Effortless Beauty

Clean beauty products are all the rage right now and advocate JENNIFER CROUCH believes small steps can lead to a big change. She suggests you can start down that path by just swapping out a few products for healthier ones. “You don’t have to overhaul your life to improve it,” she says.

When she realized her “thirties were not skipping her skincare problems to the curb,” and after being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, Crouch took a second look at her skincare regime. She began to analyze “not only what I put in my body but what I put on it,” she says.

What she discovered shocked her. The products were filled with endocrine disruptors and carcinogens. Crouch then moved away from the typical chemical-laden makeup and skin treatments to all-clean beauty.

“I created Figgy Co. when I realized that I couldn’t locally source my newfound favorite clean beauty products,” she says. Crouch opened her business in 2019 at 1904 Eastwood Rd, suite 107.

Her product selection aims to be ethical, natural, and honest. She says she has taken the stress out of worrying about whether a product is good for you.

“You can rest easy knowing our products have gone through a rigorous selection process,” Crouch says. “We partner with product lines whose values align with our own: non-toxic and cruelty-free with a focus on plant-based ingredients.”

All of the products at Figgy Co. are thoroughly researched. “I investigate every brand and vet each product to ensure they contain only the best, cleanest ingredients,” she says. “This usually involves communicating directly with the manufacturer and often I will trial the products before bringing them into the store.”

Many people don’t realize that the makeup industry is very loosely regulated. “In fact, the U.S. only bans thirty ingredients from beauty products,” Crouch says. “I saw in a very real, measurable way the impact that switching to clean products had on my health. Consumers should not have to sacrifice their health in the name of beauty.”

Clean beauty is a relatively new concept that has garnered more attention from consumers over the years as they look to ingredient lists to ensure the product’s safety.

According to a 2021 report from Brandessence Market Research, the global clean beauty market was estimated to have a revenue of more than $5 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $11 billion in 2027, making it a growing industry with both larger and smaller businesses delving in the enterprise.

Another local business jumping on the clean beauty skincare bandwagon is Lala & Elm, which opened in July at 1437 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 105. The family-owned business, started by ERICA MEARNS her daughters ALEXIS and CAIRE, is an eco-luxe clean beauty and wellness shop offering personal care products that are not tested on animals. Lala & Elm will also feature other products, including accessories, a sustainable swimwear line, self-purifying water bottles, and sustainably made jewelry.

CORINNE LEFEBVRE is the founder of River Organics, a Wilmington-based line of locally made, organic beauty products. Lefebvre makes her products in small batches and is packaged in sustainable, recycled cardboard.

She experimented with several formulas and uses plant-based ingredients such as grapeseed and grapeseed oils.

At Figgy Co., Crouch not only wants to spread the word about clean beauty, but she wants to create an experience for her consumers. Sure, clean skincare products can be ordered from your friend or neighbor down the street, but Crouch “wanted to offer a lot of variety and an intimate environment where you will be heard and taken care of.”

She says Figgy Co. offers more than just helping you pick out a product. Crouch plans on hosting upcoming events and workshops covering topics from product swaps to makeup application and skincare tips when it is safe to do so.

To view more of photographer Daria Amato’s work, go to dariaphoto.com

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