I’ll be honest: the beauty and personal care industry is one of the most frustrating spaces to navigate when you’re trying to make conscious choices. Between greenwashing, vague ingredient lists, confusing certifications, and products wrapped in layers of unnecessary plastic, it’s exhausting. And that’s before you even get into the fact that most conventional beauty products are loaded with endocrine disruptors, synthetic fragrances, and chemicals with names you can’t pronounce—let alone understand.
But what we put on our bodies matters just as much as what we put in them. Our skin is our largest organ, and it absorbs a significant percentage of what we apply to it. The average person uses 9-12 personal care products daily, which means we’re exposing ourselves to hundreds of chemicals before we’ve even left the house in the morning. And then there’s the waste—those plastic bottles, single-use sheet masks, disposable razors, and makeup wipes that pile up faster than we can recycle them (spoiler: most of it doesn’t actually get recycled).
Over the past few years, I’ve been slowly rebuilding my beauty and bath routine with products that are cleaner, safer, and kinder to the planet. It’s been a process of trial and error, label-reading, and a lot of research—much of it informed by the two periods I spent living in France over the last 10 years. French women have this incredible approach to beauty: less is more, quality over quantity, and a focus on skincare that actually works rather than trendy products that promise miracles. That philosophy has completely shaped how I think about what I put on my face and body. Here’s what’s earned a permanent place in my bathroom.
Bath: Low-Waste and High-Performance
The bathroom is where some of the worst offenders live: plastic bottles that last a few weeks, disposable razors, aerosol cans, synthetic shampoos that strip your hair and pollute waterways. Swapping out these everyday essentials for more sustainable alternatives has been one of the most impactful changes I’ve made.
Let’s start with shampoo. I switched to Viori’s Hidden Waterfall Shampoo Bar about a year ago, and I’m never going back to bottled shampoo. Viori bars are made with Longsheng rice water—a traditional ingredient used by the Red Yao women in China, who are famous for their floor-length, healthy hair well into old age. The bars are plastic-free, sulfate-free, and pH-balanced, and they last significantly longer than a bottle of liquid shampoo (one bar = about 2-3 bottles). My hair has never felt healthier—softer, shinier, and less prone to breakage. And the fact that I’m not tossing a plastic bottle every month feels like a small victory.
Then there’s shaving. I used to go through disposable razors like it was my job, contributing to the 2 billion razors that end up in landfills every year in the US alone. Switching to a Leaf Razor was a game-changer. Leaf razors are designed to last a lifetime—they’re made from durable metal, and you simply replace the blades (which are recyclable). The design is ergonomic, the shave is closer and smoother than any disposable I’ve ever used, and I’ve saved so much money by not constantly buying new plastic razors. Paired with a shaving soap and brush, the whole experience feels luxurious and intentional rather than rushed and wasteful. It’s a ritual I picked up during my time in Paris—walking into a pharmacy and seeing those beautiful, old-fashioned shaving sets displayed like works of art made me realize that the way we care for ourselves doesn’t have to be disposable.
Beauty: Clean, Effective, and Thoughtfully Made
The clean beauty movement has exploded in recent years, but not all “clean” products are created equal. I’ve spent hours (truly, hours) scanning products on apps like Yuka, reading ingredient lists, and researching brands to find products that are genuinely safe and effective. But my biggest education came from living in France, where the approach to beauty is refreshingly simple: invest in a few high-quality products that actually work, skip the gimmicks, and prioritize skincare above all else.
For makeup, I’m a huge fan of Merit. Their entire philosophy is “minimalism with a conscience”—they focus on high-quality, multi-use products with clean ingredients and minimal packaging. The formulations are free from parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances, and everything is vegan and cruelty-free. I use their tinted moisturizer and cream blush almost daily, and they give me that effortless, “no-makeup makeup” look that French women have perfected—the kind where people can’t quite tell if you’re wearing anything at all, but you look remarkably put-together.
Thrive Causemetics is another standout, particularly their Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara. Thrive is a certified B Corporation and a woman-owned brand that’s vegan, cruelty-free, and free from parabens and sulfates. For every product purchased, they donate to a woman in need, which feels like a meaningful bonus. The mascara itself is incredible—lengthening, volumizing, and it doesn’t flake or smudge throughout the day.
I also love Saie’s bronzer. Saie is committed to clean, planet-friendly beauty, and their products are packaged in recyclable materials with refillable options. The bronzer gives a natural, sun-kissed glow without any harsh lines or orange tones, and the cream formula blends beautifully into the skin.
For skincare, my routine is heavily influenced by the French pharmacy aesthetic—those cult-favorite brands you find at every Parisian pharmacy, recommended by dermatologists and trusted by generations of French women. Avène’s Hydrance Optimale Light Hydrating Cream is my go-to daily moisturizer. It’s lightweight, non-comedogenic, and formulated for sensitive skin with Avène’s thermal spring water, which is naturally soothing and anti-irritating. I discovered this brand during my first stint in Paris and have been loyal ever since. I also swear by Avene’s Cleanance Gel Face Cleanser and La Roche-Posay’s Pure Vitamin C10 serum, which has visibly brightened my skin and evened out my tone without any irritation. La Roche-Posay is another French pharmacy staple—dermatologist-tested, no-nonsense formulations that actually deliver results.
Caudalie is another French favorite that I can’t live without. I rotate between their Vinoperfect (for dark spots and anti-aging), Vinohydra Hylaronic serum (for daily hydration), and Vinopure (for occasional breakouts). Caudalie plants a tree for every product sold and their formulas are vegan and free from parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. The brand was founded in Bordeaux, and their products are infused with grape-derived ingredients that are incredibly effective. Walking through a Parisian Marionnaud or CityPharma and seeing entire walls dedicated to Caudalie made me realize how seriously the French take their skincare—and how effective simple, well-formulated products can be.
For body care, Osea Body Oil is pure luxury. It’s made with organic, seaweed-based ingredients and smells like a day at the beach. Osea is a family-owned brand that’s been making clean, ocean-friendly skincare for over 25 years, and everything is vegan, cruelty-free, and biodegradable.
One thing that’s made a huge difference in reducing waste: recycling beauty empties at TerraCycle drop-off boxes at Sephora. TerraCycle accepts all kinds of beauty packaging—tubes, bottles, compacts—that can’t be recycled curbside. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s better than sending everything directly to a landfill.
For hair, I’ve been using R+Co Dry Shampoo Paste and Klorane Dry Shampoo. The R+Co paste is a revelation—it’s not an aerosol (which means no propellants or compressed gases), and it adds texture and volume without any white residue. Klorane is yet another French pharmacy gem—plant-based, biodegradable, and it comes in a recyclable bottle. I first discovered it at a pharmacy in the Marais, and it’s been a staple ever since. Both are a far cry from the aerosol cans I used to go through weekly.
For nails, I’ve switched to Ella and Mila and Color Dept polishes. Both brands are vegan, cruelty-free, and free from the most harmful chemicals found in conventional nail polish (the “toxic trio” of formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate). The formulas are long-lasting, the color selection is great, and I don’t have to worry about breathing in toxic fumes every time I paint my nails.
And finally, let’s talk about fragrance. Conventional perfumes are some of the worst offenders when it comes to synthetic chemicals and allergens. Living in France taught me that fragrance should be personal, subtle, and made with quality ingredients—not something that announces your presence from across the room. I’ve switched to cleaner options like Henry Rose, which was created by actress Michelle Pfeiffer and is the first fragrance brand with full ingredient transparency and EWG Verified certification. I also love The 7 Virtues (a B Corp committed to ethical sourcing and supporting fair trade) and Farm and Sea’s roll-on perfume oils (small-batch, handmade, and free from synthetic fragrances). But my absolute favorites are the classic French perfumes: Roger & Gallet’s Gingembre Rouge and their Rose perfume. Roger & Gallet has been making perfumes in France since 1862, and their formulations are beautifully crafted with clean ingredients and a timeless elegance that feels quintessentially Parisian.
One last beauty essential I have to mention: Ilia’s Overglaze Hydrating Tinted Lip Gloss. I’ve spent hours scanning lip products on Yuka (seriously, hours), and this is the only tinted lip product I’ve found that scans well. Ilia is a clean beauty brand that’s vegan, cruelty-free, and Leaping Bunny certified. The lip gloss is nourishing, long-lasting, and gives just the right amount of color and shine.
Final Thoughts
Building a conscious beauty and bath routine isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. It’s about reading labels, asking questions, and choosing products that align with your values without sacrificing performance or pleasure. My time in France taught me that beauty doesn’t have to be complicated or wasteful—it just has to work.
Every swap I’ve made—from the shampoo bar to the safety razor to the French pharmacy skincare—has been worth it. Not just because these products are better for my health and the planet, but because they genuinely work. They make me feel good, they perform beautifully, and they don’t come with a side of guilt or a pile of plastic waste.
If you’re just starting to explore cleaner beauty and bath products, start small. Pick one thing—maybe it’s your shampoo, maybe it’s your moisturizer, maybe it’s your mascara—and make the swap. Then move on to the next thing. Before you know it, you’ll have built a routine that feels luxurious, intentional, and aligned with the kind of world you want to live in.
Here’s to looking good and doing good.