The clean beauty movement has picked up a lot of steam in recent years, and this week marked another major moment in its rise to the mainstream. Credo, the maker-focused, all-natural beauty startup that launched its one-stop-shop website back in March, just opened its debut brick-and-mortar store in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood with a mission to redefine eco-friendly beauty as you may know it — and make it easy for you to go green in your beauty routine.
“You take so much time to be conscientious about what you eat, why not about everything you do in your life starting with some of the most intimate things you do, like putting products on your skin?” asked founder Shashi Batra, who has worked with big-name beauty brands like Sephora (he helped launch its US division) and Victoria’s Secret before starting Credo and focusing on sustainable beauty full-time. As we found out last night at the store’s opening party, a trip to the ocean-blue outpost can make doing just that a total breeze. Scroll through to learn why this game-changing store could make you swear off Sephora forever.
1. The Space Is Relaxing, Intimate and Not Dark: If you’re not an in-the-know pro at navigating the dark, jam-packed shelves at most beauty boutiques, the thought of running out to pick up a mascara refill can send shivers down your spine. That’s the opposite of how it feels to shop at Credo. The 1,400 square-foot space achieves intimacy without feeling overwhelmed thanks to its airy floor design and earthy fixtures like wooden floors and pastel signage. The company’s mission statement, “Totally natural. Super good. Absolutely beautiful,” is scrawled across the register wall and reads like a soothing mantra to add to the already relaxed, inclusive vibe.
2. The Brands Have All Been Thoughtfully Selected: The skin care, hair and makeup products all meet Credo’s exceptionally high standards of clean; the packaging is elegant, the chemical-free formulas perform and the scents, colors and textures are all top shelf-worthy. Best-in-show brands include celebrity faves like the Gwyneth Paltrow-approved Juice Beauty (she’s now the company’s creative director) and the Olsen Twin-touted London-based Dr Jackson’s. You’ll also find everything from long-time eco-chic standbys Ilia and RMS to indie up-and-comers like Fig + Yarrow and Reverie.
3. The Staff Went Through Clean Beauty Boot Camp: The guys and gals who work at Credo are basically beauty bosses. Besides being brush-wielding makeup artists, they’re also certified estheticians, which means they’re experts on all-things skin care (+ which of these natural products would work on your bod best). They’re encyclopedias on every brand Credo carries too: Batra required the staff to impart on a four-week inventory deep dive that included scheduling Skype sessions or meeting up IRL with brand founders to discuss the details of each product and to fully understand the founders’ points-of-view.
4. There’s an In-Store Spa: To showcase just how luxe prescribing to all-natural beauty can be, Credo tucked in a single-service spa room into the floor plan featuring exclusive treatments and products from the Vermont-based skin care brand Tata Harper, which is known for their handmade nontoxic products. Services include a long list of facials that range from $85 for a 60-minute restorative treatment to a $250 Red Carpet Facial that promises to lift and firm the skin and leave you with a flawless glow. Credo also offers a shortlist of cosmetic services from its Beauty Bar, which is walk-in friendly.
5. They Have Everything You Need to Kickstart Your Clean Beauty Starter Kit (+ More!): Natural beauty newbies, fear not. Credo’s got your back when it comes to the basics of detoxing your beauty routine. We asked Batra for the five essential products you need to start the switch to full-on green goddess. Shop the starter kit below, with must-have descriptions from Batra himself. We meant it when we said they make this whole all-natural switch easy.
One Love Organics Vitamin E Eye Balm ($49): “Freshly minted with the prestigious ECOCERT certification, this powerful blend of Vitamin E, organic shea butter, pomegranate and sea kelp is luxurious and rich, quickly smoothing any fine lines and giving your delicate eye area lots of nourishment.”
Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser ($75): “The holy grail skincare item — it’s like four products in one: cleanses, brightens, reduces pore size and deeply hydrates.”
Lily Lolo Mascara ($18): “Big fat brush that glides on a beautiful glossy black shade that lengthens and gives your lashes thick, lustrous volume.”
RMS Living Luminizer ($38): “A must-have for any skin tone! Gives your skin a beautiful dewy glow — a makeup artist’s secret weapon!”
Antonia Burrell Cream Supreme Facial Moisturizer ($115): “The most beautiful texture of any cream ever used!! Packed with anti-oxidants, it lives up to its name tackling redness, uneven skin tone, pigmentation, dull skin, acne and blemishes.”
What clean beauty products do you swear by? Tell us about your favorite all-natural beauty brands in the comments below.
