Clean beauty has been building momentum for a few decades now but it's really in the past 10 years or so since around 2010 that the movement really exploded. But what actually is clean beauty? It's a term that gets thrown around a lot, often part of marketing strategies, that doesn't have any regulated definition. But for the most part, clean beauty stands for beauty that is free of proven or suspected harmful ingredients. But for Credo Beauty, it is much more than that. The largest clean beauty retailer sets clear standards for this term, while bringing the best of clean beauty together under one roof, both physical and virtual. In this Credo Beauty review, we explore this complex definition and more of the company's philosophy. But we also take a close look at some of the products Credo Beauty sells and what existing customers have to say about them and the store itself. So read on to find out.

About Credo Beauty

Credo Beauty is a US-based retailer of clean beauty spanning makeup, skincare and hair care, founded in 2014 at the cusp of the clean beauty movement hey-day. Established by Annie Jackson and Shashi Batra as a single physical store in San Francisco, the two co-founders are veterans of the beauty industry with decades of experience between them, having worked for the likes of Sephora and Estee Lauder. Today, the company boasts several brick-and-mortar locations across the US, as well as an online store to boot.

The company dubs itself as the highest standard in beauty. Given that the industry is one of the least regulated in America, Credo Beauty and its founders took it upon themselves to set those regulations. At least for the 130+ brands and partners they work with, and try to inspire a change within the industry as a whole.

The company steers clear of the ingredients on the Dirty List, which includes over 2700 ingredients that have all been deemed harmful or suspected to be unsafe and that many clean beauty brands refer to. But it goes beyond just that. The Credo clean beauty standard also includes the following principles:

• Sourcing - is the given ingredient sourced in the best and most environmentally friendly way? Could it be sourced better?

• Sustainability - are there any sustainability concerns around the ingredient?

• Ethics - is the ingredient linked to unfair labor conditions or low wages?

• Transparency - each brand must obtain documentation on ingredients' sourcing, purity and composition, back up any product or ingredient claims and be transparent about fragrance used, including full disclosure of fragrance ingredients used

• Cruelty-free - the store is 100% cruelty free since the opening and so are all the products sold

• Conducting safety research - each brand is required to conduct basic consumer safety and product stability testing on volunteer humans, never on animals

Before we dive into some of Credo's most popular products, let's take a look at some general pros and cons about the company.

Pros

• Largest clean beauty retailer with over 130 brands to choose from

• Boasts 10 physical stores across the US to visit, as well as an online shop

• Avoids potentially harmful ingredients in all stocked products

• 100% cruelty-free

• 90% of stocked brands are female-led

• Sustainable

• Educates customers through blog posts about makeup, skincare, clean beauty, sustainability and more

• Offers student discount

• Free shipping on US orders over $50

• Offers a rewards programme

• Offers a recycling programme for empty beauty products

Cons

• Doesn't ship internationally

• Not available internationally in physical stores either

• On the pricier side of the spectrum

Credo Beauty Products Review

Now that we've learned what Credo Beauty stands for, let's check get this Credo Beauty review on the road. The company's offering spans skincare, makeup, hair care, body care and fragrance (including candles) from over 130 brands. And every product page includes a full ingredients list, each of which of those ingredients can be clicked upon to find out more about it - what it is, what it does, what it's used for, as well as what other products contain it. And as fragrance is one of the most unregulated yet sensitizing ingredients in beauty products, often simply called "fragrance" on ingredient lists, the company devotes a whole section of every product page to its fragrance contents. All of that in the name of education and transparency which are part of Credo Beauty's philosophy.

To help you narrow things down a little, the website offers a helpful tool called the Product Finder, which let's you enter what category of a product you're looking for and what ingredients you'd like the product to include and exclude. Based on your answers, the site will provide a more personalized list of products for you to choose from. But for now, we are going to have a look at some of the store's bestselling products.

Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Melt Moisturizer

The store's bestselling moisturizer is the PlantGenius Melt Moisturizer from Alpyn Beauty. The brand formulates its skincare with wild-harvested active ingredients from the mountains surrounding Jackson Hole, Wyoming where the company is based. The brand name Alpyn Beauty is derived from alpenglow, an optical phenomenon which illuminates mountain peaks with a pink-hued sunlight. This is also reflected in the brand's moisturizer as the weightless creamy formula itself is pink.

Designed for hydrating, firming and moisturizing all skin types, with a particular focus on dehydrated, mature and sensitive skin, this product is formulated with:

• hyaluronic acid for hydration

• ceramides to support skin's moisture barrier

• squalane to help hold and seal the moisture in

• bakuchiol, derived from a plant called Psoralea corylifolia, this ingredient is an alternative to retinol and reduces fine lines and other signs of aging

This product is on the pricier side, retailing for $60 for 1.7 oz jar. It is vegan, soy-free and free from any synthetic fragrance, however, it does contain some essential oils which are technically fragrance too. Despite Credo stating that this product is fragrance-free. The product page also includes results from independent clinical studies the brand has performed on this moisturizer and the results are largely positive.

Alpyn Beauty is a very sustainability-oriented brand and is part of the One Percent for the Planet initiative whose members donate at least 1% of their annual sales to environmental causes. The company is also a certified plastic-neutral brand as every product purchase contributes to ocean plastic cleanup.

Exa High Fidelity Foundation

One of Credo Beauty's bestselling foundations, as well as general makeup products, is the High Fidelity Foundation by Exa. Notable for its wide range of shades, 43 to be exact, and anti-pollution protective actives. And because there are so many shades to choose from, the website provides a simple shade finder based on your skin tone, undertone and shade range.

At $38 it is certainly on the more expensive side of the spectrum, however, the vegan semi-satin formula is dermatologist-approved as it's more than just makeup, it is a combination of skincare and makeup benefits. The product is buildable, which means you can get a sheer and natural finish or full coverage and everything in between. It is infused with the likes of:

• aloe vera juice that soothes the skin

• peach fruit extract which improves skin's ability to retain moisture and therefore plumps and improves skin texture

• Acerola cherry fruit extract and grape seed oil for their antioxidant properties

• hyaluronic acid for hydration

While the product is free from alcohol, soy and gluten, it is not free from fragrance as it contains essential oils, as well as a controversial ingredient called mica. Mica is a mineral which provides a shimmery reflective effect. Long-term inhalation of this powder poses a health risk to workers. Additionally, very often those extracting the mica from the mines are children as the spaces are small and difficult to access by grown adults. These mine, however, often collapse which can result in the children's injury or even death.

The brand is named after the decimal unit prefix in the metric system denoting 1000000000000000000. This is to symbolise the maximum inclusivity of the brand, reflected in the size of its range, as seen in the case of the Exa High Fidelity Foundation.

Le Prunier Plum Beauty Oil

Another skincare bestseller sold on the Credo Beauty website is the Plum Beauty Oil by Le Prunier. This face oil is the brand's hero product, utilizing a patent-pending blend of plum varieties and the power of the plum. It is naturally abundant in antioxidants, vitamins E and A, omega fatty acids and beneficial polyphenols, which protect against environmental stressors.

The luxurious $72 product, sold in a 1 oz bottle, doesn't contain anything else, no stabilizers or fillers, apart from the aforementioned plum oil, which is organically grown (certified by the USDA), harvested and cold-pressed on the owners' family farm in California.

The Peta-certified vegan oil is best used on top of your moisturizer to seal all the previous skincare steps and moisture into your skin and absorb the benefits of the oil itself. It can also be used on the body or hair for softer and smooth finish.

Kosas Tinted Face Oil

Kosas could be described as the cool kid of the clean beauty movement. Loved by the Gen Z generation for its cool packaging and branding, as well as more mature clientele for its effective formulas. And the Los Angeles-based brand's Tinted Face Oil is one of Credo Beauty's absolute makeup bestseller (along with its Revealer concealer and Air Brow gel).

Dubbed the sweatpants of foundation, the formula is extremely lightweight and sheer with a natural velvety finish. Available in 16 shades, the product is filled with nourishing botanical oils which work to better your skin while the pigment covers the imperfections. These oils are:

• avocado and meadowfoam oils for moisturizing and plumping the skin

• raspberry and jojoba oils for soothing

• camellia seed and rosehip oils for balancing and brightening

At $42 for a 1 oz tube, the product is certainly on the pricier side, however, given the benefits, it might be worth it if you are willing to spend that amount. In addition, the foundation is non-irritating, non-comedogenic (doesn't block pores) and in 2019 it was named the Best Luminous Foundation in the Allure Beauty Awards. And in the name of transparency and backed-up claims, the product page also includes some very positive results of a clinical study done on the Tinted Face Oil.

Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara

The last of Credo Beauty's bestseller we are going to be looking at is the Limitless Lash Mascara by Ilia. Ilia is one of the store's bestselling brands across the board, with its Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 and Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm also making the cut.

Funnily enough, it was lip balm where it all started with Ilia Beauty. It was when the founder's mother, who was a pioneer in health and wellness, encouraged her to read the ingredients on her favorite lip balm. What she found out shocked her and she set out to recreate her beloved product with safe and clean ingredients. And she hasn't stopped since.

The brand's popular black mascara is made with natural ingredients like beeswax and shea butter that creates a buildable flake-free formula, safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. For $28 (or $13 if you're after a travel size), it lifts, curls, lengthens and volumizes the lashes with a single coat which lasts all day but is easy to remove at the end of it. The mascara is so loved that in 2019 it was announced as the winner of Allure's Best of Beauty Awards in the Clean Beauty category.

Credo Beauty Reviews from Customers

It is completely normal that customer feedback on any given brand, company or service provider is split. Perhaps there is majority of one opinion over the other, but you will always have both as not everyone likes the same things or doesn't react the same way. But when it comes to Credo Beauty, we honestly struggled to find absolutely any negative review. All customer reviews are beaming with positive comments, praising the store for its excellent customer service, help with choosing products, the site's range of clean beauty products and return policy. Whether you look at the brand's site, Facebook page or Trustpilot, it's all the same. The only negative comment we were able to track down was one complaining of an allergic reaction to a product which can, of course, happen with absolutely anything. Here is a taste of some of the Credo Beauty customer reviews:

"I've purchased clean beauty for nearly 20 years, both in stores and online and Credo is by far my favorite place to shop! Between their transparency about products and the ease of connecting with a real-live person to ask questions, my skin is the healthiest it has ever been and my endless back and forth to buy and return products is OVER. My all time favorite beauty store!!t recommend them highly enough. Take advantage of the chat feature and you won't be disappointed! They really know their products."

"I had an allergic reaction to some of their products. I received very poor customer service. Disappointed."

"I am trying to change all my skin care to clean and organic products. Credo has been very helpful and supportive and I have l loved products I purchased and able to return and or exchange other products that didn’t work."

"Credo....you all shine. To be able to find clean beauty on one website is an absolute delight. You have quite a variety of companies and products on your website to please even the most finicky beauty. I've ordered from Credo several times and have never been disappointed in the products or the customer service."

Sign Up for Credo Beauty

You can sign up for Credo Beauty and receive the Credo Rewards by simply creating a free account on the store's website. With every purchase, online or in-store, you will collect points which you can then redeem against other products. If you also take part in the company's in-store recycling scheme, where you bring your empty beauty packaging to a Credo store for recycling, you will be rewarded by extra points.

Credo Beauty Locations – Where to Buy

In addition to Credo's online store, the company boasts 10 physical Credo beauty locations across the US, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and more.

Credo Shipping and Return Policy

Shipping

Credo ships only within the US, including Hawaii and Alaska, and doesn't deliver internationally. The store offers complimentary shipping on all orders over $50. For orders under that amount, the company charges a flat fee of $8.50 for UPS delivery.

Returns

The store operates under a 30-day return policy in case you don't like a product or it just doesn't work for you.

Credo Promotions & Discounts

Upon signing up for an account and the Credo Rewards, you will automatically receive a Credo Beauty coupon in your inbox for 10% off. Signing up for these rewards also means that whenever the store does offer promotions or seasonal discount codes, you will be the first to know about it.

Contact Credo Beauty

In case you still have questions after reading this thorough Credo Beauty review, feel free to turn directly to the company with your queries. You can contact Credo Beauty via:

• Email at arealperson@credobeauty.com

• Credo Live chat on the brand's website, which is perfect for instant product recommendations

• Call at 1-844-692-7336

• Instagram

• Facebook

• Twitter

• YouTube

Credo Beauty Review: Editor’s Verdict

In this Credo Beauty review, we have examined the business from almost every possible angle to give you the answer to a simple but important question - is Credo worth it? And we can confidently say that is. We struggled to find any negatives when it comes to this store and if anything, we are only disappointed that the rest of the world cannot benefit from its services as it is exclusive to the US.

Published 21/09/2022 at brandrated.com