Natural Finds At Target

Well, well, well… It looks like someone is stepping up to the plate. I have to say how truly impressed I am with Target and how many natural brands they’ve taken on. It’s amazing to be able to stroll through the beauty section and find products that I’d actually use! That being said, there is still a fair amount of green washing happening there, so I’ll get into that and what to watch out for. You may remember my first Target post from a few months back (you can read it here)- I’ll recap on that a bit, but there’s plenty more to talk about too. 

Walking through my local Target store, I noticed two things: 1. The shelves were an absolute mess and 2. If you’re pregnant or have a newborn, there’s never been a better time to shop at Target. It’s pretty smart since a lot of women make the switch to safer products while they’re pregnant. They’ve developed a pre/post natal health section (within the women’s health section) that covers all of your basics. Vitamins, belly balm, nipple cream, holistic remedies, lactation support and more are included and the best part is that they’re from healthy, SAFE brands that you can completely trust. It’s no secret that I like the Honest Company. I think they have a very comprehensive offering of safe products and they make it easy to ‘one stop shop’ if you have little ones. They have plenty of shelf space and sit along side some other favorites of mine- Zoe Organics and Earth Mama Angel Baby. It’s sooo nice to be able to pick up something like Breath Balm or Refresh Oil when I need it, without waiting for it to ship to me. 

Speaking of pregnancy, their baby section is doing pretty well too, although I think they could stand to add on a few more natural brands. The safest bets are Honest Co. and California Baby for bath/body products. They could actually put some of the diaper balms and even the insect repellent from Zoe Organics and Earth Mama Angel Baby over in the baby section too, rather than just have them in women’s health. The things that DO NOT belong in the natural baby section are Aveeno and most of Burt’s Bees. Burt’s is a mixed bag. They do have some safer products, but many still contain some not so great ingredients. I would advise using Skin Deep (a database that rates the safety of products) if you want to see which ones are safe to use. Aveeno is just a big no. Synthetic fragrance never belongs on a baby’s skin and neither does petroleum. Aveeno tries hard to market themselves as natural but they’re anything but that. Just look at these ingredients.

Safe sunscreen at Target?! Hallelujah!

I had my doubts about Coola‘s new line for Target called Bare Republic. Despite getting lot’s of love in the natural beauty community, the majority of Coola’s products aren’t safe and they only make a few that are all natural. It looks like they’ve turned over a new leaf with Bare Republic, however. All of the products have mostly decent ingredients and score as a 3 on Skin Deep. They must be going fast, all I could find was this one, lone bottle! 

Makeup is still a bit scant, with only Physicians Formula Organic Wear being safe, along with some of Pacific’s line. Beware that not all of Pacific is safe, so it’s best to check it on Skin Deep or the Think Dirty app. Burt’s Bees lip tints are pretty safe as well. (**Also note: Physicians Formula Organic Wear is natural but the regular Physicians Formula line is not.) However, online they’re offering Vapour Beauty, W3ll People and HoneyBee Gardens. Three great choices and the first two are lines that I use regularly and love.

Skincare is getting better! While there’s still a majority of crap on the shelf (even in their natural section), it’s a start. Acure is one of my favorites. Completely safe, performs well and reasonably priced. SW Basics is sold online and from I hear, is now in some of their stores, although I’ve yet to find it. Weleda is another awesome, natural brand they carry. Shea Moisture is ok. Most of their stuff is pretty good, but some doesn’t score as well on Skin Deep so be careful. Dr. Bronner’s is a natural classic. There are a lot of brands to avoid in the natural section, unfortunately. Alba, Aveeno, Yes To Carrots, and as discussed, Burt’s Bees can be dicey. 

Who’s excited to make a Target run? I love those small batch, independent brands, but I also love when natural products are more readily available to everyone. I went over more info on cleaning products and diapers in my last post, as well as a longer list of what to avoid. Happy shopping xoxo