Beauty products that will help you look good and help the environment at the same time

There are more and more organic offerings in the beauty industry. At the core of this is the fact that studies have shown millennials are more willing to pay extra for sustainable goods over ones that aren't. Anything to lessen our carbon footprint, right?

The emergence of these products to supply this intense demand is great. But there is one glaring issue for how these items are marketed. For example, the terms "natural" and "green" have no real agreed-upon definition in the industry, and many manufacturers will label their products as such without upholding it to real standards.

And even if your beauty regime includes offerings that are organic, that doesn't mean much, since many plants — whether they're organic or not — can contain substances that can be toxic or allergenic to the skin. This means that if you're dedicated to using only natural and eco-friendly items in your beauty regime, it requires research on your part.

Know that you're not alone.

For starters, there are independent testing groups like the Environmental Working Group that will help pinpoint which products and brands are actually healthy.

It has created Skin Deep, a cosmetics database that rates products based on ingredients that could be harmful to the skin. EWG's scientists compare ingredients on product labels to scholarly studies and regulatory databases to help make you a more informed consumer.

For example, if an ingredient is banned in another country for being toxic, the EWG will flag it.

In addition, most brands will clearly call out if they do not test on animals. But if you're not sure, PETA runs a database that helps you figure out which beauty labels are cruelty-free. All the companies on PETA's list have signed an agreement that assures their ingredient suppliers do not test on animals.

No matter if you're shopping for truly organic products or not, your top priority is finding skincare items that work. What's the point of buying an overpriced anti-wrinkle cream if it doesn't fight against signs of aging? The most visible indicator of this is in the product's comments section where you can find real input from other shoppers.

To get your eco-friendly shopping started and to cut out work for you, we've gathered beauty products that fit our three main criteria: have a low-hazard rating seal of approval from the EWG, are not tested on animals and have at least a 4-star customer satisfaction rating.

Adding these items to your skincare arsenal is a simple way to lessen your carbon footprint, and look good while doing it. Sounds like a win-win to us.

Note: The prices below reflect the listed retailer's price on the date this article was published.

Tata Harper Purifying Mask ($65; sephora.com)

rms beauty Champagne Rose Luminizer ($38; sephora.com)

tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer ($26; sephora.com)

Avalon Organics Hand & Body Lotion in Nourishing Lavender ($11.56; amazon.com)

Dr. Hauschka Revitalizing Day Cream ($47.11; amazon.com)

Vapour Organic Beauty Mesmerize Eye Shimmer Treatment ($22; amazon.com)

Jack Black Gel Pomade ($22; sephora.com)

COOLA Liplux SPF 15 in Vanilla Peppermint ($12; sephora.com)

Kari Gran Lip Buff ($16; sephora.com)