4 Natural, Affordable, Woman-Owned Beauty Brands You Need in Your Bathroom This Summer!!

photo by Laura Shriner

First off, I am not someone writing about their favorite products after being genetically blessed with non-existent pores or flawless skin. I have struggled with my skin since 16 until now. I regularly experience inflammation, redness, breakouts, and discoloration. After implementing the right product order, with products aimed at specific areas with clean ingredients I have seen progress in my skin. I remember all too well the crushing weight of comparing myself to other girls with “perfect skin.” (Which side note does not even exist and should not be the goal.) This caused a lot of anxiety to build up inside me for years, basically to the point of my happiness was based on how my skin looked that day. Worrying what I looked like weighed so heavily on me that it took away from enjoying trips, going on dates, or being fully present during time with people I love. During a really emotionally draining period of my life, I avoided being around people at night, because I had such anxiety about taking off any makeup or putting anything on my skin in front of anyone since I was unsure if I would hate how I looked afterward.

I am now 23 (almost 24) and comparing myself to anyone else or talking negatively to myself are two things I am actively teaching my brain to rewrite. There is a lot of shame around how your skin looks, and the beauty industry thrives off that shame at times. The beauty/skincare industry a few years ago really pushed the idea that expensive equaled quality, or that you should buy a product just because a celebrity created it or wore it.

Most of us can barely afford drugstore prices, but we pushed ourselves to get the celebrity-owned expensive brands so we could maybe look like them. Most of us would trust that idea, and will never consider that this could be false. Chanel must have the best wash face right? Because it’s Chanel? Not exactly. Chanel could have a great face wash, but chances are the ingredients in it are exactly the same as 20 other face washes that are not $50. I would blindly save up for these $50 serums and face washes that were huge brand names, but I did not understand the ingredients in the high price products. On top of that, I also had no clue what the ingredients in the products were even supposed to do for my skin. It was this thinking that started to dawn on me last Spring and inspired me to do my homework on skincare.

During quarantine, we were all trapped inside with 3 things: Tiger king, banana bread, and skincare. I was jobless, finishing my last college semester in my bedroom while living at home. So naturally, I created a skincare routine for myself. I had used several products from the different brands below for years, but after fully researching each one for a month in quarantine I curated an informed routine that actually works for my skin.

I have compiled 4 of my favorite women-owned clean beauty lines that I personally use in my everyday/weekly routines.

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1. Glossier

Anyone who loves healthy skincare knows Glossier. Emily Weiss is the queen of the no makeup makeup line. This brand is at the forefront of body positivity and inclusivity of all people. I have been using various Glossier products since high school. I own at least 15 balm dot coms and I have at least 4 tubes of it in my purse at all times…I never leave the house without a Mango Balm Dot Com, I would feel naked. After I got all 4 of my wisdom teeth out, my sister picked me up, and all I kept asking for was Glossier Mango Balm Dot Com. 

This brand truly embodies the effortless cool girl 15-minute beauty routine. Their products are simple, free of any harsh chemicals, clean, and don’t irritate sensitive pores. They are made to enhance your natural skin instead of feeling like you have to cover up.

Therefore creating the perfect healthy glowing no makeup (some makeup) look. 

I use the skin tint, concealer, boy brow, cloud paint, and any of the balm dot coms (especially mango) 

2. Cocokind

I started using the Cocokind matcha stick first a year ago for my under-eye bags after finding it at Whole Foods which is the holy grail of healthy products. I loved it so much that I slowly began researching other products during quarantine. The website and their social media have so much access to what is in their products, the benefits, and the order to use them. I discovered Cocokind was fully clean, eco-friendly, affordable, and made for the natural women. This brand was created by a woman who was struggling with her own skin. Her brand promotes the fact openly that there is no magic skincare product to give you skin without flaws, and we should not have this ugly before and perfect after idea in our head because all skin is beautiful. You can’t actually shrink your pores because the size is genetic, and you can’t just erase every fine line, but you can find products that help your skin to be the healthiest it can be.

the author and her (spf safe) glow

I have been using almost all Cocokind products in my skincare routine lineup for a year now, and I wake up in the morning not afraid to look in the mirror and see my natural skin anymore.

I use the oil to milk cleanser, revitalizing eye cream, watermelon hemp oil ( gives you the most gorgeous glow), Matcha stick, Sunrei highlighter stick, and the pore refining roll-on followed by the texture smoothing cream. 

I plan to try their new serums too very soon!

3. Supergoop

Sunscreen is by far the most important step in skincare or beauty care. I remember being annoyed when I was 14 and I wanted to be cool but also did not want to burn my face. There was no trendy sunscreen yet, and the white zinc residue on my face made me look weird and dislike sunscreen. Maybe that was just me at age 14… but anyway at age 23 I eat sleep and breathe SPF. I also love the sun though. Don’t get me wrong, the sun is magical and she gives us vitamin D, she strengthens our immune system, and she helps improve our moods. Healthy sun exposure is vital for healthy skin and a healthy body, but so is understanding how to protect against the rays that are damaging from the sun. Holly Thaggard made sunscreen cool again. Supergoop has both Chemical and Mineral sunscreens that are stunning to pair with makeup or wear alone every day. Do some research into the difference between mineral and chemical SPF's because it is very informative, and try them out until you find your favorites.

I use the Glow screen on top of the matte mineral for a stunning glow along with adequate coverage. On lighter sun exposure days I have used the unseen screen, and for my neck and hands, I use the daily SPF over top a mineral base.

4. Skin Trip

Keeping your body healthy and glowing is a part of skincare too. Once you smell this lotion and feel its texture, you will never buy another lotion again. Skin Trip is a woman-owned brand that was inspired by nature. This lotion is the best for soft, hydrated, coconut paradise-smelling skin. I walk by people at my job when I wear this lotion and someone always says “what is that tropical smell?”. This lotion has been my go-to for 2 years because it isn’t sticky or thick and it absorbs so quickly into your skin for a gorgeous hydrated glow after a day in the sun or a relaxing shower.  The ingredients are safe, the fragrance does not irritate sensitive skin, and the bottle is biodegradable. What more could you want? 

There are many more beauty brands in my bathroom that I could share, but I hope you enjoyed, and feel inspired to research and test out products to create your own affordable, healthy, and natural skincare!