How I Greenified My Vanity 1 Beauty Product at a Time

I haven't quite gotten as far as transitioning to a plastic-free shampoo bar yet (baby steps!), but a body lotion bar? Sign me up! The Kate McLeod Grounding Stone ($38) is a solid moisturizer that immediately melts on contact with warm, dry skin — all you have to do is glide it across your body and massage the product in. Not only is it insanely soothing to the senses, but with just five ingredients, you also know exactly what you're putting on your body. The bergamot and vetiver scent is so good!

The transition to natural deodorant doesn't have to be difficult — if you use the right product. I love that Schmidt's natural deodorant actually works (the 5-star reviews don't lie — and they've got 20,000 of them!), with plant- and mineral-based ingredients that are gentle on skin and provide 24-hour odor protection. Also, fun fact, it's the first and only deodorant to be Ecocert-certified natural in the US. The OG Rose & Vanilla ($9) scent is a personal favorite, but I also love the Bergamot & Lime ($9) and Lavender & Sage ($9) — all unisex scents!

I've tried a lot of mineral sunscreens over the years, but my current favorite is the Volition Mineral Prismatic Luminizing Shield SPF 35 ($35). Mineral sunscreens can often feel viscous and sticky, but this one is lightweight, easy to spread, and actually feels more like a moisturizer on the skin than a sunscreen. Plus, it leaves my complexion looking glow-y and pores blurred — perfect for no-makeup days.

The Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser ($36) is like a healthy green juice — for my face. The ingredients (kale, spinach, green tea) are even cold-pressed, and it honestly smells like something you'd pick up from an expensive juice bar. It leaves my skin feeling soft and balanced, and is powerful enough for days I'm too lazy to do a double cleanse — which, let's be honest, has been most days this year. Even my boyfriend loves it!

The Tatcha Water Cream ($68) is a moisturizer I've been using for years and remains a favorite for my oily complexion. My skin feels soft, hydrated, and balanced upon application thanks to the unique water-burst technology and nutrient-rich Japanese ingredients. Not to mention, the packaging is luxe and practical.

I wasn't much of an eye-cream person until I discovered the Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask ($42). I love that it features retinol to really tackle fine lines and have noticed a difference in how moisturized and bright the skin around my eyes is.

As someone with perpetually chapped lips, a good lip balm is everything. The Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm ($18) is one I consistently come back to since it's buttery and luxurious and leaves my lips soft and smooth.

A good, silicone-free shampoo that A) doesn't leave your hair full of residue and B) isn't annoyingly overpriced is hard to come by (trust me, I've tried the lot). I recently discovered the NatureLab. Tokyo Repair Shampoo ($15), and it's everything I want in a shampoo. It's affordable, keeps my scalp healthy and my strands soft and strong, and, best of all, it doesn't leave behind any residue. Oh, and the scent reminds me of summer!

Dry shampoo is a must for someone like me who has oily hair but insists on going as long as hygienically possible in between washes. The Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Biotin Dry Shampoo ($24) has been a staple for years and extends the life of my hair thanks to detoxifying and oil-absorbing ingredients. Pro tip: I actually apply dry shampoo on newly washed hair as a prevention to excess oil production to begin with, rather than a solution to already oily hair.

I am very particular about my mascaras, and it's hard enough to find one that keeps my lashes lifted, let alone one that features all nontoxic ingredients. The new RMS Straight Up Volumizing Peptide Mascara ($26), though, ticks all the boxes. It gives volume to my straight lashes, is smudge- and flake-free, and nourishes them too with the peptide formula.

Besides mascara, brow gel is the only other product you'll find on my face these days. A couple swipes of the Merit Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade ($24) leave my brows looking naturally fluffy and full.

Nontoxic nail polish might not be something you'd think to purposely seek out (I would say it's still a pretty underdeveloped category compared to others), so I consider myself lucky that I discovered a brand I love early on. The Veque Ve Vernis Nail Polish ($18) is formulated to be 9-free, meaning it's free of nine of the most toxic ingredients typically found in nail polishes. I'm predicting this sage-green Wainui shade will become my go-to for summer!