shit out!
Ocean Cleansing Milk - Think: deep Mother Ocean and sun and salt cleansing your skin like no other. Yup, that’s what the Osea Ocean Cleansing Milk feels like. Ideal for getting rid of the day from your face, without drying it out, this creamy cleanser is a Gold Snow favorite.
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True Moringa
You have to read the story behind True Moringa. Featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs list in 2017, Emily Cunningham and Kwame Williams, the founders of True Moringa, made it a point from the very beginning to forge new paths. Not only for their all natural skin care brand, but also for the earth and for the 2,000 small farming families across Ghana that make True Moringa possible in the first place.
The Moringa tree, from which the Moringa oil used in their all natural skin care products is derived, is a highly sustainable, nutrient-rich, economically viable resource. The proteinuos leaves of the Moringa tree are saturated with vitamin A, calcium, and iron, while its antioxidant-rich seeds yield an all-around fabulous skincare oil. The tree itself also thrives in arid climates and promotes the growth of nearby crops. Basically, Moringa trees are a priceless resource for communities experiencing poverty (they can receive income from Moringa byproducts), as well as malnutrition and hunger (the tree is dense with nutrients).
Holy shit. We love the Moringa tree! And we have mad respect for the fact that True Moringa chose to create way more than just another all natural skin care brand. They chose to impact the lives of humans in a positive and sustainable way. In their words, not mine, the founders of True Moringa devised “a proprietary extraction system that could be brought closer to the farmers—adding value and jobs on the ground, and producing the highest quality natural oil nature has to offer.”
Hell. Fucking. Yes. That’s a win in almost every direction. Thank you, True Moringa. Thank you.
P.S. True Moringa also increased the incomes of the Ghanaian farmers they work with tenfold, has planted over 2,000 trees, and serves over 5,000 small farming families. Here are the natural skin care products we tested from them, and which we dig (use code GOLDSNOW for 10% off and free shipping!).
Pure Moringa Simplicity Facial Oil - Inhaling the scent of Moringa oil reminds us of inhaling the smell of rain hitting stone. The earthiness of it is lovely and altogether grounding.
Moonlight White Gold Peppermint Lip Whip - Minty with a hint of moisture-infused shine? Yes, please. Perfect for all-day aprés.
For the Love of Melanin (up + coming!)
Shout out to For the Love of Melanin! This nascent, natural skin care brand crafts simple and effective products in small batches, all by hand. And guess what? While For the Love of Melanin makes natural skin care products that can be used by all skin types, it does so with melanin in mind. (Newsflash that shouldn’t have to be a newsflash: the majority of natural skin care brands and products are made with white skin tones and types in mind, marketed to a white audience, and… just really fucking white.)
Thankfully—whether out of honest intentions or out of seeking access to a larger portion of the market—a handful of natural skin care brands have stepped it up and started to cater to a more inclusive range of skin tones and types (in marketing and in research). Even more thankfully, brands like Filthy Cosmetics, hanahana beauty, Anne’s Apothecary, For the Love of Melanin, and others have begun to emerge over the last half-decade or so (some even further back). These brands are for all skin types and hues. BUT. They are womxn of color-owned and make products with melanin in mind. They are melanin-first, and they focus on natural skin care through a lens that doesn’t “other” the consumer. We love what they are doing.
A digression (albeit an important one). Other is a verb (look it up) whose definition is to “view or treat (a person or group of people) as intrinsically different from and alien to oneself.” Other is based on and determined by the lens of the individual stating such a thing. Other can and does shift across cultures, cities, realms and lands, across self-identifications, gender constructs and more. In the context of American industries (read: America), including the beauty industry, it is the white eurocentric view that has historically carried out, and continues to carry out, an othering of what and who it does not deem in the likeness of itself. This is not OK and never was. Its roots dwell in an antiquated system, subconsciously and consciously, that does not exist to serve, love, and respect all.
While we could go on about how intra- and intergenerationally complex and fucked up this othering is, we’re not here to wax on such things (right now) and neither is For the Love of Melanin. You can read more about othering here and, somewhat controversially, here.
Back to Anniezi Okike-Darrabie—the foundress and curator of For the Love of Melanin, and the human who is making small-batch natural skin care products that are healthy and effective, and that have melanin at the forefront of theirs minds. Always. Getting to test out what Anniezi sent us was neat, especially her oil cleansing balm, which you can peep and buy through the link below (and we got you… use code EATGOLDSNOW15 at checkout for a discount)…
Oil Cleansing Balm - This oil cleanser melts into skin to provide a much needed (gentle) removal of the day’s dirt, sweat, and sunscreen. Smooth and non-greasy, we dig this one from FTLOM.
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Thanks for reading. And as always, keep in mind that these are our opinions and our opinions only. You are (pretty much always) responsible for you! Always test any kind of skin care product on a patch of skin before applying liberally. Also, join us @eatgoldsnow and subscribe to our scene below.