The Best Clean Beauty Brands, According to Celebrity Makeup Artists

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As people become more conscious of what they they put in and on their bodies, companies are getting better at creating clean products that don’t sacrifice quality and aesthetic. The makeup industry might be the most susceptible to this cultural change, as more and more brands center their businesses around “clean” and “natural” products that are finally able to promise the same long wear and desirable textures as their synthetic competitors.

Due to an ever-growing list of clean beauty brands, it can be hard for the casual consumer to sift through products and decipher which ones are actually safe for the body. Which ingredients should people be looking out for? Which corporate buzzwords carry actual meaning, and which ones are plastered onto packaging with little care for the truth?

According to celebrity makeup artist Christin Zito, who’s worked with clients such as Dolly Parton and Billy Ray Cyrus, diligently checking the ingredient list is the most important thing you can do. “FDA regulations in the U.S. are extremely relaxed, so you have to do your due diligence as a consumer to try to avoid toxins. Labels aren’t always transparent,” she tells Variety. “It may surprise you, but just because something is labeled with buzzwords like ‘clean,’ ‘organic,’ ‘vegan,’ ‘natural,’ ‘green’