The 14 Best Clean Celebrity Beauty Brands of 2023
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
Stars are launching clean makeup and skincare lines at a shocking pace. Lady Gaga, Scarlett Johansson, and Courteney Cox are a few that do it right.
InStyle / David Hattan
If it isn’t abundantly clear, we are living in the age of the celebrity beauty brand. Long gone are the days of celeb-backed fragrances and well-compensated brand ambassadors. Today’s famous folks are lending their names to eponymous makeup, haircare, and skincare brands.
While some celeb beauty brands have already come and gone, others have had impressive ingenuity and efficacy. When it comes to the ones that are thriving, we’ve found that almost all of them have one thing in common: They tout clean beauty standards and practices.
But “clean” is a nebulous term; it’s not regulated by the FDA, so anyone can slap it on a label and call it a day. That’s why we dug into the details and looked into our favorite clean celebrity beauty brands to see what the word really means to them. Ahead, find the 14 that are truly making a difference.
Related:The 15 Best Clean Haircare Brands of 2023
GXVE Beauty
Gwen Stefani might have been a bit late to the celebrity beauty brand scene — GXVE launched in March 2022 — but it quickly cemented itself as a top-tier celeb-backed brand. The formulas meet at the cornerstone of performance and play, pairing bold, rich pigments with impressively long-lasting payoff.
As for the brand’s definition of clean, products are 100-percent vegan and cruelty free, and formulated without parabens, phthalates, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances. Product packaging is made sustainably, too — outer cartons are fully recyclable while primary containers are made with environmentally friendly materials like post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and glass.
InStyle favorites include the All Time Prime Face Oil, a lightweight oil that soothes skin and helps makeup last for hours. One editor swears it leaves her naturally oily skin looking flawless. The Pout to Get Real Lip Liner in shade Do Whatever is the perfect neutral beige color — and the precision tip makes sculpting and filling in lips a breeze. We also love the Can’t Stop Staring Mascara that dramatically lengthens and lifts (a notoriously difficult feat when it comes to clean mascaras).
Bestsellers: Can’t Stop Staring Mascara, Eye See in Color Eyeshadow Quad, I’m Still Here Matte Liquid Lipstick | Price Range: $20 to $48
HAUS LABS by Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is all about artistry and breaking boundaries, two traits that clearly carry over to Haus Labs. As Gaga herself explains it: “My vision for Haus Labs centers around the future of clean makeup, supercharged products with innovative formulations and novel ingredients.”
Formulas are cruelty-free, vegan, fragrance-free, and clinically tested. The brand set a goal of being carbon neutral by 2027 and uses sustainable packaging materials like glass, aluminum, cellulose, and PCR resin whenever possible.
Haus Labs’ innovative Triclone Skin Tech Foundation comes in 51 buildable shades that are infused with fermented arnica to help visibly reduce redness and irritation and protect the skin from stress. We’re also partial to the Optic Intensity Eco Gel Eyeliner Pencil, which is the world’s first eyeliner to boast a 100-percent biodegradable barrel. Plus, the waterproof formula is seriously impressive — keeping liner smudge-free even on the sweatiest summer days.
Bestsellers: Triclone Skin Tech Foundation, Le Monster Lip Crayon Lipstick, Hy-Power Eye, Cheek, & Lip Pigment Paint | Price Range: $22 to $45
Henry Rose
Despite a 2019 launch, Henry Rose was decades in the making. After the birth of her children, Michelle Pfeiffer struggled to find a fragrance that checked all her boxes: Something that made her feel good and smelled amazing. So she decided to make one herself.
Not only did Henry Rose create the first fine fragrances to be both Environmental Working Group-verified and Cradle to Cradle-certified, these scents are seriously good. It’s proof you don’t need to sacrifice quality or sophistication for safety.
Best-selling scent Jake’s House has a light, clean musky finish with subtle notes of neroli, peony, and jasmine throughout. A favorite from the home line is the Flora Carnivora candle, which features notes of earthy vetiver, soft jasmine, tuberose, and bright orange flower. Other standouts include the citrusy Windows Down and the deliciously rich Queens & Monsters. For those struggling to pick a favorite, we highly suggest the Mini-Coffret Gift Set, which features seven award-winning scents in mini spray bottles.
Bestsellers: Jake’s House Eau de Parfum, Windows Down Eau de Parfum, Queens & Monsters Candle | Price Range: $30 to $120
Homecourt
If her super-clean home-care brand is any indication, it turns out Courteney Cox is just like Monica after all. Homecourt brings a beauty philosophy to cleaning — that is to say, these aren’t your usual Clorox wipes and Dawn dish soap.
So what exactly makes the brand “super-clean”? Ingredients are all sustainable, plant-derived, and upcycled; formulas are developed with responsibly sourced raw materials and skincare-grade ingredients; and all products are vegan, cruelty-free, and made in the U.S. As for the packaging, all bottles, cartons, boxes are recyclable. The pumps and sprayers are not recyclable, but they are reusable — and the brand says it hopes to offer plastic-free refills soon.
And Homecourt’s products are luxe. They smell amazing, perform impressively well, and look beautiful. I keep the Steeped Rose Surface Cleaner, Hand Wash, and Dish Soap next to my kitchen sink, and burned through the Cece Candle in record time. Unsurprisingly, many InStyle editors are mega fans of the candle, too.
Bestsellers: Steeped Rose Surface Cleaner, Neroli Leaf Hand Wash, Cece Candle | Price Range: $20 to $60
Humanrace
Founded by Pharrell, Humanrace designs essential skincare tools that support good habits and benefit the mind, body, and spirit. The brand is constantly working to improve its methods of making those products, challenging industry standards and practices at every stage of the production process.
Formulations are vegan, fragrance-free, cruelty-free, as well as made without the 1,300 skincare ingredients deemed unsafe by the European Union. Bottles are crafted from over 51-percent PCR landfill plastic and are designed to be refillable — and the brand partnered with its manufacturer to adopt a foil-sealing process that eliminates the use of single-use plastic caps.
Our editors have previously waxed poetic about the brand’s three-piece skincare routine, and we continue to reach for the brand’s bodycare and SPF. Though all of Humanrace’s products are particularly good, we find the Humidifying Face Cream and Humidifying Body Cream to be downright genius.
Bestsellers: Humidifying Face Cream, Energy Channeling Charcoal Body Bar, Ozone Body Protection Cream SPF 30 | Price Range: $16 to $58
Jones Road
Yes, Jones Road was founded by a makeup artist who is not technically a celebrity, but Bobbi Brown is so revered that she’s found stardom in her own right. The brand eschews the face-manipulating Instagram filters and heavy-handed makeup looks we see online for a simpler, more effortless approach to beauty. That approach is also clean.
Jones Road clearly states its clean standards: Products are free from parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and petrolatum, as well as an exhaustive list of impossible to pronounce ingredients. All formulations are cruelty-free, and unit cartons are made from 100-percent recyclable fiber.
Shoppers swear the Miracle Balm makes their skin look 15 years younger and one of our very own swears it replaced her need for foundation, highlighter, and blush. We were also impressed with What The Foundation for its lightweight texture and polished, dewy finish.
Bestsellers: Miracle Balm, The Face Pencil, The Mascara | Price Range: $18 to $44
JVN Hair
Jonathan Van Ness knows hair, so it was only natural that he launched JVN, a haircare line that “sees all beauty, serves all beauty, and honors the uniqueness in each of us.” JVN really does bottle up Van Ness’s unique blend of inclusivity, self-care, and positivity.
The line uses sustainably sourced, scientifically backed ingredients in every product — and has an extensive ingredient library on its website to prove it. All products are made with clean hemisqualane and are silicone-, sulfate-, and cruelty-free, as well as vegan and color-safe. The bottles, jars, and tubes are made of aluminum and glass, meaning they’re infinitely recyclable, too.
Best of all, JVN is really, really good. The Pre-Wash Scalp Oil made one of our greasy-haired editors an oil-treatment believer (and it’s just as good on dry, brittle hair). Meanwhile, the Complete Air Dry Cream is my go-to for defined, soft waves without picking up a single heat tool.
Bestsellers: Pre-Wash Scalp Oil, Complete Air Dry Cream, Embody Volumizing Shampoo | Price Range: $18 to $29
Keys Soulcare
Keys Soulcare is all about turning beauty routines into rituals, using the time to honor yourself, set intentions, and practice gratitude. Created by none other than Alicia Keys, Keys Soulcare goes beyond skincare to truly care for the whole self.
According to the brand, all formulas are clean: Keys Soulcare is both Leaping Bunny- and PETA-certified and is the first beauty brand to utilize a Fair Trade Certified factory. Plus, a portion of profits go to the non-profit organization The Happy Org, which promotes youth empowerment through holistic education.
With an array of body care and makeup, Keys Soulcare has something for everyone. The Rich Nourishing Cream, which one InStyle editor says helps prevent her pesky wintertime lizard skin, is rich without feeling greasy, while the Sheer Flush Cheek Tints offer a skincare-infused, buildable flush of color.
Bestsellers: Golden Cleanser With Manuka Honey, Truly Becoming Multi-Benefit Peptide Serum, Skin Transformation Cream With Bakuchiol | Price Range: $12 to $38
Kora Organics
Founded by Miranda Kerr, Kora Organics launched all the way back in 2009, and hit the U.S. in 2017. Kerr worked alongside certified organic chemists and COSMOS/EcoCert to create the range, following both the strictest global standards of safety and the highest levels of clinical performance.
When pressed on her favorite from the lineup, Kerr swears by the Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask, citing its deep exfoliation and instant results. Katy Perry is also a fan of Kora Organics, especially the Turmeric Glow Moisturizer, a rich, emollient face cream that visibly brightens and softens skin. The brand also continuously scores high in our InStyle lab tests, with the Noni Glow Face Oil taking home the top honor in our face oils test, among others.
Bestsellers: Noni Glow Face Oil, Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask, Turmeric Glow Moisturizer | Price Range: $23 to $74
The Outset
Founded by Scarlett Johansson and former beauty and fashion executive Kate Foster, The Outset is all about elevated basics, with a philosophy grounded in nourishing and fortifying the skin. The Outset isn’t just about looking good, it’s about doing good too; and as a result features a charitable component fostering new beginnings for people and the planet.
The Outset features a tight edit of eight products that are all “consciously clean.” The brand eliminated over 2,700 ingredients of concern from its formulas, including harsh actives, fragrance, and common allergens like gluten and nuts. Products are cruelty-free (and vegan and Leaping Bunny certified), as well as clinically tested for allergies and sensitive skin.
Standouts include the Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser, which one editor says is everything she’s ever wanted in a face wash (and I can confirm, it is very good). Meanwhile the Ultralight Moisture-Boosting Oil is the most lightweight oil I’ve ever come across.
Bestsellers: Firming Vegan Collagen Prep Serum, Nourishing Squalane Daily Moisturizer, Ultralight Moisture-Boosting Oil | Price Range: $32 to $54
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez
If you want a masterclass in creating a successful celebrity beauty brand, look no further than Rare Beauty. Selena Gomez really did something special here — the brand is all about breaking down unrealistic standards of perfection and redefining what beautiful means by celebrating individuality.
Rare Beauty opts not to use the term “clean” to describe itself, but it meets many of the standards other brands use in their own definitions. Rare is cruelty-free, vegan, and certified by PETA’s Global Beauty Without Bunnies. The brand also follows the strict cosmetic standards of the European Union, meaning it bans more than 1,600 chemicals and ingredients from its products.
It’d honestly be quicker to list the products from Rare we’re not utterly obsessed with. But we’ll highlight a few favorites. Of course, there’s the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush with its lightweight, highly pigmented formula that lasts all day. The Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara takes lashes from limp to luxe in a single swipe, while the Always an Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set Mist helps improve the appearance of skin while setting, priming, hydrating, and refreshing makeup.
Bestsellers: Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Sticks, Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight | Price Range: $15 to $30
Related:The 9 Best Rare Beauty Products of 2023
Rhode
Hailey Bieber launched Rhode in June 2022, and the brand’s inaugural five products have been virtually impossible to acquire ever since. Every item is vegan, dermatologist-developed, fragrance-free, and certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and PETA. Packaging is made from PCR materials and its website features extensive details on each product’s environmental impact, as well as easy-to-follow recycling instructions.
With just five products (three of which are different flavors of the same Peptide Lip Treatment), the brand quickly made a splash thanks to its effective, gentle formulas and under-$30 price range. The Peptide Glazing Fluid is a personal favorite: The lightweight, fast-absorbing gel serum visibly plumps and hydrates ski; plus, it also looks amazing under makeup. If you can’t choose just one Rhode product to try, we highly suggest checking out The Rhode Kit.
Bestsellers: Peptide Glazing Fluid, Peptide Lip Treatment, Barrier Restore Cream | Price Range: $16 to $29
Rose Inc.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s Rose Inc. is as chic as the model herself. Founded in 2018, the brand prides itself on its duality of incorporating skincare into makeup. Products deliver instant results with lasting skincare benefits. All formulas are vegan and cruelty-free, as well as Leaping Bunny certified. Plus, many are also refillable.
Standouts include the Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Color, which is packed with skin-loving ingredients to hydrate, brighten, and blur skin. The non-comedogenic Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum does exactly what its name implies: It enhances your natural skin. It does it so well that many reviewers say it takes years off their faces. Meanwhile, the Softlight Luminous Hydrating Concealer is a criminally underrated concealer that’s creamy and hydrating but never cakey.
Bestsellers: Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum, Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Color, Satin Lip Color Hydrating Lipstick | Price Range: $26 to $74
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Buy at Victoriabeckhambeauty.com
Victoria Beckham Beauty is committed to creating a better, brighter future for our planet — and does so through clean ingredients, responsible sourcing, and sustainably minded design. The brand employs what it calls a “clean and lean” approach to ingredients, producing high-performing, skin-loving products using safe, ethically, and environmentally responsible materials.
Its excluded ingredient list is constantly reviewed and updated by internal experts to ensure they stay up to date with the cleanest of standards. The brand also has an ingredient watchlist, which it actively monitors to ensure it’s formulating products in a safe and responsible manner.
Favorites include Lid Lustre, a creamy crystal-infused eyeshadow that gives the perfect smoky eye in a single swipe. Meanwhile the Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil instantly brightens and wakes up eyes. Plus, it’s dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested and safe for contact lens wearers.
Bestsellers: Future Lash Mascara, Lid Lustre Crystal-Infused Shadow, Satin Kajal Liner | Price Range: $28 to $210
Why Shop With Us
Danielle Cohen is a freelance beauty writer and editor with more than five years of experience reporting on the beauty industry and testing products. For this story, she did her due diligence researching the best celebrity beauty brands available. She also researched each brand’s ingredients, packaging, and sustainability practices as it relates to clean beauty. Along the way, she tested products and dug into the reviews to find the best products from each.
Related:The 16 Best Luxury Skincare Brands of 2023
For more InStyle news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on InStyle.
