Best of Discover Green Beauty

by Mary Bemis

20 Top Discover Green Brands to Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Cosmoprof North America–Plus 3 More for Good Luck

It’s hard to choose favorites, especially after eight years of co-curating the Discover Green pavilion within Cosmoprof North America. Insider’s Guide to Spas is proud of every product line. Most represent the highest in green standards, and others mark enormous strides toward reaching that goal. The competition is friendly and fierce, and we are so grateful to all of the exhibitors who have joined us in making beauty as good for the planet as it is for the person. Come celebrate with us and see what’s new in DISCOVER GREEN this year.

Aya Natural Made with local oils by local hands in the heart of Israel’s Galilee Mountains, Aya Natural creates handcrafted creams, lotions, soaps, and butters all based on extra virgin olive oil–one of the Galilee’s most treasured produce. “We exclusively prepare all our ‘skin smoothies’ without a drop of synthetic chemicals so that your skin can enjoy natural healthy nourishment,” says Jamal Hamoud, founder, Aya Natural. Insider’s top picks: Reviving Foot Cream and Lip Care, the latter of which is available in Cherry, Olive, Peppermint, Strawberry, and Vanilla. AYANATURAL.COM

Black Mermaid’s Spa Based out of Georgia, and formerly known as Black Mermaid’s Bath and Body, this eco-friendly micro-manufacturer of natural skincare is focused on the diverse needs of skin of color and offers a noteworthy men’s line, the Poseidon Men’s Collection. Founder Denise Zannu’s background spans education, business, and entrepreneurship, and as a school scientist she started out creating products for family and friends. Black Mermaid’s Spa is committed to “quality, clean beauty without compromise.” Insider’s favorites include: Mahogany Waves Mango Body Butter and Ocean’s Edge Shaving Soap. BLACKMERMAIDSPA.COM

Blue Beautifly This botanical, USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO, and cruelty-free skincare brand is lovingly created in California using formulations that combine ancient sciences with modern naturopathy. Founder and master formulator Vida Karamooz, PhD, finds inspiration in her Persian heritage and its reliance on ancient wisdom. Blue Beautifly’s B Corp certification is a testament to the company’s commitment to environmental resilience, social justice, and absolute authenticity. Insider’s favorites include: Organic Chamomile Night Oil Serum and Organic Arnica Body Oil Serum. BLUEBEAUTIFLY.COM

EQ Organic Suncare Created from Biarritz in 2011 by Franck Bywalski, a globetrotting surfer, EQ’s mission is to develop mineral and all-natural sun care products for those who are searching for a better balance between their body, their mind, and the planet. EQ products provide high levels of sun protection or after-sun repair and are formulated with maximum concentrations of organic and all-natural ingredients that are safe for both the body and the environment. Insider’s product pick: the certified organic Sunscreen SPF 50. EQ-LOVE.COM

Freedom Natural Deodorant Ira Green is not only the founder and CEO of this brand, she is a breast cancer survivor who was inspired to create a natural deodorant after three of her friends were also diagnosed with breast cancer. “Using an organic, natural deodorant like ours is the first step to finding more healthy and safe products,” she states. An Insider’s favorite: Magic Lavender Natural Deodorant. FREEDOMDEODORANT.COM

Glycelene Celebrity makeup artist Kim Borio developed Glycelene with the assistance of her cosmetic chemist husband, Eric Chillseyzn, and the talented team work out of their lab in Dana Point, California, concocting all kinds of luxurious balms and potions. The formulas are rich and elegant with a star ingredient–plant-derived glycerine–that helps protect and moisturize skin. Insider’s tps picks: The Beauty Ointment and Glisten Body Balm. GLYCELENE.COM

Good Clean Love A pioneer of intimate hygiene and vaginal wellness products, founder Wendy Strgar launched Good Clean Love back in 2003. Since then, she has been revolutionizing the sexual health industry with organic solutions for sexual wellbeing. The brand’s mission? “To increase the awareness and experience of love in the world.” Insider’s top picks: Caribbean Rose Love Oil and Almost Naked Organic Personal Lubricant. GOODCLEANLOVE.COM

Intelligent Nutrients I-N has been leading the beauty industry into a cleaner, safer, earth-conscious future since its beginning with Horst Rechelbacher “the father of safe cosmetics.” Today, co-owners Kiran Stordalen and Nicole Rechelbacher lead I-N while maintaining the same rigorous standards for super-effective, super-natural hair, skin, and body care. Insider’s picks include: Pure Plenty Shampoo and Conditioner and Good Hair Guardian Thermal Primer. INTELLIGENTNUTRIENTS.COM

 iYura is a lovely Singapore-based line from The Ayurvedic Experience, an authentic, traditional beauty and wellness platform with its roots in the 5000-year old science of Ayurveda. The only ingredients used are those that have been recommended by the ancient Ayurvedic texts and then go through modern research to ensure safety. Ingredients are rigorously quality checked in a strict three-step process to make sure they are free from any pesticide or heavy metal toxicity exposure. Insider’s favorites: Kesaradi Oil and Prinourish Skin Enriching Superfood Serum. THEAYURVEDAEXPERIENCE.COM

Kusum Cosmetics One of the best clean luxury lines we’ve experienced, San Francisco-based Kusum Cosmetics was founded by Nehal Ghevariya. Nehal believes that, “There is nothing better than keeping the earth beautiful for our generations,” and she has succeeded in creating formulations that are light, elegant, and smell divine. In order to preserve the effectiveness of the top-of-the-line ingredients, all products have a one-year shelf life. Insider’s favorites include: Face Cleanser and Night Ecstasy Body Lotion. KUSUMCOSMETICS.COM

Mychelle Dermaceuticals A pioneer in advanced, bioactive, natural skincare, Mychelle Dermaceuticals’ formulas are packed with peptides, plant stem cells, and clinically proven dermatological ingredients. The brand offers clean, conscious, and comprehensive skincare that is ethically sourced. Insider’s choice: Gentle Calming Serum and Gentle Calming Cream. MYCHELLE.COM

 Nairian The sustainable and pesticide-free Nairian farm sits on the eastern slope of Mount Ara in the Armenian Highlands, growing ingredients for products culled from handcrafted recipes. Co-founder Anahit Markosian is a physicist turned chemist who specializes in aromatherapy, and the beautiful line is based on both the principles of aromatherapy and scientific research. All products are responsibly formulated and manufactured from scratch in Nairian’s lab. Insider’s favorites include: Calendula Cleanser and Ylang Ylang Shower Oil. NAIRIAN.COM

Noyah The mission behind this New York City-based company is to make products that don’t exist, but should–and Noyah, a Hebrew word that translates to “divine beauty,” has succeeded in creating a lovely USDA Certified Organic line of lipstick, lip gloss, and lip balm. Special shout-out to the pretty bamboo packaging, and to its founder, Dr. Josh Gordon, who, after obtaining a medical degree, simply couldn’t resist the call of entrepreneurship. Insider’s picks: Food-grade Lip Scrub and Organic Unscented Lip Balm. NOYAH.COM

Oak Natural Beard Care Designed in Berlin, made in Germany, and developed with barbers, Oak Natural Beard Care serves the care of the beard with ingredients that are all-natural and comply with the regulations for controlled natural cosmetics. Insider’s picks: Beard Wash, made with organic malt extract, and Shave Cream, created with organic oak bark. OAKBEARDCARE.COM

OM Botanical Founded in 2011 by Sudhir Shah, the mission of this North Carolina-based company is to craft the safest and most effective plant-based skincare line combining the best of Eastern traditions and Western science. All products are manufactured in the brand’s lab, with many of the ingredients coming from a three-farm cooperative in Indore, India. Insider’s picks: Reef-Safe SPF30 Sunscreen and Fragrance-Free Organic Baby Lotion. OMBOTANICAL.COM

 O’O Hawaii Holly Harding, AADP, INHC, a holistic health and nutrition coach, founded O’O Hawaii upon realizing that she was “unwilling to give up my ocean lifestyle in the name of beauty.” She developed the brand to preserve, protect, and repair the effects of the sea and sun. This integrative beauty line is infused with rose quartz and sapphire crystals, as well as star ingredients including acai oil, Hawaiian kukui nut oil, and ashwagandha. Insider’s top picks: Birdseed Detoxifying Face Scrub and Birdsong Eye Remedy.  OOHAWAII.COM

Orgaid This is the first sheet mask brand in the US that uses USDA Certified Organic ingredients. Founded by Dr. Baek, a scientist with a PhD in Biomaterial Sciences, Orgaid is dedicated to developing products using its’ philosophy of “Efficacious Immersion”–to effectively deliver the beneficial nutrition of natural ingredients onto the skin in the safest manner. An Insider’s favorite: Vitamin C & Revitalizing Organic Sheet Mask. ORGAID.COM

Pure Mana Hawaii This sustainable skincare brand combines carefully selected Hawaiian botanicals with hand-pressed oils to create a powerful line of nourishing, rejuvenating face and body products. Only the purest organic, locally sourced, farm-grown or wildcrafted ingredients are used. Co-founders Sue Mandini and Kollette Stith share this mission: “To sustain the life force and luxury of mother nature, working off the grid to bring the purest products to your skin.” Insider favorites: Radiant Glow Nourishing Body Oil and Kona Coffee Body Polish. PUREMANAHAWAII.COM

Sahara Rose Founded by Ikram Elharti who grew up in North Africa with women who believed in the benefits of self-care, Sahara Rose takes its name from the resilient desert rose. Ikram was inspired by ancient beauty rituals, and the brand beautifully fuses the traditional with the modern. Luxurious ingredients include saffron, rose, neroli, and ruby crystals. An Insider’s favorite: Sacred Energy Radiance Mist. SAHARAROSE.COM

SkinYoga The brainchild of sisters Radhika, Jagriti, and Deepika, this natural, vegan, and halal skincare brand prides itself on its purity. Catering to consumers in 29 countries, the products are completely dry, helping to keep ingredients active longer. Each ingredient is procured from its place of origin where nature plays its role in producing them, minus pesticides and plant growth hormones. An Insider’s pick: Sandalwood Saffron Face Mask. SKINYOGA.IN

 Sonage Skincare This Santa Monica-based beauty brand, founded in 1994, was only available through spas for 20 years. In 2016, Sonage expanded to include DTC selling via its own website and on Amazon premium beauty. The line balances the best in skincare science with thoughtfully curated natural ingredients and offeres uncomplicated, results-oriented, and reliable products. Co-founder and CEO, Anisha Khanna, shares that, “I am most proud of our strong emotional bond with our consumers which results in significant product replenishment and digital engagement.” A few Insider’s favorites: Lumenez Vitamin Rich Crème and Luster Eye Crème. SONAGE.COM

 Whamisa This brand was established by Korea’s leading clean beauty manufacturer, owner of the first Korean organic-certified facility. Whamisa’s signature fermentation process is broken down into three groups–flowers, fruits, and seeds–and was inspired by Korea’s ancient traditional food preservation system. Whamisa sources, develops, and produces all of its products from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in South Korea. Insider’s favorites include: Organic Flowers Cleansing Oil and Organic Flowers Toner Deep Rich. us.WHAMISA.COM

You & Oil A truly innovative wellness company founded by Birutė Nastaravičiūtė in 2013, You & Oil offers a variety of product lines, including Beauty Shots and the noteworthy KI KIDS Aromatherapy. Based out of Vilnius, Lithuania, products are produced in You & Oil’s own labs where they create organic essential oils, food supplements, and CBD-based creams. Insider’s pick: Regeneration Beauty Shot. usa.YOUANDOIL.COM

ABOUT MARY BEMIS

Mary Bemis is a spa media entrepreneur who specializes in start-ups.  She is currently the Founder and Editorial Director of Insider’s Guide to Spas. Mary has worked as the founding editor-in-chief for American Spa, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Organic Spa magazines, and on the launch teams of Luxury SpaFinder and New Beauty magazines. As a former director of the International Spa Association and the New York Spa Alliance, Mary serves on the advisory committee of the Advanced Spa Therapy Education Certification Council (ASTECC).