Though we may want to know exactly what's in the beauty products we're using, reading the labels on the back of bottles can cause major anxiety. Ingredient lists can often feel as long as our college essays, and they're almost impossible to understand.
While we're not necessarily saying fewer is best — because that's not always true — we know some skincare, hair, and makeup buffs prefer to use goods that have a label that is a little easier and less time-consuming (ie., less googling) to decipher.
Ahead, we've rounded up the best beauty products, from shampoo to face wash to nail polish remover, that contain just 10 ingredients or fewer. Trust us, you don't always need a lot of stuff to get the job done.
Coming in at just under 10 ingredients, this oil-based cleanser from Korean brand Aromatica is unlike other oil products you might already use in your double-cleansing routine. The babassu oil and orange peel formula starts off as a sherbet-like solid texture, and as you rub it onto your face, it melts down into a cleansing oil that removes makeup and dirt.
It's also on Fashionista's list of innovative Korean beauty products to try — and as we're talking about the land of thriving beauty additions, that's saying a whole lot.
Aromatica, $35.00, available at Peach and Lily
Our very own beauty director has praised Little Barn Apothecary's cleanser as one of her favorite indie beauty buys. Its key ingredient,
activated bamboo charcoal, yes burnt bamboo, well, bamboo that has been pulverized and steamed, is gaining popularity in the skincare world for its impurity removing powers. It's also formulated with aloe to help prevent overdrying, basil essential oils to help eliminate bacteria, and not much else.
In fact, if you're into a minimal ingredient list, you should definitely peruse their site because all of their products fall into the 10 ingredients or fewer category.
Little Barn Apothecary, $22.00, available at Little Barn Apothecary
Oats, black walnuts, chamomile, and kelp are the four (and only four!) ingredients that make up this gentle, fine-grain exfoliant.
Meow Meow Tweet, $16.00, available at Meow Meow Tweet
Rosewater takes the place of regular water in all of Chantecaille's skin-care products. And they aren't any regular ol' rose petals — they're hand-picked during the month of May in the hills of France ( NBD) and loaded with Vitamin C. So spritz some of this on your face for a fancy midday pick-me-up.
Chantecaille, $64.00, available at Nordstrom
This dry oil is made up of 100% pure Camellia oil, an antioxidant packed ingredient from Jeju (the largest island off of South Korea), which has been used as a rejuvenating treatment for generations.
Blossom Jeju, $30.00, available at Glow Recipe
Touted as the "ultimate natural alternative to retinol," Pai's rosehip oil is like pressing rewind on your face. The rosehip and Vitamin E blend regenerates skin to be clear, bright, and supple.
Pai, $40.00, available at Shen
Herbivore's new 100% natural resurfacing mask includes the ingredient of the moment, blue tansy oil, which works as a powerful anti-inflammatory to reduce redness, as well as aloe, papaya, and white willow bark.
Herbivore Botanicals, $48.00, available at Herbivore Botanicals
I swear up and down by this spot treatment— and the fact that I can count on two hands the number of ingredients it includes just makes my praise more legit. The list includes sulfur, glycerin, and calamine (serious throwback camp memories, anyone?) which aid in its quick-drying, pimple-eliminating abilities.
Mario Badescu, $17.00, available at AmazonMario Badescu, $17.00, available at Nordstrom
No, this isn't a mistake, Chanel is coming out with a brand new moisturizer for women with sensitive skin that includes exactly 10 ingredients. The brand collaborated with dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD, to formulate create the antioxidant-rich formula.
Chanel, $80.00, available at Chanel
Rich in shea butter and olive oil, the soaps from Paddywax will help to cleanse your bod while moisturizing your skin at same time.
Paddywax, $9.00, available at Paddywax
We present to you flavored and edible (cacao butter, jojoba, vanilla, and peppermint...) for you and yours. That is all.
Living Libations, $20.00, available at Living Libations
The scrub consists of fine grain sea salt which sloughs away dead skin and rich oils that help nourish the body. The formula is so soothing and soft, you can even skip the moisturizer after rinsing.
Earth Tu Face, $44.00, available at Rodale's
Everything S.W. Basics sells has five ingredients or fewer. The founder, Adina Grigore, originally made the products for her own sensitive skin, and for her, less is more. "We’ve found that if we stick with only absolutely essential ingredients and don’t add a bunch of extra stuff, we don’t need to put 100 things into our products," their site reads. "Using fewer ingredients means more potent skincare."
Their Cream moisturizer includes three key hydrating ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil.
S.W. Basics, $32.00, available at S.W. Basics
This calming blend of organic lavender oil, sweet almond oil, and sesame oil will leave your body relaxed and super soft.
Weleda, $22.00, available at Weleda
The name of this product alone makes us want to run a steaming bath (even in 90 degree weather), and soak in the water until our fingers start to prune. And lucky for us, this milk bath has both detox and therapeutic qualities which will help us woosah while we wade.
Fig + Yarrow, $32.00, available at Fig+Yarrow
The Pits deodorant from indie brand Soul Sunday not only smells like lavender, geranium, and other earth-y fragrances, but it's 100% natural and vegan.
Soul Sunday, $16.00, available at Urban Outfitters
Formulated with coconut oil, eucalyptus oil, vitamin E, and other nourishing ingredients, this minty lip balm won't leave your lips feeling waxy, sticky, or oily-feeling.
100% Pure, $6.00, available at 100% Pure
If you're putting a product close to your eyes, it might be good to know what the heck is in it. Vapour Organic Beauty's eyeshadow shimmer cream (which you can apply with just your fingers) contains 70% organic ingredients and 30% minerals. The packaging is even recyclable, so you can do your part in helping to preserve the environment and your visage.
Vapour Organic Beauty, $20.00, available at Vapour Organic Beauty
Continuing the shimmer theme, this eyeliner from Alima Pure is made with mica and vibrant in color, but with a slight shimmer.
Alima Pure, $14.00, available at Alima Pure
Beautycounter's ingredient selection process is touted as one of the strictest in the industry. This mattifying powder includes silica, cornstarch, and other elements that help to soak up excess oil.
Beautycounter, $34.00, available at Beautycounter
J.Crew models and Refinery29 editors alike love to love this illuminating product from beauty brand RMS. Use it to accentuate your cheekbones, inner eyes, or Cupid's bow, and watch as the shimmer pigment, organic beeswax, Vitamin E, and oils help to bring a new, radiant glow to your face.
RMS Beauty, $38.00, available at RMS Beauty
BareMineral's foundation will provide you with flawless coverage while maintaining that no-makeup makeup look — no wonder it's racked up so many beauty awards. It also comes in one of the widest ranges of shades we've seen and is formulated with SPF.
bareMinerals, $28.00, available at bareMinerals
All of Lurk's fragrances are hand-blended using an organic jojoba base and pure essential oils, and fall under the 10 ingredients or fewer category. Their scents (the RSW005 is their most popular) can be purchased as a perfume oil (the bottles are adorable) or an Eau de Toilette.
Lurk, $55.00, available at Lurk
The ginger lily and ylang at the heart of this perfume gives it a crisp, light, feminine scent.
Osmia Organics, $150.00, available at Osmia Organics
Tata Harper's Love Potion is a blend of the world's most potent aphrodisiac essential oils, including grapefruit, jasmine, and frankincense. The aroma is so intoxicating that it might just bring all the boys to your yard.
Tata Harper, $80.00, available at Tata Harper
If you haven't noticed so far, hair products with 10 ingredients or fewer are surprisingly hard to come by. Lush's Trichomania coconut shampoo is one of the few cleansers we could find that fit into the category. It comes in solid form and is ultra-hydrating — perfect for curly-haired ladies with dry strands.
Lush, $10.95, available at Lush
Whether you're a brunette or a blonde, Mullein & Sparrow's dry shampoo powder has you and your locks covered. It includes very few ingredients (cocoa powder for darker shades, arrowroot powder and lavender oil for lighter shades, kaolin clay, and cornstarch) and its light-weight formula will help your hair stay fresh in between washes.
Mullein & Sparrow, $9.00, available at Mullein & Sparrow
Every girl I know with natural hair swears by this product (myself included, that slip is unlike any other), and if there's one thing curly-haired girls obsess over, it's what ingredients they're putting on their coils. This detangler and leave-in includes organic mango, slippery elm, marshmallow root, and lemongrass.
Kinky-Curly, $11.99, available at Target
Coconut oil has been praised for being a holy-grail ingredient for some time. Now, drugstore brand, Promise Organic, is adding pomegranate into the mix. This multi-tasking combo can be used on your body, face, or hair.
Promise Organic, $19.99, available at CVS
Sprinkle some of this hair dust onto your roots for instant volume, texture, and definition.
Davines, $28.00, available at Davines
Josie Maran's 100% argan oil will be your hair, face, and bod's best friend in the winter months — trust us.
Josie Maran, $48.00, available at Sephora
This pomade emanates the scent of delectable sugary goodness, just like how I imagine Willy Wonka's factory smells. Its blend of oils, butters, and veggie waxes protects the hair, and can also act as a moisturizer for the scalp.
Oyin Handmade, $13.99, available at Oyin Handmade
This soy-based nail polish remover is made with pure argan oil and enriched with vitamins A, C, and E, which will be super gentle on your nails.
Treat Collection, $24.00, available at The Detox Market
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