The beauty world can be a complicated place, especially if you’re looking to ditch products with intimidating lists of ingredients and make the switch toward eco-friendly makeup and skincare. The return of the Indie Beauty Expo brought hundreds of independent retailers from around the world to showcase their amazing, one-of-a-kind products in the heart of Los Angeles. This year, our team of editors attended the IBE in Los Angeles and scouted the best beauty products from independent retailers that don’t compromise quality ingredients for their carbon footprint. Here are some of our favorite brands from IBELA.    

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Little Moon Essentials

The body care by Little Moon Essentials is “made by the phases of the moon” in Colorado. We love to spray the energizing mist at our desks when the climate news becomes too much to bear, and we enjoy the fun scent names (like Tired Old Ass).

Kind Lips

We always keep lip balm on hand, and our current go-to is Kind Lips. Not only are these hydrating and kind to the planet; the company also donates 20 percent of profits go toward anti-bullying organizations.

Love Sun Body

This is the world’s first sunscreen made using 100 percent natural ingredients. It is, of course, reef-safe and effective in protecting your skin from sun damage.

Lunette

Menstrual cups can be intimidating, but Lunette offers soft cups that hold for 12 hours and do not leak.

Bare Me

We love Bare Me’s reusable, dry sheet masks in a nod to waterless beauty. Plus, the packaging and masks can be recycled thanks to TerraCycle.

Dirt Don’t Hurt

From charcoal tooth scrubs and gum cleansing oils to a charcoal-based bath powder designed to soothe and relax, Dirt Don’t Hurt caught our attention with its natural products.

Nature Lab Tokyo

If you’re looking to really volumize your hair, try the clean, vegan hair products by Nature Lab Tokyo. As a lab, it has an array of specific formulas to fit your needs.

IGXO

IGXO prides itself on PETA-certified vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics. Lipsticks are the star of the show, and we were highly impressed with their staying power and non-drying formulas.

Lalicious

Lalicious’ line of natural, cruelty-free body washes, scrubs and lotions are truly delightful. We instantly fell in love with the velour body melt, which made our skin softer than ever before.

Pure Mana Hawaii

With products plucked right from the owners’ beautiful farm in Hawaii, these serums and body oils will transport you straight to paradise.

Speak

We love Speak’s natural, vegan, cruelty-free skincare, especially the cream deodorantand the cleansing powder, which smells exactly like our morning oatmeal.

KIND-LY

These Australian-based natural deodorants are vegan and cruelty-free, and guarantee your pits will be free of aluminum, parabens, alcohol and other nasties. KIND-LY also offers an armpit detox for the transition to natural deodorants.

Sway

Sway offers natural deodorant, an armpit detox and skincare that is good for you and the planet. Founder Rebecca So just launched skincare at the event, and we are raving over everything: toners, moisturizers, serums and all.

Atar

Atar offers luxurious, cruelty-free and vegan hair care products made from natural ingredients. Our hair has never been softer.

Hum

Hum’s products promote beauty from within as they are meant to treat blemishes, acne, dry skin, hair and nails. The best part? All supplements are gluten-free, non-GMOand sustainably sourced.

Lather

From the bamboo lemongrass scrub to the hand therapy cream to the muscle ease, we loved Lather’s eco-friendly products approved by PETA and Leaping Bunny. Plus, Lather is a carbon-neutral business and uses green packaging.

Herbal Dynamics Beauty

This plant-based beauty brand embraces nature with every product. Try the refreshing rose water face toner, which applies like a mist, or the overnight recover mask, which will leave the fragile skin on your face softer than ever.

PYT Beauty

This is beauty without the BS (bad stuff). We were pleasantly surprised with the intense pigmentation of this natural cosmetics brand — we highly recommend the highlighters and lip duos!

Spinster Sisters Co

Spinster Sisters offers pure ingredients and reusable and recyclable packaging: we’re talking glass jars and plant-based plastics.

milk + honey

We love milk + honey’s plant-based, organic skincare, especially the products in scent profile No. 16, which blends pink grapefruit, bergamot and cardamom.

*hype

We’re obsessing over *hype, a line of plant-based nail polishes in a wide variety of colors. Even after several days, our nails have minimal chipping.

Olive + M

Olive + M’s skincare products are made using an olive oil base and U.S.-sourced ingredients. Each product repairs and protects skin from sun exposure, air pollutionand other common problems.

Northlore

We fell in love with Northlore, as all its products are completely eco-friendly, from packaging to ingredients and even shipping. The glacier salt soak is all the rave for its detoxing and skin nourishing properties.