Best of Beauty 2020

The 35 Best Clean Beauty Products of 2020

These 2020 Best of Beauty winners for your hair, skin, eyes, and more have all the ingredients you want — and none of the ones you don't.
The 35 Best Clean Beauty Products of 2020

To quote Kermit the Frog, it's not easy being green.... at least, it didn't used to be. Five years ago, if you wanted to use "natural" beauty products, it meant coming to terms with the fact that your red lipstick would never be bright enough, or that your moisturizer might grow moldy before you reached the bottom of the jar.

We're pleased to report that's no longer the case: Our "Clean" category is jam-packed with high-performing products like ultra-pigmented eye shadow and super-powered skin resurfacers that don't feel the least bit like a compromise. (There's even a natural deodorant you won't regret wearing. Seriously.) 

We know because we painstakingly tested each and every one of these clean options, measuring success by how well they stacked up against other clean products, and also within each category on the whole. (Yes, we did this amid a pandemic. No, we weren't above pressing our noses into webcams to prove to coworkers that our blackheads really had disappeared.)

But wait! Don't scroll down yet. We'd be remiss not to mention that the term "clean beauty" is rather...murky. For us at Allure, it's about what's not on the ingredient list: no parabens, phthalates, chemical sunscreens, sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate, silicones, polyethylene or polypropylene (microbeads), formaldehyde, hydroquinone, toluene, metallic aluminum, PEGs, triclosan, talc, mineral oil, or petrolatum. (If you're curious, click here to read more about how we landed on the Allure Clean Standard.)

Now, to quote another fictional character — that's all, folks! Go enjoy a leisurely scroll through more than 30 clean hair, skin, makeup, and body products that you can feel extra-good about. (And don't forget to check out the full list of 2020 Best of Beauty winners after you're done.) —Dianna Mazzone

All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

  • A bottle of SheaMoisture Moringa Avocado Power Greens Conditioner on a peach background
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    SheaMoisture Moringa & Avocado Power Greens Conditioner

    A nourishing cocktail that's solved the eternal curl conundrum: SheaMoisture Moringa & Avocado Power Greens Conditioner serves enough moisture to eliminate fuzz, but is still light enough to encourage bounce. It'll be a spring in your step… and strands.

    $10
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    Love Beauty and Planet Volume and Bounty 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner Bar

    Infused with coconut water and mimosa flower, Love Beauty and Planet Volume and Bounty 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner Bar thinks outside the bottle, giving us a whole (and wholesome) new way to shampoo and condition. Plus, its heart shape makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

    $5
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     Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade 

    Offering a veritable dessert cart of benefits, Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade sculpts twists, seals ends, locks in luster, all while helping hair stay hydrated. Plus, it smells like crème brûlée (that would be the cherry on top).

    $14
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    Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Gel

    Are your curls craving moisture? (Spoiler alert: They are.) Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Gel weightlessly hydrates with prickly pear and sweet almond oils, enhancing shape and providing hold without crunch. And the gel-cream hybrid texture is as versatile as your curls are.

    $32
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     OWA Haircare Moondust Collection Hair Wash

    Water- and sulfate-free, OWA Haircare Moondust Collection Hair Wash is as easy on your hair as it is on the environment. The powder shampoo is essentially a shape-shifter: In the shower, rub a sprinkling between your fingers, and suddenly you've got a creamy formula that rinses clean and leaves hair soft and fluffy.

    $29
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    Eden BodyWorks Papaya Castor Scalp Cleanser

    Itchy scalps, meet your savior: Eden BodyWorks Papaya Castor Scalp Cleanser. The soothing formula with aloe, lavender, apple cider vinegar, and mango butter removes product buildup and softens curls so they're easier to detangle. And yes, that combination of ingredients smells as good as it sounds.

    $9
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    Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+

    Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+ has a plus sign for a reason. This robust blend of acai seed oil, tomato seed, and cranberry extracts fends off free radicals, while rosehip oil tackles dehydration from environmental stressors and too much...life in 2020. Top it off with sunscreen, and your skin is (basically) indestructible.

    $44
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    Youth to the People Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream 

    The texture is weightless, but don't let that fool you. Youth to the People Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream is loaded with leafy ingredients such as spinach and kale. The antioxidant-rich formula is one lean, green, free-radical-fighting machine. (And couldn't we all use a superhero these days?)

    $48
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    Birkenstock Natural Skin Care Anti-Stress Serum

    Turmeric is a natural sidekick for touchy skin. Paired with a cocktail of fatty acids in Birkenstock Natural Skin Care Anti-Stress Serum, the anti-inflammatory spice reduces redness and gives your protective barrier a boost. Before you google it: Yep, it's from the same makers as your favorite sandals.

    $65
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    Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Survival Serum

    Plucked from the mountains of Wyoming, the plant-based ingredients in Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Survival Serum are botanical cowboys: hardworking, resilient, and adaptable to environmental extremes. (How they'd look in leather chaps remains to be seen.) The formula gives our skin nonstop hydration and a greet-the-sunrise kind of glow.

    $68
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    Kora Organics Noni Night AHA Resurfacing Serum

    The gentle alpha hydroxy acids and fruit enzymes in Kora Organics Noni Night AHA Resurfacing Serum make your face look so bright in the morning, you'd never guess it was busy turning over skin cells all night. No surprise it's part of a line created by multitasking model/mom/entrepreneur Miranda Kerr.

    $72
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    Biossance Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream

    Waiting for results from some eye creams requires the patience of a certified yogi. But the hint of rosy tint in Biossance Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream brightens dark circles on the spot. Squalane and a marine algae peptide complex dive deep to hydrate skin and minimize crepiness over time.

    $54
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    Éminence Organic Skin Care Eight Greens Phyto Masque – Hot

    We've all got a friend who puts hot sauce on everything. We're kind of like that with Éminence Organic Skin Care Eight Greens Phyto Masque – Hot. We love to apply this nourishing antioxidant mask once a week to step up our regular routine. It helps control an overactive T-zone, while a pinch of paprika bestows a healthy flush.

    $54
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    Golde Papaya Bright Face Mask

    Life is what you make it, and so is Golde Papaya Bright Face Mask. You can mix this powder — packed with vitamin C and papaya enzymes — with water or your favorite facial oil, which turns the formula into a creamy gel that smells like a tropical vacation. The post-facial glow is almost enough to convince us we just returned from one.

    $34
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    Shani Darden Retinol Reform

    If you're a retinol connoisseur, you'll understand after a single application why Shani Darden Retinol Reform stands out from the pack. Cushioned in emollients, the retinol in this creamy serum absorbs quickly and distributes slowly, helping to prevent the inflammation and peeling that often accompany a dose of vitamin A. That means even touchy or temperamental complexions can get in on the wrinkle-relaxing action.

    $88
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    Bloomeffects Tulip Tint Lip & Cheek Balm 

    Bloomeffects Tulip Tint Lip & Cheek Balm sparked a lively Zoom debate, only because it took our testers some back and forth to decide on a category for this luscious little balm. Officially, "Gorgeous Tint for Lips and Cheeks That Softens Skin and Blurs Fine Lines" wasn't a thing, until now.

    $29
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    Tower 28 Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer 

    When was the last time the sun showered you in glitter? We're guessing the week before never. (Although, anything is possible in 2020.) We love Tower 28 Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer for its believable glow. Available in two bronzy shades, it adds warmth with brown and red undertones, not gads of sparkle.

    $20
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    Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint

    One dropper-full of Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint does the work of an entire shelf in a medicine cabinet: It beefs up collagen, helps shield against UV rays, and locks in moisture. (Marie Kondo will be so proud of our next beauty purge.) But we're really just in it for the delicate tint that gives skin the naked look that nature intended.

    $46
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     W3LL People Expressionist Volumizing Mascara 

    Dense wands usually create lots of volume, and lots of clumps. But don't paint W3LL People Expressionist Volumizing Mascara with that same broad brush. This mascara's packed applicator leaves lashes looking dramatic and clean — a win for any mascara, natural or not.

    $20
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    Āether Beauty Radiant Ruby Lip Crème

    Āether Beauty Radiant Ruby Lip Crème has perhaps the most decadent ingredient list we've ever laid eyes on. Packed with ruby powder — cue the ooh's and aah's — it brings new meaning to the term "rich color." Available in a range of reds, each hue cloaks lips in extravagant pigment and moisture.

    $28
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    Saie Dew Balm 

    Saie Dew Balm has a cushiony formula that melts into skin and plumps with hyaluronic acid. Add a dab to the high points of your face for a moist and translucent sheen, just like real dew. If you apply too much (as in, over-dew it), never fear: The finish is subtle enough that you won't look like a disco ball.

    $18
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    Lily Lolo Pressed Eye Shadow 

    Lily Lolo Pressed Eye Shadows are jojoba-oil infused and soft enough to sweep on and blend with your fingertips. (You'd never guess they're technically powders.) With 12 shades ranging from pale ivory to matte navy, they're also supremely flattering.

    $14
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    Honest Beauty Lit Powder Blush

    Natural color that actually stays put? We thought we were dreaming, until Honest Beauty Lit Powder Blush bestowed the ultimate just-pinched flush. The silky powder "glides over skin so nicely," says our tester, who especially liked a peachy-pink shade called Flirty.

    $13
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    100% Pure Body Scrub

    Packed with sunflower oil and ultrafine buffers, 100% Pure Body Scrubs are everything we want in an exfoliator: grainy but not scratchy, hydrating but not greasy. The mood-boosting scents (Coconut, Lavender, Blood Orange, Honey Almond) also hit the perfect note. If you've been looking for a salt-of-the-earth scrub, you've met your match in more ways than one.

    $36
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    Schmidt's Rose + Black Pepper Natural Deodorant 

    Our underarms smell amazing, and we're not just saying that because they're sensitive. Cushioned with oils, Schmidt's Rose + Black Pepper Natural Deodorant coddles even the most delicate skin while keeping it fresh. The formula is so creamy, it feels more like skin care.

    $13
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    Cocokind One-for-All Balm

    Cocokind One-for-All Balm makes our dry skin feel so silky and coconutty, we actually get excited when we discover a rough spot to slather it on, whether shoulders, knees, or toes (heads, not so much).

    $11
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    Henry Rose Queens & Monsters

    Michelle Pfeiffer has been creating clean fragrances since girlhood, when she crushed roses to make perfume. With her perfume line, her creations have gotten a bit more complex, like Henry Rose Queens & Monsters, a beautiful study in contrasts. Sparkling neroli reigns over a dark and woodsy violet bed — the kind you just can't resist peeking under.

    $120
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    Eu'Genia Shea Butter Everyday Formula

    With facilities in Ghana, this organic brand harvests shea butter at the source. Available in Lavender, Grapefruit, and unscented, each tin of Eu'Genia Shea Butter Everyday Formula draws moisture into your skin — and supports shea-nut pickers in West Africa. The velvety texture will keep you coming back for more.

    $13
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    Goodnight Darling Co. Deep Detox Bath Soak 

    Goodnight Darling Co. Deep Detox Bath Soak is the physical manifestation of the word "relaxation." Sprinkled into our bath, the hypnotic mix of Himalayan salt and crushed rose petals tugs dreamily on our eyelids.… except the glass bottle perched on our shelf is too pretty not to stare at.

    $23
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KeywordsBest of Beautynatural productsgreen beautyeco-friendlyorganic beautyclean beautybriogeoshampoosconditionersnatural productKosasilia beautyKjaer Weissgreen mascarahighlighter makeupingredientsskin ingredientscosmetic chemistHonest BeautyAllure Best of BeautyBest of Beauty 2020repackage