Introducing Ilia

In the world of clean beauty, few brands offer clean color that performs quite like Ilia, a pioneer in the clean, skin-centric makeup space. Launched in 2011 with the belief that skin should look like skin and radiance should come naturally, Ilia started out with a line of tinted lip balms before expanding into a full-fledged range of clean beauty products that combine superior color performance and nourishing organics.

A pioneer in the clean, skin-centric makeup space

For founder Sasha Plavsic, fusing clean makeup with high performance skincare products was a no-brainer after becoming a mother left her with little time for her usual skincare regimen. “I started mixing skincare with a complexion product together to speed things up," she explains. It was this hybrid approach that ultimately launched the brand into the spotlight, along with innovative products like the Super Serum Skin Tint, a multi-tasking anti-aging serum, makeup, and tinted sunscreen available in 30 shades; and the 99% naturally-derived Limitless Mascara, which can be removed with just water. Both products became instant, award-winning bestsellers. But whether you are in search of a cream-to-powder eyeshadow, a bronzing powder, or a brow gel, all of Ilia’s products are designed with vibrancy, vivid washes of color, and a fuss-free philosophy at front of mind. 

Ilia aims to challenge the conventions of clean beauty by creating something radically new

When it comes to clean, Plavsic also took a bold approach, challenging the  conventions of clean beauty to create something radically new. “To me, the definition of clean is where safe levels of synthetic and non-comedogenic ingredients meet and align together to create an efficacious product that performs and lasts,” she says of her approach to formulating. “We do work with a blacklist which is quite extensive, but we say not every natural ingredient is good for the skin and not every synthetic is bad. It usually takes a combination of the two in order to create and make an amazing efficacious product.”

Ilia’s products blend botanicals with active levels of skincare ingredients to shield skin from environmental stressors

Putting transparency at the forefront, all of Ilia’s products blend botanicals with active levels of skincare ingredients to shield skin from environmental stressors–and most importantly SPF.  “SPF is what protects and powers these actives, making them up to 200% more effective,” she explains. “Without it, those skin-saving ingredients deteriorate quickly when exposed to light.” Hero actives including Vitamin C, Niacinamide, and Hyaluronic Acid can be found throughout the line, ensuring a multitude of skin benefits, while all SPF is chemical screen-free.

In addition to transparency, Ilia is also committed to sustainability and recycling through the use of recycled aluminum, glass components, and responsibly sourced paper. The brand has partnered with Pact Collective to recycle all of its empties. Ilia has also committed 1% of Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 sales to environmental causes—starting with reforestation. “Our goal is to plant 1 million trees by the end of 2023 in partnership with One Tree Planted,” says Plavsic.

Here, some of our favorite Ilia products to add to your clean color line up.