12 Skincare Brands So Good You Won't Even Notice They're All-Natural

Take a minute to think about your skin as if it were your stomach. Imagine eating a diet full of processed foods containing preservatives, stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, and filler ingredients like high fructose corn syrup. Not only would you miss out on all the nutrients and antioxidants needed to maintain optimal health, but you would damage your gut by killing the positive bacteria that helps to absorb nutrients when you do decide to eat a vegetable.

“It's the same thing on the skin,” says holistic esthetician Kristina Holey. “If you're using conventional beauty products with a ton of preservatives, fragrances, and stabilizers, you're going to damage the skin’s microflora which will impair your skin function and have the worst impact for skin quality and appearance.” For Holey, clean skincare means using nutrient-dense ingredients (while avoiding damaging chemicals) to support and nourish the skin’s bacteria for effective results. She adds that buying local is important when looking for clean skincare: The longer the shelf-life of a product and the farther it traveled, the more additives and preservatives you’ll find in the ingredient list.

With that in mind, we found, tested, and vetted the best clean skincare brands out there for brighter, clearer, smoother skin. When used properly, these natural alternatives are some of the best wrinkle fighters and collagen boosters on the market.

Key: V (vegan), O (organic), S (sustainable)