Sephora VIB Sale Top 10 Clean Beauty Picks

Hey beauties! Today I’m sharing my picks for the best clean beauty products at the Sephora Beauty Insider Appreciation Event. The Sephora sale is in full swing this weekend. And everything (yes, everything!) is at least 10 percent off now through Monday, September 3. Depending on your status, you could save up to 20 percent on your order! Not bad, right?

So if you’ve been thinking about making the switch to clean beauty (or at least about trying out a few products), the sale is a great time to try a few! I’ve linked to 10 of my favorites here.

Why I’m Switching to Clean Beauty Products (and You Should too!)

I’ve got to be honest with you all. Until recently, I didn’t think too much about buying clean or non-toxic beauty products. Which I know is sorta crazy because I am pretty picky about what I eat and feed my family. But I wasn’t paying too much attention to what was in the beauty products I was using – as long as they smelled pretty and seemed to do the desired trick.

Why You Should Care About What’s in Your Beauty Products

But I recently had one of those “Aha!” moments. I clued in to the fact that my body was actually soaking up a huge amount of the makeup and beauty products I was using. And this is especially true for my skin care products —  which are designed to be absorbed into our skin!

And the scariest part of it is that I had no idea whether the products I was slathering on my body daily were safe! I realized it was time for me to look a little more closely at the ingredients in the products was using every day!

Top Clean Beauty Products to Buy at the Sephora VIB Sale

Shop the Products (left to right):
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

What Do These Harmful Chemicals in Beauty Products Do to Us?

Well, I bet you won’t be surprised to hear I was pretty freaked out once I started to take a closer look at what was actually in my products. You see, it turns out that the government is doing a pretty lousy job of regulating the beauty industry! And many of the most common ingredients used in makeup and beauty products – and some even approved by our Food and Drug Administration – can be really harmful to us.

These chemicals, which are often added to help preserve the products, extend their shelf life or make products more durable, are endocrine distributors. That means they can mess with our body’s system of glands that produce hormones that regulate things like our bodies growth, metabolism and reproductive systems. Using products with these ingredients can put you at risk for some serious health problems including cancer and infertility.

What Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in Your Makeup and Beauty Products

So how can you protect yourself and your family? Well, you need to read the labels just like you do when you shop for food!

You might have already heard of some of the main chemicals to watch for and avoid. These include parabens (preservatives), phthalates (makes some products like nail polishes and shampoos more durable), triclosan (an anti-bacterial chemical), and benzophenone-3 (a chemical often used in sunscreens).

You can get a more complete list on Think Dirty– Shop Clean app (for iPhones) or on the Skin Deep Database.

Where to Shop for Clean Beauty Products

Feeling a bit like you need to be a chemist to figure it this out? Yah, it can seem a bit overwhelming. Especially since to date, there’s not a standard, enforceable definition of what clean beauty products actually is.

Thankfully, many companies and retailers are starting to make it a little easier for consumers. Sephora, for example, has added a Clean at Sephora label to products on their site that they consider clean beauty products. According to Sephora, all brands with this seal “are free of these ingredients: sulfates SLS and SLES, parabens, formaldehydes, formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, triclosan, and triclocarban.”

Gwyneth Paltrow’s site, Goop, also sells a variety of clean products defined as “made without a long, ever-evolving list of ingredients linked to harmful health effects from hormone disruption, to cancer, to plain-old skin irritation.” Follain is an online and in-store retailer dedicated to selling products that are free of harmful ingredients in more than 70 skin, makeup, body, and hair brands. And The Detox Market, a California-based, green-beauty retailer, sells only non-toxic beauty products.

Shop Some of My Favorite Clean Beauty Products

The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice quality in order to get clean, non-toxic products! These days, there are so many luxurious, great smelling and super effective safe products on the market. Here are a few of my favorites. And don’t forget, you can get then on sale this weekend at Sephora!

10 Clean Beauty Picks of the Sephora VIB Sale

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream:
This luxurious cream feels like Crème de la Mer!

Summer Fridays Jet Leg Mask:
Developed by influencers Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland, this rich hydrating cream face mask has a cult following!

Tatcha The Water Cream:
A silky-feeling, oil-free, anti-aging face cream inspired by Japan’s geisha centuries-old beauty secrets. Added bonus: a portion of every purchase goes to help support girls’ education.

Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser:
A super gentle, soap-free foaming cleanser packed with antioxidants to cleanse, purify, and soften skin.

Tatcha The Deep Cleanse:
An oil-free gel cleanser that lathers into a creamy foam to lift away dirt, oil, and impurities without over-drying. Plus, a portion of each sale goes to  Room to Read, a nonprofit the supports girls’ education.

COOLA Classic Face Sport SPF 50 — White Tea:
This gentle and lightweight SPF 50 face sunscreen is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. It’s also infused with evening primrose and linseed oils to reduce redness, even skin tone and balance moisture.

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40:
This oil-free daily SPF 40 sunscreen is totally invisible and it’s scent free!

Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum:
A deeply hydrating serum that’s made from a blend of Okinawa red algae and hyaluronic acid—known to hold a thousand times it weight in water—to sooth, nourish and firm skin. It’s also enriched with 23-karat gold to deliver a lit-from-within, healthy glow without adding shimmer to the face. Works as a great primer!

Caudalie Vine[activ] Energizing Vitamin C Eye Cream:
A fragrance-free, anti-wrinkle eye treatment that pampers your eyes. It’s rich, fast-absorbing formula combats fine lines, puffiness, and dehydration.

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Sheet Mask:
A silky soft face mask that delivers a healthy drink of ultra-hydrating botanical oils and extracts to help give you a  gorgeous, dewy glow.