Think Dirty wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of all our amazing American brand partners. For the Fourth of July this year, we wanted to celebrate some of their inspiring stories and journeys in clean beauty. These proudly American brands are helping to change the face of non-toxic beauty, personal care, and household cleaning in the U.S. and are pushing the industries to do better for consumers. Read on to learn more about the founder’s stories and what it means to them to be American companies.
We had each founder answer 5 questions so you can get to know the story behind them and their brand:
- What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
- What does being an American mean to you?
- How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
- What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
- What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Janis Covey: Kosmatology
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
Kosmatology started due to my youngest daughter’s eczema when she was 3 months old. As a pharmacist, I wasn’t comfortable using steroids on her young skin and I wanted to treat it more naturally. I ended up creating what is now one of our most popular products, the grapefruit lotion bar. It worked wonders for her skin (she has now been eczema free for 9 years) and Kosmatology was born.
What does being an American mean to you?
Being an American means having the freedom to pursue my dreams and happiness.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
I am so proud of the clean beauty revolution in the United States. So many wonderful small beauty brands (many woman-owned) are changing the face of beauty with amazing clean formulations and eco-conscious packaging. They are starting the hard conversations of what is in our products and how important it is to be educated on ingredients.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
My journey into clean beauty began with the birth of my first daughter. I wanted to avoid harsh ingredients and preservatives in her products. It became even more important to me when my second daughter, Cameron, developed eczema at 3 months. I really started taking a hard look at what was in the products I was using.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
My go-to American-made clean beauty product is the Kosmatology Goody-Goody Grapefruit lotion bar. This bar has kept my daughter eczema free for 9 years. It is a lifesaver.
Greg Starkman: Innersense Organic Beauty
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
Our brand was born and inspired by Morgan, our firstborn daughter. She was 22 months old when she was diagnosed with a rare genetic order called “Williams Syndrome”. This experience was a catalyst for us to create a life committed to mindfulness and purpose. Through the vehicle of beauty, we are sharing the lessons we learned with the world. Our mission is to empower, inform, and inspire beauty and wellness, helping our customers make healthier, cleaner choices that align with their personal values.
What does being an American mean to you?
We have to be the change makers. America was founded by those that took a stand against the status quo, who wanted more and better for their people. Being an American means that you have to be willing to be the example for a better future.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
The clean beauty revolution has only just begun. The visibility for the industry is there and the most exciting part is that there is so much change coming from within the marketplace as consumers demand complete transparency.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
When our daughter was diagnosed with William Syndrome, we knew it was our responsibility to give her the healthiest life possible. As professional stylists, we knew that it was also our responsibility to care for our clients in the same way.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
We absolutely love our American made beauty partners, it’s so hard to choose one! We’re big fans of Vapour, Osmia and Primally Pure.
Kellie Duran: Kiss Me Honey
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
My son inspired me to create a clean and practically edible lip balm when I caught him eating all the toxic lip balms I owned!
What does being an American mean to you?
Being an American allows me and my family to speak freely and be free to fulfil any dream we may have. It also gives me a great appreciation for the men and women who fight for our country to allow us to do these things.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
Clean beauty is stepping up! People are becoming more knowledgeable and aware of the ingredients. Clean beauty will soon lead the beauty industry.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
My clean beauty journey started the day I researched the ingredients in my lip balms on my dresser and found out what was in them.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Lindsey McCoy: Plaine Products
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
I wanted quality, safe products whose packaging didn’t make me feel guilty about the plastic that was going to be sitting in a landfill or the ocean for hundreds of years. I couldn’t find products that met that standard so we started our own line.
What does being an American mean to you?
The freedom and the opportunity to solve problems by offering an alternative solution.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
It’s only getting started.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
I had no idea how many chemicals were in mainstream brands until we started doing research for our own line. I was horrified and have since become a huge proponent of clean beauty and household products. You shouldn’t have to worry whether or not products you are using on yourself and your family are safe.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Plaine Products refillable Rosemary Mint Vanilla Shampoo and Body Lotion.
Eric Buss: Davids Natural Toothpaste
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
One evening I was looking at a tube of toothpaste and was curious what all the funny sounding ingredients really were. It didn’t take long to figure out that many of the ingredients are controversial and not so good for our bodies and the environment. A lightbulb went off in my head. Three years and thousands of hours of research and development later, Davids was launched.
What does being an American mean to you?
Being an American means that I have the freedom to use my gifts and creative talents to help create a better world.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
It’s great to see clean beauty going mainstream. It means we are heading in the right direction in this area.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
It was a gradual realization that there is much less regulation than I ever realized, and we have to do our own homework and look out for ourselves and our own health interests.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Davids of course. I also discovered that most “Made in USA” products use a lot of imported ingredients. Davids uses 98% USA origin ingredients for the highest quality possible and to support American jobs.
Amy Briant: LUMIONskin
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
I own fitness studios and my skin started to suffer from all of the sweat. I was looking for something that was natural yet effective, and my father was working on what is now the LUMION formula. It worked for me, so I knew I had to share it with everybody.
What does being an American mean to you?
Being American to me means freedom and having the opportunity to make my dreams come true.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
It puts a huge smile on my face knowing that our country is finally catching up to so many others that discovered clean beauty long before us.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
I consider myself very lucky because I grew up in a very healthy home with few toxic products. My father made me very aware that what you put on your skin matters, so I grew up using natural oils on my skin.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
I love One Love Organics face wash.
Martha and Mike Robinson: Cleaning Essentials
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
We developed Cleaning Essentials because there are no other products like it. We wanted to make natural cleaning easy and accessible to everyone.
What does being an American mean to you?
½ our dynamic duo is American and ½ is Canadian. We feel lucky to live in a country where we have so many options and opportunities. This also brings a responsibility to make conscious and educated purchases and investments to support and promote like-minded individuals and companies.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
We are excited to see how quickly the concepts are catching on and more and more clean products are becoming available.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
Our journey started while baby proofing for our first child. We became much more aware of the chemicals in our home, in our products and our food.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Annie Jordan: Annie Fannie’s Sunshine
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
It was important for me to create a product that is clean and safe for all ages and skin types. The catch is that it really had to work for customers to see results and know that they spent their money well!
What does being an American mean to you?
America is the home of the brave! It’s a place where women have rights and can be independent. God Bless America.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
I love it and all the clean products that are available!
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
It’s been a long journey. It’s not very easy to find products that are very clean. But it has been well worth it!
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Jane May Graves: Luxe Beauty Skincare
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
My inspiration was my mother’s diagnosis with Stage 4 Cancer. Her diagnosis awakened me to the importance of avoiding toxic personal care products. I could not find any products that met my new standards for pure ingredients and effectiveness, so I created Luxe Beauty.
What does being an American mean to you?
Being an American to me means I am given the opportunity to be great and excel in this life. In America, the opportunities are limitless.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
I feel positive and encouraged. More people are demanding cleaner products. It’s very exciting to watch!
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
My Mother’s cancer journey made me discover that the skincare products on the market fell short of my expectations and desires.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
My own product line, Luxe Beauty. I only want the best and the highest quality products, along with results. I use my own products morning and night.
Erin Williams: Erin’s Faces
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
I was wanting more purpose in my life.
What does being an American mean to you?
It means having inherent optimism, trusting that right will prevail and that hard work pays off. It means being a melting pot of nationalities and sexual orientations that all come together to make something special and good.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
I am all for it! I think we have so much further to go but I think it is the only choice for the future.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
We started as a conventional beauty brand, as my background was as a professional makeup artist and clean beauty wasn’t really a thing at the time. After researching ingredients and realizing that ingredients like petroleum, sulfates, and chemicals in sunscreens are linked to all kinds of unfortunate health situations it felt irresponsible NOT to change our line to reflect that.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Our Peptide SPF 30 is made here in the United States (all of our skincare is!) and it’s a must-have for me for the summer.
Sam and Dana Stewart: Mad Hippie
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
Mad Hippie is a natural beauty brand dedicated to making the world a beautiful place. And we don’t mean beauty simply from the aesthetic standpoint. We mean real beauty. The beauty of love. The beauty of health. The beauty of self-confidence. The beauty of optimism. The beauty of community. The beauty of taking care of one another regardless of gender, race, orientation, age, location, or even species.
What does being an American mean to you?
America is a place that allows anyone with a dream to thrive. It is a place of diversity, acceptance, and compassion. While we might temporarily lose our way, we are a country of values and ideals that will always live on in the hearts of the people.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
It’s been amazing to see people expecting more of the brands they purchase. We saw the natural/organic revolution with food over the last decade, and are now seeing this awareness growing in personal care, which is beautiful. We are so happy to be a small part of it.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
After living in Nicaragua surfing for 5 years, we noticed major changes in our skin due to the sun. We were eager to find natural and safe means of healing and protecting our skin. When we couldn’t find exactly what we were looking for, we decided to make the products that we desired ourselves.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Shelly Broaderick: Rejuva Minerals, Inc.
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
In 2006, Brenda Hyre, founder of Rejuva Minerals, sought to fill the niche for cosmetics formulated specifically for those with allergies and sensitivities. We now offer one of the largest collections of titanium dioxide and mica free cosmetics on the market today.
What does being an American mean to you?
Being an American means having rights and recognizing the responsibilities that come with those rights. It means having the privilege of enjoying the seemingly endless array of choices, including where and how to shop for safe products for ourselves and loved ones. It also means finding and fighting for our individual support systems here among our fellow Americans.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
It is a blessing to both witness and be a part of the rapid advancements made in clean beauty. We’ve seen a total transformation from loose powdered minerals to beautifully packaged liquid and cream products, all packed with safe and effective ingredients. We’ve seen the launch of organizations like Think Dirty, EWG, and Made Safe, all with years of experience in the field of clean, safe beauty.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
Struggling with an array of allergies and sensitivities was a drain on Brenda Hyre’s health, time and resources. In the true entrepreneurial spirit, Brenda decided to introduce a line of cosmetics specifically for those with sensitive skin to help fill a niche that was underserved. As a result, many who were previously unable to wear makeup can now do so again safely.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Tinted Moisturizer with firming peptides by Rejuva Minerals. Sometimes, a light dusting of either Natural Look pressed powder foundation or loose powder concealer. To finish the look, a few layers of Mega Lash mascara in Midnight.
Kate Solomon: Babo Botanicals
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
My own personal need for clean and natural products for the entire family! In 2007, there weren’t a lot of options!
What does being an American mean to you?
It means diversity in people, geography and beliefs. It means empowering every single person. From a business perspective, it means having the opportunity to create and succeed with honesty and integrity.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
I believe that this is a response to what is going on in our environment and within our own bodies. More toxins in the environment are creating significant changes to the climate, just like how more toxins entering our systems are creating change within us. Allergies, diseases and sensitivities seem to be on the rise. We need change quickly — within food, personal care and the environment.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
I have always used pure, natural ingredients for personal care since I was young. I’m a beekeeper and used to make body scrubs with honey and sugar. The journey was out of my own interest and love for creating sensational aromas and amazing skin benefits out of raw ingredients. I’m a naturalist.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Right now my go-to product is Babo Botanical’s Sheer Zinc Sunscreen Spray. It is by far the best sunscreen on the market. It’s mineral based so it doesn’t contaminate ocean waters and provides excellent sun protection for my entire family.
Michael Bumgarner: Cannuka
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
I wanted to create a clean beauty brand for the canna-curious consumer. I felt if we could change the heart and minds of that consumer, we could create a lot of opportunities for rural America, which is where I am from. Cannuka is a very easy introduction to cannabis due to its effectiveness when used topically.
What does being an American mean to you?
I am just grateful to live in a country that allows free speech. Whether you agree with a specific opinion is not what is important to me — the ability to be heard is.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
I love the clean beauty revolution! The easier access to information allows more people to better understand the importance of what we put in and on our body. Clean beauty allows people to see a benefit, get educated on why the product they are using is effective, and lead them down a path to be conscious about what they put in their body as well.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
Growing up on a family farm I started looking for sustainable opportunities for my community to prosper again. I believe industrial hemp is a solution. Since CBD is an anti-inflammatory, I looked at the clean beauty category as a way to destigmatize cannabis and get it back into people’s daily lives. If I can show someone a topical benefit, that person may be more likely to want to learn about the ingredients. This will show that person what cannabis really is. Once this happens, demand for this ingredient will increase and we’ll need more farmers to cultivate and hopefully be able to create thousands of jobs.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
Our CBD Soothing Skin Balm. I use it every day on my face after I shave and every night on my face as a mask. I love it!
Sean Shanks: Caribbean Sol
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
Our founder Bruce Shanks saw firsthand what traditional sunscreens were doing to our marine life and to people’s skin. In an effort to help keep our environment pristine and protect our skin, he sat down with a microbiologist and mixed some of the earth’s most pure ingredients, coming up with Caribbean Sol Sunscreen.
What does being an American mean to you?
Being an American means being free and treating others with respect and dignity no matter their race.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
We here at Caribbean Sol have been promoting clean products for over 12 years. We believe it is a necessity not only for our environment but for ourselves. Let’s do our part in keeping our environments pristine for generations to come.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
My journey began when I joined the Caribbean Sol team and started learning about all the effects that chemically driven products have not only on our skin but the larger effect they have on the environment as well.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
James La: Niucoco
What inspired you to start your beauty brand?
There’s a need for clean products for a number of reasons. The dominant ones are healthier living, access to more information than ever before, and environmental impacts.
How do you feel about the clean beauty revolution in the United States?
It’s here to stay and it will only keep on growing. The consumers are demanding better products every day.
What was your journey to discovering clean beauty for yourself?
I discovered clean beauty the same way I no longer appreciate smoking: education. But most of all, as we age, we can see the long term effects of using products that are not safe or healthy for the human body. Clean beauty and personal care are part of your daily regime. If you can find a way to improve it, then you should.
What’s your go-to American made clean beauty product?
NIUCOCO! Our brand is coming out with new exciting products such as body lotion, hand creme, styling creme and volumizing mist (for hair), and more. Stay tuned!
Thank you again to all our American brand partners! Be sure to check out all their amazing products online and on Think Dirty. Enjoy your holiday!
Celebrating Our American Partners For the Fourth of July! was originally published in Think Dirty on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.