Clean beauty is certainly having a moment right now. Just ask Credo Beauty’s CEO Dawn Dobras, who we caught up with recently to chat about some of the trends she has been seeing in the industry and how Credo makes shopping for makeup a great experience.

What are some of the trends you have been seeing lately in the clean beauty industry?

Credo has been a pioneer all the way through. We are one of the first to roll out stores nationally. Our customers are people who know their stuff and shop in natural stores. The clean beauty movement is more mainstream. We are finding more customers who are saying ‘I trust you guys and want to be toxin-free.’ It’s an important topic now and we are excited to be a part of that. We are seeing shoppers now who are younger and passionate about being toxin-free, who are bringing their moms in. It’s a fun thing to see culturally, seeing younger women bringing their moms into the store. One of the biggest trends is a clean swap. You can book appointments online. You can swap your conventional products with natural ones. We want people to feel better. Whatever your background, we are here to help.

Tell us about some of the new brand and product launches Credo has coming up.

Skincare really led the charge in clean beauty. What we are seeing at Credo is a lot of amazing makeup products that have hit their strides. One example that I love is Kosas, which just launched a face oil, which is very hydrating and comes in 10 different shades. Hot selling products now are Khus+Khus, a new line we just started carrying where several products are formulated with CBD, which is all over the press. We are seeing that emerge in the clean beauty space. They are all plant-based and have been a creative favorite. Marie Veronique is a skincare company out of Berkeley that is very effective and they have recently launched a skincare line for men, Louis Pierre, that we are excited about. We also have a newly launched starter kit with MAFIA Bags, a San Francisco-based company that creates accessories from upcycled sails.

What do you think it is that sets Credo apart from other beauty products?

We want to use non-toxic products and are trying to get the word out about alternatives to conventional beauty products. We really believe it needs to be super welcoming. We are here to help you. I say that because it’s tricky to find products to avoid. The switch from what you like is tricky. Without the rigor, you have to do more of the legwork on your own. We do that for you. We work with all our brands on product testing to back up their claims to make sure they’re able to define their ingredients at a more stringent level. For example, we believe you should know what’s in your fragrance. We push towards transparency and disclosure. We have a Dirty Ingredient List, a list of ingredients that are linked to health or environmental issues that all brand partners agree to skip them when they formulate their products. We also introduced the Credo Clean Standard last month which is a roadmap that will help the consumer, brands, and everyone else, since this industry is seriously under-regulated. Shopping for makeup is fun and we want it to be a great experience.

There are so many harmful ingredients found in many beauty products. Which ones should consumers always stay away from?

It’s very overwhelming because it can get technical very quickly. If you know you don’t want formaldehyde in a shampoo, the problem is there are 32 synonyms for formaldehyde. You know you don’t want it, but it could still be in there. You, as a consumer, would probably not know that. My recommendation would be to go to our Dirty Ingredient List on our site. We are constantly updating it. Go into the store and ask for help.

Every woman should have what essential beauty products?

I’ll give you a list of my favorites – Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes, Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask that makes me look fabulous in the morning, Marie Veronique Vitamin C, E + Ferulic Acid Serum, Kosas Tinted Face Oil and Lily Lolo Mascara is a perennial bestseller. The Beuti Sleep Elixir out of the UK is a favorite of Kate Middleton and Megan Markle. We are the exclusive US brick and mortar retailer. It sells out all the time.

Credo already has eight stores from Boston to San Francisco, and we hear the brand is looking to expand even further.

We have had very rapid growth and are actively looking at opening more stores next year. Clean beauty is having a moment right now. The demand is out there and we think non-toxic products should be everywhere.