When it comes to clean beauty retailers, no one does it quite like Credo. What started in 2015 as one brick-and-mortar store in San Francisco is now nine stores across the country, not to mention a massive online presence. In an industry where ‘clean beauty’ is more popular than ever—yet still has no legal or even agreed-upon definition—Credo remains the gold standard. Their ‘Dirty List’ bans over 2,700 ingredients and has even been adopted by other brands who use it as their own standard.
There’s certainly no shortage of brands and products to choose at Credo, eithr; they currently stock over 150 brands across the hair, makeup, skincare, fragrance, and supplement spaces. Given that may feel, oh, you know, slightly overwhelming to some, we decided to create a curated list of the 10 brands you absolutely must check out during your next Credo visit. And as an added benefit, we’re including the best products from each line, too, many of which are Credo best-sellers.
The Best Credo Beauty Brands
Exa
Credo’s first private label brand launched last year and quickly became a runaway hit. Fun fact: The name comes from the decimal prefix 1018 (as in, a 10 with 18 zeroes) as a nod to their maximum emphasis on inclusivity. The High Fidelity Foundation ($38; credobeauty.com) is the brand’s inaugural product and an absolute can’t miss. Super buildable, it can deliver a sheer, glow-y effect just as well as it can deliver a fuller coverage, semi-satin finish, simply based on how much you apply. And per the point of inclusivity, it comes in a whopping array of 43 shades, all with varying undertones (including plenty of choices for darker skin). Their latest, Light Show ($22; credobeauty.com), is a fun multi-tasking pigment for eyes, face or body that comes in both foil and shimmer finishes, and is already flying off the shelves.
One Love Organics
Despite its crazy popularity, this brand is still handmade in small batches in Georgia, the only ECOCERT licensed manufacturing facility in the state. You really can’t go wrong with any of the products, all of which come housed in recyclable glass packaging, but the Botanical B Enzyme Cleansing Oil + Makeup Remover ($42; credobeauty.com) is a perennial Credo best-seller year after year. True to the name, it takes off even super stubborn makeup, and touts a skin-smoothing papaya enzyme, too. We also love the Botanical C Body Oil ($58; credobeauty.com), a deeply moisturizing, non-greasy oil that works great mixed with body lotion or used solo.
Maya Chia
The aptly-named brand is all about chia oil, a mainstay in all of the products. But more specifically, it’s a chia oil that is extracted via a patented method to ensure it’s more potent and effective than ever. Most of the other ingredients used are organic and/or wild-crafted, and the line is a cult-favorite at Credo. The new Super Lift Vitamin C-More Treatment ($110; credobeauty.com) is a Credo exclusive, a firming and brightening serum that relies on not one, not two, but three forms of vitamin C, and works for all skin types.
In other active ingredient news, The Straight A ($125; credobeauty.com), touts encapsulated retinol alongside bakuchiol and plant-based oils in an effective anti-aging treatment. And if your complexion needs a little pick-me-up, try The Refresh Mint ($68; credobeauty.com), a face mask that combines four types of acids and enzymes for a quick hit of exfoliation, plus moisture, too.
TOK Beauty
Created by a Canadian-based professional makeup artist, TOK Beauty’s Eyes That TOK Lash Enhancing Mascara ($23;credobeauty.com) is exclusively sold at Credo in the US. It sold out within a week of launching, and some Credo locations continue to sell out week after week. Point being, if you can get your hands (erm, lashes) on the lengthening-volumizing formula, do so. The plant-based formula is made with horsetail plant to strengthen lashes and plant pea protein, which is known to help prevent breakage. Plus, the rave reviews are proof positive of how much people love it, with many calling it the best clean mascara, ever.
Common Heir
Acknowledging the lack of BIPOC clean beauty brands, Credo launched their Credo for Change initiative, a mentorship program that helps BIPOC brand founders prepare their business for the next level of growth. Common Heir was one of those brands, and the first Credo for Change brand that’s now carried in store. Their 10% Vitamin C Serum ($88; credobueaty.com) comes housed in single-dosed capsules that not only contain the extremely effective brightening formula, but are also totally biodegradable and can be composted or even melted with hot water. Makes sense, given that the brand is committed to using no plastic, ever.
Tower 28
Sensitive skin crew, listen up: This brand is all about making products that aren’t just okay for eailty-irritated skin, but are specially designed for the sensitive set; everything is highly dermatologist- and allergy-tested. Still, you’d never that was the emphasis, particularly when it comes to the makeup, which is fun, high-performing, and comes in gorgeous colors. For example, the BeachPlease Tinted Luminous Balm ($20; credobeauty.com) comes in six wearable, creamy hues that are equally gorgeous dabbed on lips or cheeks.
If you prefer to have a dedicated lippie, try the Shine On Lip Jelly ($14; credobeauty.com), a beauty-editor-approved, non-sticky gloss that imparts mirror-like sheen and a wash of color. And to go back to the sensitive skin part for a second, the SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray ($28; credobeauty.com) is a serious skin saver, delivering soothing and antibacterial hypochlorous acid. Spray it on maskne, rashes, eczema, irritation, you name it.
Unsun Cosmetics
Sure, tinted sunscreens are great—unless the tint doesn’t work with your skin tone. That’s where this brand comes in, formulated with a mineral tint that works especially for darker complexions and fills a major void in the market. The Mineral Tinted Broad Spectrum Face Sunscreen SPF 30 ($29; credobeauty.com) does exactly that, though it does also come in a shade more suited towards lighter skin tones, too. Either way, it’s smooth and creamy, with no trace of a white cast. And while it’s not tinted, we still appreciate that the Protect & Smooth Emollient Rich Hand Cream SPF 15 ($27; credobeauty.com) not only keeps hands hydrated but also imparts that oh-so important SPF that can be hard to find in hand creams.
Everist
Some brands/products are best-sellers right out of the gate and indeed that was the case for this eco-friendly, zero-waste newcomer. Both the Waterless Shampoo Concentrate ($24; credobeauty.com) and the Waterless Conditioner Concentrate ($24; credobeauty.com) have been some of the store’s top-selling shampoos and conditioners from the very beginning. As the name suggests, the formulas are three times more concentrated than traditional formulas, meaning you only need to use a tiny amount. You can get the same amount of washes out of one of the travel-friendly bottles as you would a normal shampoo or conditioner bottle. Then, all you have to do is recycle the aluminum tube. It’s an incredibly sustainable, no-waste option, an angle that Credo says their consumers really appreciate.
27 Rosiers
This brand is all about addressing beauty from the inside, out. Not only do they offer both topical products and ingestible supplements, but both categories have the brand’s proprietary Inside-Out Core Blend, a combo of aloe vera, ashwagandha, chamomile, and more. The Quench My Thirst Easygoing Moisturizing Cream ($52; credobeauty.com) is arguably one of my favorite moisturizers I’ve used, ever. Applied in the morning it’s lightweight enough to layer nicely under makeup; used at night, it can be applied in a thicker layer to pull double duty as a hydrating sleeping mask. The Fight Grime Deep & Fresh Gel Cleanser ($39; credobeauty.com) is another crowd-pleaser; it’s gentle enough for all skin types yet still foamy and effective enough to remove all kinds of gunk and grime.
Sana Jardin
Clean makeup and skincare brands may be a dime a dozen these days, but clean fragrance is still somewhat tricky to find. Happily, Credo stocks several, including this recent addition. The Parisian brand isn’t just about clean fragrance, though. They focus on social consciousness, too, implementing an alternative business model that helps women in various roles of their supply chain become micro-entrepreneurs in their own right. There are currently four fragrances to choose from, but it bears mentioning that the Jaipur Chant Eau de Parfum ($145; credobeauty.com), a musky floral, sold out even before it had officially launched.
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We often receive complimentary products for review at Glam. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn a share of the revenue from our affiliate partners.
"We often receive complimentary products to review at WellSquad. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team."