As an ingredient-conscious, green-leaning beauty blogger there's nothing that gets me more excited than products packed full of natural goodness. Unfortunately, organic beauty can be as expensive as it is smart, and (much like a trip to Whole Foods) can put a serious dent in your bank account. Every time I consider spending $58 on a 1 oz jar of Tata Harper's Resurfacing Mask the cries of desperation from my wallet keep me from pulling the trigger. I know from experience that its a total quality product, but that kind of premium is just way out of the price range of so many people (myself included).
Fortunately, budget-friendly green beauty brands are starting to pop up in drugstores around the country, and I for one am totally stoked about it. One of my newest obsessions is Promise Organic. Sold exclusively at CVS with all products under the $15 mark, Promise Organic is making ingredient-conscious beauty easily accessible to everyone. Their products are packed full of naturally-sourced, powerhouse ingredients that would easily have you thinking they cost three times as much as they do. I honestly don't know how they've managed to stay under the radar for so long, because everything I've tried from the brand has seriously impressed me!
So, to give a tiny bit of backstory, I actually remember the first time I stumbled upon Promise Organic. Way back in 2015 I was searching for new drugstore makeup to test, and happened upon a display I had never seen before. The packaging looked so pretty and the word "Organic" was like a shining beacon from the shelf. After giving the whole line a good once-over, I decided to pick up the Coconut Milk Facial Cream, which ended up making its way into my December 2015 favorites. As much as I enjoyed that product, I think I just got so distracted with other ones that I never ended up purchasing anything else from the brand. Flash forward to 2017, and out of the blue I get a very lovely email asking if I'd be interested in trying anything from the brand. Needless to say I responded with an extremely appreciative YES, and a few days later was graced with a ridiculously generous package of goodies.
As an up-and-coming brand, Promise Organic's offerings are modest, yet comprehensive. They have two main ranges to cover all your skin concerns. For those of you with dryness, the Argan line is high in Linoleic and Omega-6 fatty acids to provide deep hydration to parched skin. The Coconut Milk line on the other hand, is chock full of Vitamin E, antioxidants, and proteins to fight off signs of aging. As someone who is crazy oily in the T-zone and dry just about everywhere else, I asked to try their Argan body products and Coconut Milk skincare. I figured this would be the perfect way to get a taste of both lines and see if I had a preference for one or the other. I'm still in the process of testing out the skincare, but am totally excited to share my thoughts on the bath and body products I received!
Before we get into the specifics, there are a few quick and noteworthy things I wanted to share about the brand as a whole. Promise Organic products are cruelty-free, manufactured in the US, and NSF/ANSI 305 certified. This means that at least 70% of all of each formulation must contain organic content, and all other ingredients are plant-derived and safe for the environment. Every product is totally free of synthetic dyes and fragrances, sulfates, silicones, parabens, and other nasty chemicals. And if that wasn't good enough their packaging is SO pretty AND made from at least 25% post-consumer recycled content. Basically, Promise Organic products are as good for you as they are for the world, and I can totally get behind that.
So I don't know about you, but learning all of that information made me totally jazzed to try these products! Let's take a closer look at each one.
Ultra Moisturizing Argan Oil ($14.99)
If you're looking for a do-it-all moisturizer, this guy is your go-to. This oil blend can be used on hair, skin, and face to give you an intense dose of moisturization. Taking a closer look at the ingredient list, there are no fillers here. You get a 100% organically sourced combination of Safflower, Argan, Jojoba, Orange Peel, Coconut, Palmarosa, Pomegranate, and Rose Hip oils to nourish yourself from head to toe. The first thing I noticed about this product and the entire rest of the Argan body collection is it's light yet addictively fresh and citrusy scent. Since there are no added fragrances, I'm going to chalk it up to the Orange Peel oil (although the smell is not straightforwardly orange).
Now, while the bottle says that this oil is fast-absorbing and non-greasy, I'm going to be totally real with you guys. It's oil, and oil is inherently going to feel more greasy than say...a lightweight lotion. At the same time, it's going to create a protective barrier over your skin that will fight dryness for hours. For me personally, I like to use oils sparingly and in the areas that I need the most intense hydration. If you suffer from eczema or scaly skin, this might be your new BFF. It could also be a miracle worker on dry, frizzy hair. Just make sure you apply it to the ends only to keep the roots from looking greasy!
Ingredients: Organic Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Organic Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Oil, Organic Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Organic Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Seed Oil
Ultra Moisturizing Argan Creme Body Wash ($6.99)
As far as body wash goes, this stuff is lovely! It lathers up nicely and leaves your skin feeling clean without stripping it of essential moisture. It smells awesome without being overpowering, which I think will make it a great option for those of you with sensitive skin (or noses). Also, if you take a look at the ingredients list down below, you'll see the first ingredient is aloe. I LOVE this! So many bath and body products are mostly water with a few active ingredients thrown in, but this formulation isn't wasting any space.
Ingredients: Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Coco Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Organic Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Decyl Glucoside, Organic Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Chloride, Organic Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Oil, Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
Ultra Moisturizing Argan Creme Body Lotion ($8.99)
This stuff is BOMB. Not only is it Lauren-approved, but I also brought it with me to work and it got rave reviews from everyone who tried it! This lotion is super moisturizing and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth for hours without even a hint of greasiness. The hydration even lasted through several hand washings and I didn't find myself needing to reapply constantly throughout the day. So many unscented or fragrance-free lotions at the drugstore are full of all kind of cheap fillers and chemicals, so to have a natural alternative that won't break the bank is amazing!
Ingredients: Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice, Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Organic SD Alcohol 38-B, Aqua (and) Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters (and) Jojoba Esters, Organic Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Organic Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Organic Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuacu) Seed Butter, Organic Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate & Water, Citric Acid
To make my very long story short, if you've ever considered incorporating green beauty products into your every day life, but thought doing so was outside your budget, Promise Organic totally has your back! Not only are their prices totally reasonable for the quality of product that you're getting, but you can totally take advantage of things like Extrabucks promotions and sales at CVS to get an even better deal. As much as I thought the scent and formulation of the Argan body range was sublime, if you're a fan of all things tropical and delicious, you might want to check out the Coconut Milk range as well. All of the products reviewed here are also available in that line too!
Would you go green with your beauty products?
