Top Natural Skincare & Beauty Products

The long-popular Origins stores have always used natural ingredients in their products, but they took that a step further when they came out with Origin Organics. Purify, nourish, hydrate and smooth your skin with products that range from toners to face washes and lotions, body lotions and spritzes, massage oil and lip balm. Most of the products contain at least 95% ingredients that are certified organic by the USDA, the same agency that establishes organic standards for food. Organic shea butter is a major ingredient in their formulas. You can get them online or try them out in the many retail stores.

At this one-stop organic online apothecary, you'll find a broad range of body products, cosmetics and beauty solutions made with natural and organic ingredients, which means your skin won't absorb any pesticides—just the nutrients from nature. Stamped with the Soil Association's seal of approval, it stocks over 350 items, including some hard-to-find brands. You can browse by a wide range of categories—skin, hair and body—and search for baby products and men's items. People with sensitive skin should bookmark Love Lula's site: it stocks a range of potions that have given much needed relief to eczema sufferers. The easy to navigate site also provides an education, explaining the nitty gritty of organic and natural skin care—what to look for on a label, how the industry is regulated, and other such details. And in true apothecary style, you can get personal attention; submit an inquiry on the “Ask Lula” page and get an answer from the expert herself.

A pair of California wellness mavens oversee Juice Beauty. Their skin and body products—cleansers, exfoliants, moisturizers, sun protection—are not water based like countless beauty products, but are instead formulated with an organic juice base rich in antioxidants and age-defying nutrients—a beneficial shot of goodness to your skin. (A patent is pending on their formula). The juices, raw sugar, honey, aloe vera, and botanicals, such as ylang-ylang, myrrh and chamomile, are sourced from organic farms around the globe. They also offer an impressive selection of men's products.

Aphrodite would be proud. This Athens-based skincare company traces its origins back to the first Greek apothecary. The company was started by George Korres, who made an aromatic herbal syrup based on a recipe from his grandfather. Now there are over 500 products that range from skin, hair and body care for men and women, to natraceuticals (including a tasty jam with figs and prunes) to sun protection lotions to herbal remedies. Korres takes cues from time-tested homeopathic treatments and brings to mind the natural way of the ancient times. Extensive research, however, goes into developing each of the products. Ingredients are straight from nature. Who knew that sunflower can offer antioxidant, anti-aging and DNA-protective properties? In the words of one of our editors, Lauren: "Yum! This is one of my favorite brands. Everything just smells so fruity and delicious, I almost want to eat myself after I've applied them!" We love the 3-in-1 milk protein cleansing emulsion and the thick and creamy Fig Body Lotion. Their spa-like retail stores are located in many cities around the world—London, New York, Madrid and Paris, to name a few—but you can also browse online.

A champion of the green movement, Stella McCartney was the first luxury brand to branch out into skin care—hats off to her! Now you can have a birthday suit to rival any couture tailoring: 100% effective, 100% organic (certified by ECOCERT, an independent body), it leaves you feeling as good on the inside as you look on the outside. Every recipe is made without any petrochemicals, animal derivatives or genetically modified ingredients. All fragrances come from essential oils. I love the gentle cleansing milk, packed with fruit oils and antioxidants, followed by floral toning water—cornflower extracts revitalize skin, while green tea and linden blossom help to soothe. The moisturizers promise five benefits—firmness, protection, nutrition, radiance and hydration—from a whole host of natural goodies.

Liz Earle is a specialist in botanical ingredients and natural health. Her products are all "naturally active," so you know you're not putting any chemical nasties onto your skin. Except for beeswax, manuka honey and propolis, there are no animal products used in any of her moisturizers, cleansers, tonics, body washes and everything else. Plus, whenever possible, she uses organic ingredients, showing a dedication to local community growers. So every item basically sits due north on the moral compass then. Suitable for even sensitive skin types, everything comes prettily packaged in chic bottles, tubes and boxes, wrapped in tissue paper like a gift. I love the amount of thought that has gone into the range—not to mention how effective it is. The Hot Cloth Cleanser is a cult classic, and the Skin Repair moisturizer is super-hydrating, as avocado oil, echinacea and borage oil softens and strengthens skin.

Something that's almost a day-glo green might not seem the obvious choice for a natural skincare range, but Elizabeth Barbalich begs to differ. She uses active and natural plant ingredients indigenous to New Zealand in her holistic skin care range. The star player is the electrifying green oil of the avocado pear. Avocado oil has been a bit of an unsung hero in the botanical world. Enter: Elizabeth, belting out an aria in tribute to this natural wonder. Full of fatty acids and vitamins, it's nourishing, conditioning and easily absorbed by the skin. Antipodes uses natural ingredients from plants that are sustainably cultivated. As if that weren't enough, the range also uses fab ingredients—each easily traced to its producer—like Manuka honey and plants that the Maori have been using for years. There are no animal derivatives apart from beeswax and honey, and everything is organic where possible. But it's not just your body that will benefit; with essential oils researched in India and chosen for their Ayurvedic properties, this is a treat for body and soul. It just begs to be contemplated over in a long, hot and lazy bath. Mmm …

I've heard people raving about Nude's Cleansing Facial Oil, so I though I'd try it out. And I say—believe the hype. Working with the body's own chemicals and processes, Nude beauty products use bioactive ingredients like peptides, pre and probiotics and antioxidants to clean and cure skin without removing its essential and delicate acid mantle, skin's invisible armor. Ingredients are all natural and organic when possible, with no parabens, phthlates, sulphates or any other unpronounceable chemicals. I gave the facial cleansing oil, loaded with omega 3 and vitamin E, both gentle but ruthless grime fighters, to a friend who often ends up with black makeup under her eyes after using normal make-up remover. She reports not a smudge in sight! The Age Defence Moisturizer leaves your skin feeling soft, but not super soft—try the Replenishing Night Oil for more of a boost. To top it all off, packaging is 100% recyclable with Nude willing to recycle them for you if you don't have facilities nearby.

What's in a name? The truth, in this case. Natural Organic Edible Cosmetics are in fact 100% natural and edible, literally good enough to eat. If you've cut down on the chemicals you eat, it only makes sense to do the same when it comes to what you apply to your skin every day. The skin is our largest organ, after all, and up to 60% of what we put onto it gets absorbed. These fab products, available online and at Whole Foods and select Waitrose, are made from food-grade ingredients—vitamin enriched, high-antioxidant fruits, vegetables and botanicals. NOE Cosmetics have no mysterious nasties, such as preservatives. The line includes cleansers, masks, lotions, body washes and baby products and each product is 100% pH balanced and formulated without any animal ingredients, genetically modified ingredients, phthalates, dyes or fragrances. I like the lemon peel cleanser for a fresh start to the day, followed by some Mango Nutritive Daily Revival Cream—certified organic mango butter combined with cocoa butter and fruit and nut oils to reduce sensitivity and leave you with a soft face that's shielded from the elements.

I always enjoy a trip to a Cowshed spa, so of course I love the fact that I can go the DIY route at home with their products—all inspired by the spa treatments. Everything smells divine, full of herbs from the Victorian garden at Babington House, the UK hotel, and essential oils and active extracts that range from the soothing to the invigorating. It's all 100% vegetarian—no animal products other than organic beeswax and wild flower honey. But enough of the serious stuff, the guys and gals at Cowshed know exactly what we need—even when they're not with us in person! Grubby Cow Cleansing Milk gets rid of city grime, Grumpy Cow Morning Body Wash is the perfect tonic for those of us who don't believe in early mornings, the Knackered Cow Relaxing Candles set the tone for when you just want to sit down, close your eyes and, well, relax… There's also a great range for the boys—Bullocks for Men transforms Cowshed's signature scents and packaging into reassuringly masculine stuff for soothing shaves and manly indulgence. And don't forget Baby—the Baby Cow range is full of gentle spa-blended washes and moisturizers.