How to Shop Healthy & Non-Toxic at Ulta and Sephora

How to Shop Healthy & Non-Toxic at Ulta and Sephora

I have been on a mission to make my beauty routine less toxic, which includes my haircare, body care, and cosmetics! While a lot of organic brands are not yet widely available in-stores, I know many of you have access to Ulta and Sephora!


So today I thought I would show you guys how you can shop for some amazing organic, non-toxic, and paraben-free products at Ulta and Sephora!


So let's get started! (Updated for 2020 HERE)



Just as a disclaimer, the terms "non-toxic" and "natural" do not mean certified organic, but when I refer to that, I mean no parabens, no aluminum, and low on toxic ingredients. If I have the information, I will say it something is certified organic and what percentage organic it is!

Let's start off at Ulta!


I will start off by saying, yes I do work at Ulta, however I'm never sponsored by them and all thoughts and opinions are my own.


There are several brands which are sold at Ulta that claim to be "natural". However, when you look at the ingredients from these brands, they're not so body friendly. So please make sure to read the ingredients before you buy, don't take the brand at face value.


Here are some of the brands sold at Ulta that I would recommend checking out while you're there if you would like to swap out some toxic products for less toxic alternatives!


Brands I would Recommend:

Physician's Formula
Pacifica
Juice Beauty
Juice Organics
John Masters Organics

Physicians Formula

On the inexpensive side of natural brands, I highly recommend checking out the Organic Wear line from Physicians Formula. The entire Physicians Formula is not paraben-free, so make sure to look on the packaging for the list of ingredients to be sure.


The Organic Wear products from Physicians Formula are at least 70% certified organic. All of the individual products are under $15, far cheaper than Tarte or Bare Minerals that claim to be "natural". The line has several mascaras, and all levels of coverage, from a Tinted Moisturizer to a CC Cream. I can tell you right now I'll be picking up that CC Cream and doing a review for you guys!


Wait for a good sale and the $3.50 off $10 coupon and you can score some of these Physicians Formula products for less than $10 each!

Pacifica

Next up is Pacifica. I have heard about this cruelty free brand mainly for it's body care products, which while they are very nicely fragranced, it's not the first thing I would recommend


Most people would be surprised by how many unhealthy chemicals are found in traditional perfumes. Pacifica perfumes, while not completely non-toxic, are a much healthier option. If you love a warm coconut scent, you will LOVE the Indian Coconut Nectar scent! If vanilla scents are more your thing, try Island Vanilla, it's a warm, very intoxicating vanilla. Unfortunately, the scent does not last very long on the skin. In the Sephora section, I'll share with you guys a fragrance that does last all day! For only $22, it's about one third the price of traditional perfumes, so why not try them out.


While the full Pacifica makeup line is not yet available at Ulta, they do have a few products which have pretty non-toxic ingredients for an inexpensive price! And don't forget, use your $3.50 off $10 on any Pacifica products

Juice Beauty

Juice Beauty, it is the most expensive line I have to share with you guys. The line contains skincare, as well as cosmetics, that are made with certified organic ingredients. I have tried several items from their skincare line, you can check out full reviews HERE, HERE, and HERE.


For those struggling with acne, pigmentation issues, signs of aging, the Green Apple line is perfection! Juice Beauty products are "formulated without parabens, petroleum, propylene or butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances." And the line is also cruelty free.


Skincare is one of the most important things to keep clean. These products are on your face all day and almost every day, always absorbing into your bloodstream. The line is expensive, so save up your Ulta Reward Points, wait for the 20% coupons to come around, and give the line a shot! I HIGHLY recommend the Green Apple Full Strength Peel, it has truly changed my skin for the better!

Juice Organics

One of the newest haircare lines to come to Ulta is Juice Organics. The line is under the Juice Beauty family, so the entire line is free of "parabens, petroleum, propylene or butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances." While the line is limited to just shampoos and conditioners, they're ONLY $10 a piece, and are regularly buy one get one 50% off! 

I have used the Smoothing Shampoo and I with 100% honesty that this formula did make my hair less frizzy and made the texture more smooth to the touch.


I know the lure of getting a big bottle of shampoo for a great bargain, but, think about the number of times you shower in a week, and think about how many times you've showered just this past month. I think saving your body from harsh chemicals being absorbed through your scalp, in the long run your body will thank you for it.


For $10 and you get 10 full ounces of product, it is definitely worth checking out! I'm buying my second bottle next month during my birthday month, double points! Gotta love Ulta's rewards program!

John Masters Organics

Also brand new to Ulta is the haircare brand John Masters Organics. The line is is made with 70-100% certified organic ingredients and is free of parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, GMO's, and no artificial colors, fragrances or fillers.


What's great about this line is that it contains styling products! Finding organic hair styling products that actually work can be surprisingly difficult. They have a pomade, detanglers, 100% Argan Oil (Great for mixing in for you DIY Makeup Remover, Tutorial HERE), a sea salt spray, and numerous shampoos and conditioners for all hair types!


It is a little pricier, so again, use your Ulta Reward Points, wait for a Gift with Purchase. I can't stress enough how much I love this line! Just go to Ulta and check it out, I know you guys will love it too!




Next up is Sephora!


While I do not have a Sephora located near me, I do order online and visit stores when I travel. Sephora does not have as great of a rewards program as Ulta, no dollars off your purchase, and coupons only come around a few times a year. So doing your research before making a purchase is important.


I have discovered two brands from Sephora that I have absolutely fallen in love, and are made without harsh chemicals! Neither brand is ridiculously over-priced and feature products I would highly recommend for anyone!  



Brands I would Recommend:

Bite Beauty
LaVanila

Bite Beauty

Bite Beauty is a makeup line that caters to high quality lip products made without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, polybutenes, and petroleum byproducts. The entire line is gluten-free and made with food-grade ingredients. It has been very difficult to find less toxic lip products that still have great pigmentation and lasting power. 

While Bite Beauty isn't 100% organic, it is a step in the right direction. Some of their lip products do contain organic fruit butters, jojoba, and castor oil. I have tried two of their lip product formulas, read my reviews HERE and HERE. 

If you are looking for a less toxic long-wearing lip product, you NEED to try the Matte Creme Lip Crayons, you will love them!

The entire permanent line is under $30 for each lip product, and mini deluxe sample sizes are available in the checkout area at Sephora! For the price, it's worth trying out. I prefer Bite Beauty's lip products to the lip products from Tarte, which can be too sheer, and that of Pur Minerals which do not have the lasting power. 

Next time you're in the mood for a new lipstick, skip Urban Decay and LORAC and go for a less toxic, and healthier for you option! 

LaVanila

Lavanila is one of the hidden gems at Sephora. The brand specializes in fragrance and body products. LaVanila products do not contain parabens, aluminum, mineral oils, nanoparticles, petrochemicals, phthalates, propylene glycol, sulfates, silicone, or synthetic dyes. 

They are known for their Healthy Deodorant, an aluminum-free deodorant that will help control odor while giving off a fresh scent. The Healthy Deodorants come in a variety of amazing scents, my favorite being the Vanilla Coconut. It is a warm vanilla with a hint of coconut that reminds me of summer. 

I cannot stress how important it is to switch to an aluminum-free deodorant. Google "aluminum in deodorant", it will change your life. I find that this deodorant helps control odor for about 5 hours. Check out my full review of this deodorant HERE. 

Next up are the Healthy Fragrances! These perfumes also come in a variety of heavenly scents! I absolutely adore the Vanilla Coconut scent in the perfume. 

As I stated with the Pacifica Perfumes, traditional perfumes can contain harsh chemicals that should not be absorbed by your body. These perfumes, formulated without harsh chemicals or drying alcohol, the scent lasts all day, it wears even longer on me than some traditional perfumes. 

Each full size 1.7 ounce perfume bottle is $58, and each fragrance also has a corresponding rollerball size for only $19. Still cheaper than most perfumes Sephora carries, and is one I would highly recommend for yourself or if you need to get a gift for someone else!

Ulta Beauty

I hope you guys enjoyed this blog post, I know, lot's of reading! But I cannot tell you how long I've wanted to write this blog post for. Too long. 

Let me know if you guys have tried anything from these brands and what you would recommend! I'm always up for something new to try!