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Organic & Natural Skincare Brands On A Budget

I was originally going to call this post ‘Affordable Organic & Natural Skincare Brands’ but affordability is personal, not dependent on the size of your income but how you choose to spend it. My approach to affordable skincare is to find products that are effective for my dry, sensitive skin; that don’t expose it to unnecessary chemicals; and I wouldn’t consider buying simply as a treat.

I know that some of the beauty products I write about could be considered a little on the expensive side. I don’t believe cost is a sign of a product’s efficacy. There are a lot of overpriced brands on the market that seriously under-deliver. When I feature a more expensive product, it’s because I believe it’s worth spending money on and because it’s a product that works for me. I believe it’s important to invest in my skin.

There are a lot of brands that could easily charge a lot more for their brilliant products. There are some great natural and organic skincare brands that suit most budgets. In this post, I’m sharing a few of the most reliable and affordable brands I use.

REN Clean Skincare

REN Clean Skincare is probably the skincare brand I’ve used for the longest, of all the brands I recommend in this post. I can always rely on their products to be efficacious, whilst also being gentle on my skin (all their formulas are pH balanced). It was the gentleness of their products that first attracted me. When I was at university I became aware that my skin was becoming quite sensitive, probably as a result of my less than healthy lifestyle. It was at this time, I discovered REN.

Their ingredients come from sustainable sources, and are chosen for their effectiveness and because they don’t cause irritation to the skin; like the blackcurrant seed oil (an oil rich in Omega 3) in their Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk, and the wheatgerm (which increases skin firmness) in their V-Cense Revitalising Night Cream. Both of which I’ve used for years.

I also love REN for their positive approach to social projects. Their ‘Clean to Skin, Clean to Planet’ initiative is part of their pledge to become zero waste by 2021. Campaigns in partnership with Surfers Against Sewage and Surfrider Foundation have seen groups around the UK and USA cleaning up our beaches. They currently use post-consumer-recycled plastic for their tubes, all designed for circular recycling; and they teamed up with TerraCycle to create their ocean plastic bottles. Their next step, refillable bottles in co-ordination with TerraCycle’s Loop program.

REN products are all cruelty-free; some are also vegan. All products are manufactured in the UK.

If you sign up to their newsletter you’ll receive 15% off your first order.

Products I use:

PAI Skincare

It was Julia Rebaudo from Stylonylon that introduced me to PAI Skincare, back in 2017. She had visited their factory in London (where they make all their products) and, knowing we both share a love of natural skincare, suggested I try them.

I met up with their PR and over a lovely lunch she told me about founder, Sarah Brown’s, struggle to find products that were gentle enough for her irritated, hyper-sensitive and acne-prone skin. Finding nothing that worked for her, she created her own.

Sarah’s approach is to use natural and organic ingredients in their products, reducing the use of chemicals that may cause irritation. They don’t use any controversial chemicals, parabens or phthalates. In order to qualify as natural, a minimum of 98% of the ingredients come from nature; certified to a Soil Association COSMOS Natural standard. Where possible they use organic ingredients, which they (and I) believe are better for our health and the environment. Any non-natural ingredients they use in their products are those necessary to keep it fresh or make it work. They meet strict standards, green chemistry principles and don’t exceed 2% of the product’s ingredients.

PAI products are so gentle, they’ve never caused my skin any irritation, but have also given me good results. When my pores are blocked (after cleansing), I use their Kukui & Jojoba Bead Skin Brightening Exfoliator. The natural and bio-degradable jojoba beads remove dead skin cells. I then follow this with their Copaiba Deep Cleanse AHA Mask to remove congestion. My skin is left feeling super clean but not tight or uncomfortable.

PAI take their social responsibilities seriously. Sarah’s mentorship program educates young girls in London, in entrepreneurship and the career opportunities in manufacturing. In addition, they work closely with a few cancer centres, offering cancer sufferers skincare advice throughout their treatment and after.

PAI have taken measures to reduce their environmental impact by using glass wherever possible for product packaging, as well as introducing a recyclable bioplastic tube derived from sustainably sourced Sugarcane. They use only FSC-certified paper and card, and stopped using laminated boxes back in 2015.

PAI products are all cruelty-free and vegan. All products are manufactured in the UK.

If you sign up to their newsletter you’ll receive 10% off your first order.

Products I Use:

Balance Me

Just like myself, Rebecca and Clare Hopkins are on a mission to slow down and take care of themselves. Like a lot of us, they found the fast pace of twenty-first century life stressful and realised that it was taking its toll on their health and skin. Both sisters had developed incredibly sensitive, red skin and were suffering from hormonal breakouts. They decided to create Balance Me, skincare products that enable us all to take a little time for self-care each day. They create natural products from sustainable, renewable ingredients that are kind to your skin and the earth. Some products do contain non-natural ingredients but these are carefully selected and tested to ensure they are safe for your skin.

As with the other brands I’ve mentioned, Balance Me’s products are gentle but effective. Their Tri-Molecular Hyaluronic Serum is one of the most effective and affordable hyaluronic serums I’ve come across. It contains three different molecule sizes that act on different layers of the epidermis, giving skin a thorough moisture boost. I use it morning and night.

Balance Me are making every effort to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging. They use clear and white glass for most of their bottles, since it is the most widely and infinitely recycled material available. However, being heavier than some materials, it does have an impact on carbon emissions. For safety, balms and oils are packaged in plastic, they use 50% post-consumer recycled plastic for them. All their boxes are made with FSC-certified card and if you order from them directly your package will be packed with corn chips, a biodegradable padding material that you can dissolve in water or put on your compost heap. They’re looking into refillables for the future.

Balance Me products are all cruelty-free; some are also vegan. All products are manufactured in the UK.

If you sign up to their newsletter you’ll receive 15% off your first order.

Products I Use:

Best Organic Cotton T-Shirts

Just like non-organic t-shirts, organic cotton t-shirts vary widely in how they feel, their shape and the density of the fabric. I’ve been buying organic cotton t-shirts for a little while now (switching over when I discovered how much better they are for the environment and the people that farm the cotton; not to mention, the quality). I thought I’d share some of the best I’ve found.

The White T-Shirt Co.

The White T-Shirt Co. focus solely on making perfect t-shirts and they’ve been doing it since 2004. They work with The Green Cotton Group, a Danish textile manufacturer that produce organic cotton using the most sustainable methods. The White T-Shirt Co. produce incredibly soft t-shirts that don’t lose their softness after washing. Their long-sleeve t-shirts are made with a fairly dense jersey whereas their short-sleeve t-shirts are much thinner, good for layering in the winter or on their own in warmer months. I recommend their Fitted Long Sleeve Round Neck T-Shirt and Relaxed Short Sleeve Round Neck T-Shirt (I go up a size in both for a looser fit).

ARKET

New kid on the block, ARKET are part of the immense H&M group. Their raison d’être is to create quality products that are accessible to all, that will last, an ‘archive’ of wardrobe essentials. Only a few of their products are currently made with organic cotton, mostly t-shirts and vests and the odd pair of jeans but they do also use recycled cashmere in some of their jumpers (I have one and it’s so nice). I have a couple of their Organic Cotton T-Shirts in black and blush (which they refer to as orange). It’s a classic crew neck style that hangs beautifully and has a flattering longer cut short sleeve. They’re very lightweight with a slightly coarse texture. They have stayed exactly the same wash after wash.

Organic Basics

If you’re looking for a classic crew-neck t-shirt look no further than Organic Basics. They’re a Danish brand that specialise in basics, such as t-shirts and underwear, all made from Turkish organic cotton. They are constantly pushing for a higher level of sustainability, environmentally as well as socio-economically. Their t-shirts fall somewhere in-between the other two brands, they are lightweight with a soft texture. They’re straight cut and hang really nicely. I have their Organic Cotton Stretch Tee in white and black, both of which I’ve worn quite a bit. They seem to get a bit looser and softer the more you wash them.

Organic Bodycare For Sensitive Skin

**Pai Skincare** Skincare Gentle Genius Camellia & Bergamot Body Wash with Konjac Sponge* | **Pai Skincare** Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream*

I once read that your skin is the largest organ of your body. It’s not something I’d really thought about before, always considering the skin to be just the bit that holds all your organs in place. As I learn to take better care of my body it makes sense to consider what it is I’m putting on it, not just on my face. If you use products that contain lots of nasties and are spreading them all over your skin then it’s pretty likely that you’re going to be absorbing a lot of them into your body.

I spend a lot of time researching skincare brands. Friends that I speak to IRL will know that I’m quite passionate about it, especially when I’m talking about a brand that’s organic. My friend Julia from Stylonylon suggested Pai Skincare to me a little while back, she’d met Sarah the founder and was super impressed with their products. (FYI Julia has amazing skin and has done for as long as I’ve known her.) They’re an organic skincare brand that specialise in products for sensitive skin. I admit, it took me a little while to give them a try but I wish it hadn’t. I’ve been using quite a few of their products over the last month and already have a few firm favourites.

I took a couple of Pai Skincare products with me to Croatia, a body wash and body cream. The Pai Skincare Gentle Genius Camellia & Bergamot Body Wash is a little bit different to most as it doesn’t contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), a synthetic compound that’s used in a lot of cleaning products (including laundry products). It’s an effective surfactant and foaming agent but it’s also an irritant and pollutant. As Pai Skincare specialise in products for those of us with sensitive skin they’ve chosen not to use it in their body wash. Instead they’ve come up with an ingenious way of creating a foam with the use of a konjac sponge, another product that’s really great for sensitive skin. I have got on so well with this product and have been continuing to use it since returning to London. I’ve also noticed that a little goes a long way with the use of the sponge.

The other product that I took with me was the Pai Skincare Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream. This seemed particularly appropriate as I knew I was going to be in the sun and the calming properties of this cream would be perfect for soothing my skin at the end of the day. I didn’t take aftersun but used this instead. It has quite a thick texture which you need to pat all over to spread it before rubbing in (although I hear they’ve been revising the formula to make it more glossy). Apart from the very irritating mosquito bites I got in Croatia, my skin has been pretty happy.

Throw Off Those Coats

**Second Female** Brook Knit Short Cardigan in Cypress* | **The White T-Shirt Co.** Relaxed Short Sleeve T-Shirt in White* | **Second Female** Tally Skirt* | **Adidas Originals** Court Vantage in White | A.P.C. Demi-Lune Shoulder Bag in Black | **Lines & Current** Henning Sunglasses in Black* | **Lucy Williams x Missoma** Gold Graduated Fang Necklace* | **CF Concept** Tusk Necklace in Gold

I’m a realist when it comes to the weather here in London, when we’re lucky we get a few hot days in April, before the temperature then drops, (hopefully) rising again in July. Blue skies will always make me happy and when they come along I grab the opportunity to get out in the sun, even if that does mean I get a few strange looks, mostly from tourists wrapped up in heavy coats. I’ve been desperate to wear beautiful printed ra-ra skirt since it arrived. It has a bit of an Isabel Marant vibe but is actually from one of my favourite Danish brands, Second Female. I can’t wait to wear it with a pair of espadrilles and a camisole later in the summer. For now, the cardigan is staying on – also from Second Female.

If you’re in search of really good quality t-shirt, look no further than The White T-Shirt Co.. I don’t think these guys can be beaten on quality or for the softness of their t-shirts. They use GOTS certified organic cotton from Turkey, and they’re transparent and ethical about their production. They also wash really well, no shrinkage like lots I’ve bought in the past. I was recently interviewed by Ellie from Study 34 for The White T-Shirt Co. blog, we talked about the state of the fashion industry and what needs to be done to improve it, my wardrobe staples (like the white t-shirt, obviously) and how I tackle being a blogger whilst trying not to promote overconsumption. Read about it here.

I’ve also just discovered Adidas Court Vantage plimsolls, a much better alternative to the Stan Smiths. They’re made with a softer leather for a start, so no wearing them in. I think the sizing is actually more accurate, too. And, they’re all white, very pleasing to the eye for us minimalists.