When you hear the phrase “clean beauty“ as it relates to makeup, you may envision watered-down products that aren’t formulated for women with deep skin tones. And that’s because few clean makeup products are.
So, when the folks at Credo told me they were launching exa, a clean makeup brand with a foundation that comes in 43 shades and surpasses the performance of top-selling conventional formulas, I took them up on their offer to check it out before the August debut.
To make a love story short, I’m head over heels for the line’s High Fidelity Foundation ($38), and here’s why.
To start, the cushiony formula lacks nothing except the ingredients that aren’t so good for your skin.
Out of a genuine concern for skin health, exa used antioxidants, potent plants and skin-loving ingredients that make the skin look better as you wear it—unlike the foundations of yesteryear that just sit on your face. And what I love most about the semi-matte foundation is its buildable and breathable coverage, which makes the skin look supple and fresh (think post–lymphatic facial).
And exa’s virtual shade finder made it easy for me to pick the perfect color from 43 options, which is double the average clean range.
Up until now, there’s been a problem with complexion products in the clean beauty category.”
Considering we’re in the middle of a pandemic, exa made it convenient for consumers to shade match from the comfort of their home, and the brand is also offering sample packs as a contact-free alternative to making selections in stores.
Up until now, there’s been a problem with complexion products in the clean beauty category. And exa is taking the reins in bringing the diversity we’ve all been longing for.
According to its mission to live in a world where every person is valued and included, exa embraces “all colors and shades of the human experience” and hopes to make “everyone feels seen, heard and understood.”
The brand is committed to providing every person with a perfect shade match, and to accompany the foundation, it also launched the Jump Start Smoothing Primer ($34), a silky blurring primer for all skin types and skin tones.
To shop exa, visit exabeauty.com or credobeauty.com.
Jennifer Ford is an associate beauty editor at ESSENCE.