7 Clean And Environmentally-Friendly Brands That Are Changing The Women’s Beauty Industry

I was immediately intrigued when Formulate reached out and asked if I wanted to try out its customized hair products (shampoo, conditioner, and hair serum) for a few reasons. For starters, I'm always looking for something clean and gentle to use on my hair, which definitely takes a beating from heat styling and color processing. In addition to that, the brand requires that you take a quiz to finalize what your custom solution will be like, and I'm definitely always team quiz.

I wanted my hair products to target a few key areas: the heat protection, hair growth and strength, and I have highlights that I'd like to keep blond and not brassy. On top of that, I checked a box about my naturally wavy texture and indicated that it would be great if the products could help nurture that, but I didn't have high hopes.

I wash my hair every other day and rotate what I use (the other brand I'm using right now is the coconut shampoo and conditioner from Soapbox, primarily because it was on sale at Target). I've been using Formulate for about a month now, and I can genuinely say that adding it to the mix one to three times a week has improved my hair.

Overall, my hair is softer, my highlights have stayed blond, and every so often I skip the flat iron and actually enjoy my natural hair texture, which was previously something I avoided completely. My only qualm with the brand is that I find the shampoo a little too thin for my preference, but I personally think most shampoo that is clean and free of some of the more controversial ingredients is too thin, so that's not something Formulate can help (and is actually a good thing).

The true hero of the experience for me is the hair serum, which I have used after I get out of the shower every time I wash my hair. The serum makes it SO easy to run a wet brush through my locks, smells amazing, and I'm convinced this is actually the secret sauce that makes Formulate so great.

Final verdict: the quiz is fun, the shampoo/conditioner set is worth the price, but if you can only buy one product, make it the serum

I am pretty athletic these days and go to the gym three to seven days a week, depending on my schedule and, to be honest, the vibe. As I mentioned above, I also wash my hair every other day, so some days I'm definitely relying on dry shampoo to keep my hair looking as fresh as possible (especially if those days include a particularly sweaty workout).

So it's pretty obvious why I would be into trying out Ahimsa's pre & post workout dry shampoo, and I'm really happy that I did. Unlike a lot of dry shampoos that you'll find on market shelves, the Ahimsa formula is powder, residue, and aerosol-free (you're already hooked, right?) — and it actually works.

Nearly all (99%) of the ingredients that go into the formula are natural, and the formula is vegan, gluten-free, and not tested on animals. Best of all, you can use it before and after you work out to avoid sweaty roots without worrying about your hair being too dry, too oily, or too powdery afterward. This has absolutely become a staple and the long-lasting bottle will now live in my gym bag … forever.

More from LittleThings: Women's Athletic Wear That's Soft, Comfortable, And Beautiful Enough To Wear Anywhere

When it comes to my lips, I am typically a Burt's Bee's lip balm (pomegranate) kind of gal. I will wear lipstick on occasion (I usually favor Maybelline Super Stay Ink Crayon in Lead the Way) or even just for fun, but the idea of wearing lip gloss hasn't felt compelling in years and years, ever since I left ninth grade and also stopped wearing body glitter all over my eyelids.

Things are changing, because after ShikSona Beauty approached me about trying out its clean, vegan, paraben/cruelty/gluten-free lip glosses I figured … why not? The worst-case scenario is the gloss would be too sticky or too bright, and I never had to wear it again.

Color me ecstatic when I swiped the shade Feeling Vulnerable across my lips and didn't hate it. In fact, I immediately liked it, and after about 30 seconds, once it had set (I assume), I loved it. I'm now wearing the shade every time I leave the house, and I've also tried out Stripped Down for a slightly deeper hue.

The short version: there is absolutely nothing I don't like about ShikSona's lip glosses. Buy them, buy them, buy them right now.

Like a lot of you, I grew up in the era of too-thin eyebrows and have been letting my natural brows grow out ever since … to a degree. I haven't yet made it into eyebrow lamination mostly because I'm scared (it's worth noting that I have over 10 tattoos on my actual body so I'm not sure why the seeming permanence of eyebrow lamination freaks me out), so I was extra curious when approached by Petite 'n Pretty about trying out its clear brow gel.

I had no idea how to use brow gel when I got the tube and just kind of went for it — a little trial and error later (less is more!), I'm into it and I'm hooked. I also actually mean that. Yes, this is a review and yes, they mailed me the gel for free, but when the tube is empty, I'm 100% buying the second round.

I also tried out the brand's Fully Feathered Volumizing Mascara to enjoyable results, as the mascara definitely does what it says it does on natural lashes.

I am way into being moisturized and always have a bottle of lotion (or two, or three) on the counter, but winter nearly always rocks my skin to its core and it seems like no lotion ever really helps. Enter Halo 42's all-over body oil, which has genuinely changed the game in terms of the quality of my skin.

You can use the body oil literally all over your body — your legs, arms, face, hair, and even your feet. You also don't need too much, and I've found that two pumps will cover both legs and another two will take care of everywhere else. The oil combines copaiba, sunflower, jojoba, and rose hip oil into a delightfully smooth blend that you apply going up your limbs/body parts.

The oil's key ingredient, copaiba, has historically been used by indigenous communities in Brazil to heal wounds from combat, childbirth, and more. I haven't tried the oil on my face yet, but a quick search online indicates that copaiba might be useful for adults who are battling acne, or even who are hoping to lessen existing acne scars.

Reviews for the oil are pretty fantastic. A number of people have said the oil has improved the appearance of their skin (agree) and that the soothing blend even helps them feel less stressed (also agree).

I have been open about my skin care journey on LittleThings before, but now I'm two years older and a few things have changed. For starters, I enjoy wearing makeup a lot more than I used to … which also means that I've gotten more serious about my skin care routine than I ever have been so far.

Right now, my morning routine is a three- or four-step process and my nighttime routine has five steps. I am really happy with the routine (which I will lay out in just a second), and both the morning and the night include the Neora Double-Cleansing Face Wash.

In the morning, I cleanse my face with the wash no matter what, every day, before moving on to moisturize. I also use the face wash a second time in the evening (after my first wash with another oil-based cleanser — it's not exactly double cleansing, but it works right now). I like to use the wash from Neora second because it leaves my skin feeling so (so, so) clean in a freshly scrubbed way that I adore.

I was worried that my face would end up either breaking out because I'm using two oil-based cleansers or super dried out, but honestly I think (I hope) that my typically combination skin is just evening out somewhere in the process. The skin on my face is softer than ever, its texture seems to me to be evening out, and I'm overall very pleased with this addition to my skin care routine.

Up until about a month ago, my skin care routine consisted of using whatever products I found in pharmacies while in France and hoping for the best. As I get older (I'm 38 now), I'm really trying to focus on my skin and to help it be in the best state it can be. I still get acne on occasion and definitely struggle with skin texture and scars from years ago, especially on my jawline.

I have been familiar with The Ordinary for years but never consistently used its products. Full disclosure: of all the products on this list, The Daily Set is it the one I bought on my own after reading almost all the reviews. My hope was that using mostly just one brand's products, instead of haphazardly throwing a bunch together because in my mind French skin care = inherently better, appealed to me in a major way.

Here's my morning routine now:

• Wash my face with the Neora double-cleansing face wash
• Moisturize with The Ordinary Moisturizing Factors + HA
• Spot treatment for acne
• A spritz or two of rosewater

Here's my evening routine:

• Wash my face with The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser
• Wash again with the Neora double-cleansing face wash
• 3 to 4 drops of The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% face serum
• Moisturize with The Ordinary Moisturizing Factors + HA
• Spot treatment for acne

After a month of consistently only doing these two routines, I can say a few things. For starters, as mentioned above, the skin on my face has never been softer — ever (and I still have plenty of all the products, especially the serum). My skin is also brighter, and even though my acne scars are still present, they are easier to cover up and the overall texture of my face is smoother. In the last week, I just wore foundation on most of my face and only added concealer to two spots, which is a major improvement for me. I love this set and will definitely keep buying it.

Tip: when using the Squalane cleanser, make sure you follow the directions exactly.