Cosmopolitan's 2025 Clean Beauty Awards: The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable and Ethical Beauty

The Evolution of Clean Beauty

Remember the days of scavenging health food stores for a decent clean shampoo? Thankfully, those days are long gone! Clean beauty has exploded, offering countless products prioritizing both personal health and planetary well-being. The conversation has shifted, embracing science and common sense: not all synthetics are bad, and not all plant-based ingredients are good. Sustainability is now non-negotiable, with brands becoming increasingly transparent about sourcing, manufacturing, and packaging.

Navigating the Clean Beauty Landscape

Even with all the positive change, finding truly "clean," "natural," or "eco-friendly" products can still feel like navigating a minefield. Without clear regulations, "clean" can mean anything. That's where Cosmopolitan's 2025 Clean Beauty Awards come in. We've raised the bar, enlisting 13 industry pros to refine our criteria (because science, like us, evolves!).

The Journey to the Best of the Best

Over four months, we meticulously reviewed nearly 700 products, swiping, slathering, and sniffing our way to the top contenders. The result? A curated collection of 74 winners across skincare, haircare, makeup, and fragrance. These are products you’ll love down to the last drop (and then recycle responsibly, of course!).

Award-Winning Essentials

From KORA Organics' Active Algae Calming Cleansing Balm, voted Best Makeup Remover, to Alpyn Beauty's Instant Bright Eye, our Best Eye Cream, and Saint Jane's Pore Clarity Cleanser, our Best Exfoliating Face Wash – we've got you covered from head to toe.

Discover more winners like Lion Pose's Unspotted 4X Acid Jelly Night Serum (Best Overnight Treatment), Caudalie's Grape Water Face Mist (Best Face Mist), SOL LABS SPF 50 Sheer Mist Mineral Sunscreen Spray (Best Body Sunscreen), 54 Thrones Barrier Repair Cloud Cream (Best Body Butter), Victoria Beckham Vast Lash Mascara (Best Mascara), and many more!

Defining Clean Beauty

Clean beauty lacks a standard definition, but generally represents a holistic approach to transparency, safety, and environmental consciousness. Our definition prioritizes products that are effective and science-driven, while considering the well-being of people and the planet. This includes safe, high-quality ingredients; refillable, recyclable, or sustainably sourced packaging; and transparent production practices. Our expert panel used these principles, along with their knowledge of the industry, to select our winners.

Ingredients to Avoid

Our winning products are free from potentially harmful ingredients like parabens, sulfates, phthalates, mineral oil, aluminum compounds, talc, chemical sunscreens, formaldehyde, ethanolamines, BHT, and hydroquinone.

Meet the Experts

Our esteemed panel of 13 experts includes dermatologists, dentists, cosmetic chemists, hairstylists, beauty editors, and influencers, each bringing their unique perspective and expertise to the selection process.

Our Methodology

From initial research and testing to expert review and final selection, our rigorous methodology ensures the integrity and credibility of the Cosmopolitan Clean Beauty Awards.

Why Trust Cosmopolitan?

With decades of experience in the beauty industry, Cosmopolitan's beauty team, led by Erica Metzger, is dedicated to providing readers with reliable and trustworthy beauty information.