Truthfully, if you live in the states, it's actually very difficult to know what's in your skincare. Although the European skincare (EU) industry has banned or limited over 1,600 ingredients, the US has only banned 11. All the while, “clean beauty” is one of the most popular types of skincare in the US. So, given that there's hardly a standard, what is the true definition of clean beauty? Does it even exist?
While the FDA has no official definition for clean beauty, fortunately, there are still some beauty brands committed to creating completely skin-friendly and nourishing formulas.
Beauty shops like Credo Beauty are taking action to set the standard for “clean beauty.” They’ve even created their own “dirty list” of ingredients! Credo Beauty has actually banned 2,700 ingredients.
Credo Beauty, known as the “Sephora of Clean Beauty,” is a vegan, cruelty-free shop that Cassandra recently discovered with her friend, Rachel Finley, who is also a cruelty-free skincare enthusiast.
Back in March, they visited Credo Beauty’s NYC store in Soho, and Cassandra was shocked to see how sensitive-skin friendly the brands were! So, let’s talk about the top 3 things Cassandra loves about Credo, the brands she loves there, and a little bit about Credo Beauty’s ethos.
What is Credo Beauty Known for? Who is Credo Beauty's founder?
Did you know that brands aren’t even required to list all of the ingredients on their packaging label? According to the FDA, they are able to omit “trade secret” or “confidential” information like fragrance formulas.
So, how do we know what’s truly in our products? We need more transparency, and that’s why Credo Beauty is trailblazing new standards for label transparency.
For instance, all of the brands available at Credo go through extensive testing. Credo states, “We require and guide brands through a variety of raw material and final product testing. Our brand partners test for contaminants, heavy metals, preservative efficacy, irritation potential, ocular safety, and more. Prior to launching, brands run this testing and some relevant tests are also conducted at regular intervals to ensure product integrity.”
In an age of “trade secrets,” it was so refreshing for Cassandra to see a beauty store that provides brands with transparent ingredient lists, gentle formulas, and eco-friendly solutions.
The Co-founder and CEO of Credo is Annie Jackson. She was actually an executive at Sephora but embarked on her own journey to help individuals seeking safe and sustainable skincare.
Born in San Francisco like Cassandra, Credo Beauty is a clean beauty platform, marketplace, and shop with brick-and-mortar locations across the US. What Cassandra especially loves about Credo Beauty is that it totally takes the guesswork out of looking for sustainable and skin-friendly products.
Cassandra also loves how Credo has pioneered convenient “beauty recycling.” Pact, the nonprofit organization cofounded by Credo, offers its members education, sustainability tools, and a recycling program via Pact Collection Bins. You can now find Pact Bins in all Credo stores. You can even return or ship your empties back to Credo Beauty for points!
So, not only does Credo Beauty make indulging in cruelty-free skincare easy, they make it sustainable.
The Best of Credo
Inclusive Makeup Shade Ranges
While Cassandra was at the NYC store with Rachel, they discovered many contemporary and modern brands. Cassandra discovered brands with extensive makeup shade ranges such as LYS and iNNBeauty Project. INNBeauty has a variety of minis, and some of them are under $20, making it perfect for testing new products without breaking the bank.
Cassandra also found Gen See, a cruelty-free makeup brand, and they have award-winning and sustainable lipstick. Rachel specifically loves their eyeshadow. Gen See has an amazing purple sheen eyeshadow that actually lasts for days if you don’t remove it! They swatched it, and the color was gorgeous as well!
Accessible, Approachable, Award-winning Makeup
Also, there are some products that could serve as more affordable dupes for other brands. Cassandra noticed that the All Smile Bare Lip Liner from EXA is a fantastic dupe for Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk lip liner. In fact, it’s almost half the price!
EXA All Smiles Bare Lip Liner - $16
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk - $25
Speaking of EXA, their dual shield set + glow mist is a game-changer, and it’s a product that Rachel, who’s also known as the Hydration CEO was really excited about.
Another brand available at Credo is SOSHE Beauty, and they have refillable peptide mascara containers. They also have a lipstain that’s absolutely gorgeous. Furthermore, Cassandra noticed a brand named MARA because of their packaging. Their packaging literally looks like art — so much so that Cassandra was stunned by how beautifully crafted it was.
MARA Chia + Moringa Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil - $58
Self-care Made Sustainable
Another highlight was Follain Skincare. Cassandra has been a fan for years, but now, their products are available at Credo! Follain is known for their ethical sourcing, and Cassandra specifically noticed the charcoal detox cleanser.
Some charcoal products can be irritating so it was definitely a plus to see a version that aims to be skin-friendly. Plus, Follain has candles that you can use during skincare rituals!
Tinted vitamin C sunscreen from Iris and Romeo - $50
Credo also carries one of Cassadra’s favorites too, Iris&Romeo. They have the tinted vitamin C sunscreen from Iris and Romeo, which is a staple and a one-step morning routine in a bottle. Having products that fulfill more than one skincare step is also good for sustainability because it decreases the amount of products we consume.
These are a few of the highlights from Credo Beauty, and to see more, follow Cassandra and Rachel. You can also visit Credo Beauty to explore more vegan, cruelty-free, and skin-friendly beauty!
Here are a few other products Cassandra noticed too!
MARA Volcanic Sea Clay Detox Masque - $58
RMS BEAUTY Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow - $28
