Delicious Living’s 2016 Beauty & Body Award Winners

Beauty: What does it mean to you? For us, it’s about being your healthiest, most vibrant self—and there’s no better way to achieve that than by nourishing your body with nontoxic ingredients that actually work.

Each year when our annual beauty awards roll around, we can’t wait to give accolades to the companies doing things the right way. When you buy one of these standout beauty or body products, you’re not just making a smart purchase—you’re also supporting the safe cosmetics movement.

From pure and simple bathroom staples to high-end skin care and on-the-go beauty innovations, each of these products is from a company committed to quality and results. Our staff testers loved them, and we know you will, too. So go ahead and give your beauty regimen a makeover.

The time is now!

(Psst: Want to win a selection of these products? Enter our February giveaway!)

Best Face Moisturizer:

EO Transformative Night Serum

Call this plant-based serum your skin’s number-one ally: The silky smooth blend is bursting with fatty-acid-rich oils, including argan, moringa and tsubaki—a source of rare antiaging omega-9 fatty acids. Talk about beauty sleep …

We also love:

• Planet Botanicals Face Cream with Ugandan Shea Butter and Calendula

Best Hair Styling Product or Treatment:

Aubrey Chia Salt Spray

No need to take a dip in the ocean to get perfectly tousled beach waves—naturally. Kudos to Aubrey for delivering innovation in this styling spray that strengthens locks with quinoa protein and adds shine and protection to color-treated hair using chia seed oil and tea.

We also love:

• CoCo | Conscious Collective Straight Transformations Intensive Style Primer
   

Best Eye Cream:

Yurrku Eden Eye Cream

This fresh new product highlights the benefits of hand-harvested native Australian ingredients, which even the most well-seasoned natural beauty aficionados may not be familiar with. This pick targets fine lines and puffiness with antioxidant-rich emu apple and orange jessamine.

We also love:

• Aubrey Lumessence Eye Creme

Best Lip Product:

Noyah Lipstick

Achieving a vibrant hue without using synthetic ingredients is a challenge, but Noyah delivers just that with plant and mineral extracts. The lipsticks also contain hydrating and protecting vitamin E, shea butter and coconut oil. And the lovely packaging is made from sustainable bamboo to reduce plastic use and waste.

We also love:

• Life-Flo Rosehip Seed Lip Balm

Best Hair Conditioner:

Nubian Heritage EVOO & Moringa Deep Conditioning Cream

Let your locks soak up every last drop of this rich, creamy treatment. Its natural, happy-hair trifecta is unbeatable: antioxidant-laden moringa oil, gloss-intensifying olive oil and strengthening quinoa protein. You’ll instantly feel like you’re in a shampoo commercial! 

We also love:

• Earth Science Olive & Avocado Hair Masque

Best Face Cleanser:

Badger Argan Face Cleansing Oil

Oil to cleanse your skin? Based on ancient wisdom’s concepts of “like dissolves like” and “balance is everything,” this ancient cleansing technique uses castor oil to pull impurities from the skin and essential vitamins, fatty acids and lipids from argan, sunflower and jojoba oils to support a more vibrant complexion.

We also love:

• Juice Beauty Cleansing Milk

Best Hand Care:

Andalou Naturals A Path of Light Shea Butter + Cocoa Butter Hand Cream

That rare combination of lightweight, nonsticky and ultramoisturizing is a dream come true for chapped hands. Plus, we love that the first ingredient is aloe (not water) and that the scent is subtle, irresistible lavender. 

We also love:

• Ohana Organics Rose Geranium Shea Butter Cream

Best Face Makeup:

Mineral Fushion All-in-One Mineral Beauty Balm

We’re all searching for that one product that does it all. And, we think we found it: Mineral sun protection meets nourishing plant oils and pigments to provide a one-stop shop that leaves skin feeling and looking smooth and healthy with just the right amount of coverage—perfect from morning ’til dusk.   

We also love:

• Rejuva Minerals Natural Look Pressed Powder Foundation and Bronzer

Best Sun Care:

Goddess Garden Face the Day Sunscreen & Firming Primer

You know a daily SPF is a must, but finding one that also feels good is difficult, which is why we love this multipurpose option. Not only does it protect your skin from ubiquitous UV rays thanks to mineral protector zinc oxide, it also keeps makeup in place for a natural, all-day glow.

We also love:

• Badger Balm SPF 30 Unscented Sunscreen

Best Eye Makeup:

Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Mascara

Applying chemicals around your peepers? We don’t think so. Not only does this nontoxic, clump-free mascara provide a jet-black or silky-brown hue, it also conditions lashes with avocado—as opposed to harsh chemicals that can be drying and irritating. 

We also love:

• Jane Iredale Eye Shere Liquid Eye Shadow

Best Hair Shampoo:

The Seaweed Bath Co. Balancing Argan Shampoo

A favorite for those with oily tresses, this clarifying shampoo features bladder wrack seaweed—which the company sustainably harvests in Maine—along with aloe, argan oil and vitamin E to cleanse hair and scalp. Another boon: Seaweed Bath discloses every single ingredient in its fragrances so you know exactly what you’re getting.

We also love:

• Alaffia Neem & Shea Recovery Shampoo

Best Body Moisturizer:

Acure Energizing Body Lotion

Skin: quenched. This pure, lightweight and ultranourishing body lotion contains a powerful base of antioxidant-rich superfruit juices, including acaí, blackberry and pomegranate. Other effective ingredients for moisture and reparation include coconut oil, coQ10 and probiotics—which are no longer just for supplements.

We also love:

• SIBU Sea Berry Therapy Moisturizing Body Cream

Best Mask or Treatment:

Derma e Purifying 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask

Detox … for your skin? Kaolin and bentonite clays, along with activated charcoal, draw impurities from the skin. Meanwhile, wakame—a type of seaweed rich in potassium and magnesium—protects from environmental invaders, such as heavy metals and cigarette smoke.

We also love:

• Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Rosewater Mask

Best Oral Care:

Dr. Bronner's All-One Toothpaste

The classic company that won us over with its natural castile soaps has done it again with its new All-One Toothpaste that is vegan and made with 70 percent organic ingredients, including organic coconut oil and coconut flour. The non-GMO pastes come in breath-freshening flavors like peppermint and anise.

We also love:

• Himalaya Herbal Healthcare Neem and Pomegranate Toothpaste

Best Nail Product:

Sophi Nail Polish

These odor-free and beautiful, glide-on shades have officially converted us from chemical to natural manicures. Apply the primer and top coat, and your next mani will look and last just like you had it done at the salon.

We also love:

• Weleda Nail Care Pen

Breakthrough Company

Just Love Just Pure Essentials

We love this company’s passion—in more ways than one. With a mission statement of “good for you inside and out,” these sensual essential oils use only the purest ingredients, including coconut and argan oils, to bring a nontoxic option into the bedroom.  

We also love:

• Kensington Apothecary

Best Bathroom Staple:

Elemental Herbs All Good Goop

Cuts? Diaper rash? Blisters? You name the skin woe, and this organic remedy has you covered. We’re all good with this “goop” whose ingredients would be as at home in the pantry as in the medicine cabinet: olive oil and beeswax, plus plant add-ins, such as calendula, plantain and lavender.

We also love:

• Bodyceuticals Calendula Organic Bioactive Salve

Outstanding Classic Product or Company:

Burt’s Bees

The natural products industry lost a veteran last year—but Burt’s Bees founder Burt Shavitz left behind a legacy in the form of the now widespread beeswax-based brand. Although in 2007 Clorox acquired the company—whose products can be found everywhere from small independent retailers to big-box stores—Burt’s Bees has maintained its integrity and continues to bring healthier beauty products to the masses.

We also love:

• Alaffia

Best Value:

Cocokind Organic Lip Balm

Like the entire line of skin care products, Cocokind’s lip balm is USDA Organic and its price is competitive (or cheaper!) than other nonorganic lip products. The company maintains a commitment to quality and consciously sourced ingredients, including organic virgin coconut oil, while keeping the price low so we can all enjoy it.

We also love:

• Desert Essence Exfoliating Lemon Soap Bar

Best Men's Product:

Beard Balm

Beards are trendy. Natural products are cool. Together they pack a mean punch, as shown by this one-product line handcrafted in Detroit. An ode to a full, healthy beard, Beard Balm uses only pure ingredients such as coconut oil and beeswax to add moisture and promote lustrous (beard) locks. And it smells good, thanks to lemon oil and essential oils from eucalyptus and geranium. That’s da balm.

We also love:

• Honestly pHresh Three-in-One Body Wash Active Sea Mineral

Best Beauty Supplement:

Natural Factors WomenSense VeinSense

Sure, working out is the best way to maintain healthy stems. But we’re also all about this smart, vegetarian (gelatin-free) supplement to keep your legs looking their best. Key ingredient: diosmin, a citrus flavonoid, to support vein structure.

We also love:

• Terry Naturally Acne Essentials

Best Splurge:

MyChelle Dermaceuticals Remarkable Retinal Serum

You’ll pay close to $50, but this product is worth every penny for those seeking a high-concentration, nontoxic antiaging solution. Packed with the most potent nonprescription form of vitamin A, this serum accelerates cellular turnover to combat wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. Another powerful inclusion: orange plant stem cells.

We also love:

• HiQ Facial Serum CoQ10

Best Body Wash:

Action Wipes

OK, so it’s not exactly a body wash, but it’s just that originality that we’re digging. These odor-fighting cloths are tailor-made for weekend warriors who want to stay fresh on their outdoor adventures. Antibacterial and antiseptic essential oils make these wipes an excellent alternative to traditional body wash.

We also love:

• Good Clean Love Balance Moisturizing Personal Wash

Best New Product:

NeoCell Derma Matrix

We always want to see what nutricosmetics pioneer NeoCell is doing next—and this product launch is a prime example of research and science at its best. Clinically tested NeoCell collagen—proven to boost skin hydration and support firm, smooth skin—joins with ultrahydrating hyaluronic acid and vitamin C and amla fruit extract to further enhance collagen formation.

We also love:

• Jane Iredale Smooth Affair for Oily Skin Facial Primer & Brightener

Best Kids’ Product:

Now Solutions XyliWhite Bubblegum Splash Kids Toothpaste Gel

This product is a perfect way to help kids prevent cavities without
harsh ingredients like artificial flavors or synthetic colors. It uses
25 percent xylitol to starve bacteria and enhance mineral absorption, preventing plaque and strengthening teeth—all the while keeping kiddos smiling with a flavor reminiscent of bubble gum.

We also love:

• Babo Botanicals Miracle Moisturizing Cream

Most Innovative Use of an Ingredient:

Fat Face Stank Stop

Described by our testers as “legit,” this paleo-friendly, pure deodorant gets the job done. Free from aluminum, preservatives and fragrances, this unique product blends antibacterial organic coconut oil and odor-absorbing aluminum-free baking soda with the company’s signature grass-fed tallow
to moisturize and nourish underarms.

We also love:

• P3 Organics Go Primal Tough Teeth Tooth Powder Mint

Industry Influencer:

"EWG Verified: For Your Health" label from the Environmental Working Group

Kudos to an organization that is changing how people shop for cosmetics—and how manufacturers formulate them. It's a lofty endeavor, but one that the EWG is facing with its new verification program, the first of its kind to focus on the safety of cosmetics. We can't wait to see more brands like MyChelle and Beautycounter sporting this seal.