Isn't it ironic? Clean beauty has become pretty murky territory. That's why, with seemingly endless definitions of the unregulated term, Allure created its own fastidious standards for what it means. It's also why we're so eager to tell you which products went above and beyond checking off every box to impress even the clean-cavalier among our testers.
Our Best of Beauty Clean category is easily the most multifaceted, plucking winners from every aisle of your favorite retailer: hair products that say no to sulfates and cyclic silicones, sunscreens that serve up protection with exclusively mineral filters, lotions that leave out parabens and petrolatum, and so much more.
A commitment to shopping for clean beauty products inherently narrows down your options, but it can still be a challenge to figure out the formulas that don't compromise performance. That's where we come in: This year's Best of Beauty Award winners are a celebration of the makeup, skin care, hair care, and body care that keep the clean beauty shopper feeling beyond good about their routines.
Products that meet our standard are formulated without parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, cyclic silicones, aluminum salts, hydroquinone, triclosan, talc, mineral oil, petrolatum, formaldehyde, toluene, microbeads, and chemical sunscreen filters (oxybenzone, avobenzone, and octinoxate).
Best of Beauty Awards 2024: Clean
Shop your favorite category or keep scrolling for the year's very best skin-care, hair-care, and makeup products in the clean category.
- Best Clean Skin-Care Products
- Best Clean Hair-Care Products
- Best Clean Makeup Products
- Best Clean Body Products
Best Clean Skin-Care Products
Why It Won: Filled with tiny golden pearls, Saint Jane Star Flower Serum looks gorgeous in the bottle. But the complexion gorgeousness begins when the niacinamide and hyaluronic acid in those pearls are released upon application to brighten and hydrate your skin.
Tester Feedback: "This is the serum I use on my skin rest days," says content director Kara McGrath. "The formula soothes and hydrates—plus it looks really pretty on my bathroom counter."
Why It Won: Like many cleansing oils, Mara Chia + Moringa Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil sweeps away the day's makeup and grime with nourishing natural oils, including moringa, jojoba, and sunflower. But this calming formula takes it to another level by adding exfoliating papaya enzymes to really get skin glowing.
Tester Feedback: "I may be a big cleansing balm fan, but I will always make an exception for this exfoliating cleansing oil," says associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen. "I love everything about it: its gritty texture, earthy scent, luxe-looking blue bottle, and obviously its sensitive skin-friendly ingredient list."
Why It Won: Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier Repair Cream is so much more than a moisturizer. Think of this almost outlandishly rich cream as the ceramide- and lipid-packed dam that keeps intense moisture from escaping your skin while bolstering its barrier and keeping it calm.
Tester Feedback: "Who says clean can't be indulgent? I now use this rich-but-not-heavy cream every day," says senior copy manager Dawn Rebecky. "It just makes my sensitive skin happy."
Why It Won: Vacation took no chances making sure its non-nano zinc oxide mixes up to be unbeatably blendable, adding a shaker ball to Shake Shake SPF 50 Mineral Milk Face Sunscreen to really rile up the ingredients. That list includes ceramides and peptides to support skin's moisture barrier, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to hold onto hydration, and aloe vera to soothe sensitivity.
Tester Feedback: "I put this sunscreen through peak beach days in Los Angeles, humidity in New York City, and endless park afternoons with my kid, and not once did it let me down," says shopping director Shanna Shipin. "Part of the appeal is the packaging: It's the perfect size to toss in your bag, TSA-friendly, and I've never had spillage issues. The milky formula uses non-nano zinc oxide for SPF 50 protection without a white cast—and without a greasy film on the skin. It sinks in like a moisturizer and leaves a nice, natural glow that you can easily layer makeup over."
Why It Won: As light as ILIA The Base Face Milk may look and feel, its moisturizing impact on your skin is far from flimsy. Replenishing lipids and fatty acids drench skin alongside hyaluronic acid to plump and prep your complexion for makeup.
Tester Feedback: "My skin drinks in this strangely satisfying liquid," says commerce editor Sarah Han. "In the a.m., this essence is hydrating enough to cover my toner/essence/moisturizer steps—great news, as I'm a half-functioning shell of a person who's always short on time. But! It's also lightweight enough to layer in the p.m. when I want to flood my skin with even more barrier-strengthening goodness."
Why It Won: Stubborn discoloration, meet your new arch-nemesis. Lion Pose Unspotted 4x Acid Jelly Night Serum employs azelaic, glycolic, lactic, and tranexamic acids to fade post-acne spots and other hyperpigmentation, while an antioxidant peptide fights free-radical damage. Oh, and one more thing: Aloe teams up with tiger grass to soothe skin.
Tester Feedback: "Hyperpigmentation is one tricky beast, but Lion Pose Unspotted 4x Acid Jelly Night Serum helps tame it with a blend of powerful acids that brighten and resurface skin," says associate features director Dianna Mazzone Singh. "I noticed results after about two weeks of nightly use—much faster than most other dark spot-reducers I've tried—as did my South Asian husband, whom I felt comfortable sharing this with since it was clinically tested on a wide range of skin tones."
Why It Won: The rich moisture of shea butter meets antioxidant flower power in Weleda Rejuvenating Night Cream. Its edelweiss (yes, the one from The Sound of Music) and blue gentian give skin a smoothing before-bed treat that lets you wake up to more bounce and brightness.
Tester Feedback: "As a dry-skinned person, I like my night creams extra thick and a little bit greasy," says McGrath. "This one nails both criteria, plus it has a light, calming, floral scent that lets my brain know it’s time to start winding down for bed."
Why It Won: Burt's Bees Fermented Honey Cleansing Balm may come in a charmingly humble tin, but it's a luxurious way to kick off a double cleanse. It bolsters the skin's barrier as makeup and daily dirtiness are removed, and ingredients like jojoba and sweet almond oils offer nourishing moisture.
Tester Feedback: "I double cleanse every day (even if I'm not wearing makeup) and exclusively use cleansing balms as my first step," says Kinonen. "This super-rich salve from Burt's Bees feels less like a balm and more like a vat of honey, but easily melts right into my skin, removing dirt and oil in seconds. I love it so much I've already gone through two tins."
Why It Won: A protection powerhouse, InnBeauty Project Mineral Sun Glow offers more than just broad-spectrum defense. You also get a shield against free-radical and blue-light damage. And because of the radiance-imparting tint, the non-nano zinc oxide that serves as sunscreen never leaves a white cast.
Tester Feedback: "If it's special to find a sunscreen that doesn't leave a white cast, it's damn near miraculous to find one that's also a mineral formula," says Mazzone Singh. "This one blends seamlessly and leaves behind a beautifully dewy finish."
Best Clean Hair-Care Products
Why It Won: The jury is still out on whether rosemary oil promotes hair growth, but we can definitively rule that it smells divine—especially when mixed with mandarin, jasmine, and cedar in incredibly chic moss-green bottles of Nécessaire Rosemary Shampoo and Conditioner. Peptides and ceramides help make them perfect picks for anyone who struggles with breakage and thinning by supporting both scalp and strands.
Tester Feedback: "My boyfriend and I both have thinning hair and I've been fending him off from using up all this shampoo and conditioner for months now," says senior news editor Nicola Dall'Asen. "I really can't blame him, though—this stuff smells incredible (like you just walked into the fresh herb section of a grocery store) and the rosemary allegedly stimulates the scalp enough to prevent us from losing too much hair in the shower."
Why It Won: Should you struggle with dandruff or simply need some help cutting through product buildup, Act+Acre Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator helps get the scalp situation under control. The beta hydroxy acid (BHA)) exfoliates with an assist from papaya extract, sloughing without scrubbing, and freeing roots from dead skin cells and debris.
Tester Feedback: "Getting me to do anything pre-wash was like pulling teeth until this exfoliator entered my routine," says Shipin. "The application is so easy—going row-by-row with the precision tip is a totally goof-proof process—and the sensory experience is bar none."
Why It Won: LolaVie Glossing Detangler does not contain a drop of water, which leaves way more room for the bamboo extract and chia seeds that protect hair from heat damage and tackle tangles. It's the kind of product you'll find yourself reaching for every single day after washing and conditioning to slide through knots like silk. It's also a great choice when dry hair needs a shot of shine or some flyaway control.
Tester Feedback: "I have really long hair and this mist quickly detangles it in mere seconds," says senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor. "I coat my strands with it and use a wide tooth comb to gently loosen knots. It helps keep me from breaking and tearing my ends."
Why It Won: "Mirage" may be in its name, but the shine and moisture Dae Mirage Mist Leave-In bestows on your hair is no illusion. Whether you use it post-shower to detangle and soften or spray it on messy second-day hair to smooth things over, its Rose of Jericho and moringa oil fight frizz weightlessly.
Tester Feedback: "Oh my gosh, it smells so freakin' good!" says Kinonen. "After the first spritz of this lightweight leave-in conditioner, it was an immediate yes for me. And once I combed it through my dry, split ends and felt my hair immediately transform to soft and shiny, this treatment became an everyday staple."
Why It Won: Prepare to have your mind blown and your excess oil absorbed. Raw Sugar Living Not So Dry Shampoo breaks all the dry shampoo rules by not being a spray or a powder but rather a lotion. (We didn't want to rub it into our greasy roots at first either—just trust us.) The tapioca and rice starch refresh while vegan biotin and bamboo extract fortify follicles.
Tester Feedback: "I was so skeptical before I tried this—using something creamy to make my hair look less greasy just didn't make sense to me," says contributing editor Marci Robin. "But it not only undid the oiliness at my roots, it also helped smooth my lengths when I brushed it through. This is genius."
Why It Won: Although it’s applied only to the roots, the benefits of The Rootist AHA+ACV Pre-Shampoo Scalp Clarifying Rinse can be seen and felt through the length of your suddenly shiny strands. That's because the apple cider vinegar and alpha hydroxy acid formula clear away the oiliness, flakiness, and buildup that can interfere with your hair looking its best. Once it's part of your routine, you won't know how you ever skipped this pre-shampoo step.
Tester Feedback: "Using this rinse wipes the slate—I mean, your scalp—clean, no matter how much gunk or dry shampoo has built up between washes," says Mazzone Singh. "It makes my hair noticeably softer and leaves my scalp feeling fresh but not stripped."
Best Clean Makeup Products
Why It Won: The cellulose plant fibers in CoverGirl Lash Blast Cleantopia Mascara won't leave lashes to wilt; the vegan formula is all about lasting volume. Aloe extract and maracuja oil condition as the soft, hourglass brush wraps rich, lengthening color around each eyelash, staying put and refusing to flake or smudge.
Tester Feedback: "I love the brush on this mascara wand," says Morley. "It made my lashes so long and full."
Why It Won: Formulated to perform like skin care and look like skin, Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + Depuffing Concealer goes beyond concealing and brightening. With the help of thoughtful ingredients like arnica, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and caffeine, it also seriously hydrates and de-puffs.
Tester Feedback: "This buildable concealer blends nicely and covers my undereye dark circles," says senior director of business Eilish Morley. "It has a nice consistency, too—so silky, and never settles into fine lines by the end of the day."
Why It Won: This foundation-sunscreen hybrid, available in 17 impressively diverse shades, doesn't compromise on either identity. Tower 28 SunnyDays Tinted SPF 30's broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection is provided by sensitive-skin-friendly zinc oxide, which is made undetectable by natural-looking complexion coverage that camouflages redness but lets freckles peek through.
Tester Feedback: "It provides lightweight, breathable coverage—just enough to conceal redness and stubborn dark spots—and is easily buildable for any areas that need some extra love," says Han.
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Why It Won: Saie Glowy Super Gel Illuminating Primer will easily become one of the most versatile products in your makeup bag. Available in three luminous shades, it can be applied almost anywhere you have skin at almost any step in your routine. It serves as a stunning highlighter atop makeup, but we especially love it all over the face as a primer that subtly glows through foundation.
Tester Feedback: "This dewy illuminator makes my skin look phenomenal—like it's glowing from within," says associate content manager Hannah Brower. “Plus, it feels so hydrating.”
Why It Won: LYS Beauty Higher Standards Cream Glow Blush Stick applies perfectly right from the stick. It glides on with ease, blending beautifully and moisturizing skin with watermelon seed extract in colors like Soft Pink Bubbly and Poppy Orange Courageous that last and last.
Tester Feedback: "Blush has been such a game-changer in my beauty routine, and finding the right creamy formula that'll give me that illuminating glow is hard to come by—especially for my minimal makeup days," says social media manager Bianca Richards. "With just one swipe of LYS Beauty blush, I get that gorgeous flush of color that appears natural and radiant."
Why It Won: Lip oils may be having a moment, but Pound Cake Cake Theory Lip Oil is the moment. "Multitasker" is an understatement with this moisturizing, line-reducing, gloss-and-a-half that comes in two neutralizing hues (yellow and brown) that will become your go-to even on no-makeup days.
Tester Feedback: "I wore this lip oil to my surprise engagement," says associate beauty editor Annie Blay. "Even after a whole lot of crying and kissing, the glossy color stayed on my lips the entire night."
Why It Won: For a gel formula that's so conditioning, Kulfi Free the Brow Clear Brow Gel offers truly impressive staying power. Depending on how you wield the wand's three different built-in brushes, you can use the clear sunflower oil-spiked formula to create a voluminous, feathery look or shape a more structured set of laminated arches.
Tester Feedback: "This fluffs up my brows without making them feel sticky or stiff," says McGrath. "The applicator is also really good: It's larger than the ones I've found in most of my brow gels, so it handles the entire length in just two swipes."
Best Clean Body Products
Why It Won: Your skin will feel like absolute butter after buffing it down with a handful of this sugar scrub. Why sugar, you ask? It dissolves completely—so it’s a good choice for the planet—and attracts moisture to the skin. Some of our editors love this stuff so much that they quickly moved on from the 6-ounce jars and are just keeping the 13.5-ounce refill bags in their showers. We have yet to agree on which of the incredible scents is incrediblest, so you’ll have to decide for yourself—the choices are Topless Tangerine, Vanilla Vibezzz, and Bohemian Fig. There's also Always Nude if you prefer no scent.
Tester Feedback: "If you close your eyes while applying one of these deliciously fragranced scrubs, you might think you're relaxing in an outdoor shower on a tropical island," says Singh. "Just don't be startled when you open your eyes."
Why It Won: It's downright unfair to other body washes that a formula as unbelievably moisturizing and skin-soothing as Osāna Naturals Ultra Moisture + Hydration Body Wash also smells so delicious. The sweet vanilla and coconut, and the peppermint and cucumber scents subtly linger on your skin when you exit the shower, as does the hydration from glycerin.
Tester Feedback: "Love the lather, love the scents, love the way it makes my skin feel clean but not tight," says executive beauty director Jenny Bailly. "Also love how the minimalist black bottle looks very chic in my newly renovated shower. And did I mention it costs less than $5? The body wash, not the shower, which was unfortunately a few thousand times more than that and doesn't even have a scent."
Why It Won: A hand cream doesn't need to be heavy to handle dry skin. The vegan, lighter-than-lotion Sidia The Hand Serum wholly hydrates with avocado and shea butters, absorbing posthaste to leave your hands soft not slick, and slightly scented with cactus blossom, bergamot, and vanilla amber.
Tester Feedback: "Half of the hand creams on my shelf are there because I like the way they look, the other half are there because they actually hydrate and nourish," says Mazzone Singh. "This one is among the few that check both boxes: The sleek tube is filled with a featherlight formula that leaves my hands feeling moisturized but not greasy."
Why It Won: Clean-fragrance pioneer Henry Rose launched alcohol-free, water-based body sprays that translate all the sensuality and freshness of the brand's eau de parfum into a lighter package (figuratively and literally—it's aluminum). Blonde Barry body spray owes its airy sensuality to notes of musk, cedarwood, and patchouli that drift across skin.
Tester Feedback: "I normally hate blackcurrant because it can smell too heavy, but there is a transparency to this that feels very fresh and clean," says Richards.
Written by Marci Robin
How we test and review products for Allure Best of Beauty
Ubiquitous with the beauty market's cream of the crop, Allure's little red Best of Beauty seal is known worldwide as being a trusted indicator of the year's top products—and we do not take that trust for granted. Each year, we painstakingly test tens of thousands (yes, really) of products across over a dozen categories, including Hair, Skin, Makeup, Nails, Fragrance, Splurges, Steals, Tools, Breakthroughs, and Sensitive. We employ a large group of testers—including editors, top industry professionals, and other experts— to ensure representation for a wide range of ages, genders, skin tones, and hair textures, as well as dermatological sensitivities and conditions.
How we determined Allure's Best of Beauty Clean Winners
For our Best of Beauty winners in the Clean category, we considered each product's performance across the following categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance (where relevant), and product experience (including texture and wear). We tested over 7,000 products for 24 weeks on different skin and hair types. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from relevant experts.
To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Discover more 2024 Best of Beauty Winners:
- Best of Beauty 2024: Breakthroughs
- Best of Beauty 2024: Steals Winners
- Best of Beauty 2024: Splurge Winners
Watch us test our Allure 2024 Best of Beauty winners:
