When it comes to our skin, we should always pay attention to what products we use to nourish it. If you are interested in feeding your skin and hair with products that have less dangerous chemicals (we’ve all heard of them), you are probably looking for specific brands. Maybe you have even tried to make your own cosmetics? That is one of my hobbies, by the way! Unfortunately I’m not skilled enough to make ALL the cosmetics a girl needs. So I have to buy some of them ready-made by some great people, using great ingredients (at least that is what I’m hoping for when I pay all that money!).

There are a few shops in Amsterdam where you can find organic beauty products, cosmetic ingredients, as well as more natural alternatives to home cleaning goods.

Maybe you already have your favourite  brands, or maybe you’re looking out for something new — I made a list of shops where you can find beauty products in Amsterdam. Don’t forget to read the ingredients, because sometimes they are not completely chemical free. So, always be vigilant and choose the compromise that you are willing to make — or not make, if that’s your goal!

This is a list of shops in Amsterdam where you can buy organic, fair trade, animal testing free cosmetic products:

• Lavendula — situated on Westerstraat, close to the Noordermarkt, this is my favourite bio boutique at the moment. Looks like a small shop, but once you enter it, you discover a big variety of products – including brands like Cattier and Logona, which I couldn’t find anywhere else in the city. They also have a good selection of organic make-up products (E.g. Dr.Hauschka or Annemarie Borlind), which is a big plus. I like the way it’s designed as a supermarket, I can go through the shelves and check every lotion bottle, read the ingredients, at my own pace, with no one bothering me.
• De Tuinen (recently re-branded as Holland & Barrett)–  is my second favourite. It’s a well known chain of health stores, offering a great variety of vitamins and supplements (vegan and vegetarian options), cosmetics, essential oils, food and other lifestyle products. Here you can find brands like: Dr. Organic, Zarqa, Weleda, De Tuinen own brand and more. They don’t have any make-up in their stores.
• Vega-Life — is a store with a great concept behind it, situated in the centre of the city on Singel. Their motto is to stop making concessions and use only products that don’t imply animal suffering and were made by people working in good conditions. They sell vegan alternatives to products such as clothes, shoes and bags. Apart from the fashion assortment, they also sell cosmetics, offering brands like: Lekkerineenpotje, Lavera or Beauty Without Cruelty make-up range.
• Van Gelder Drogisterij – it’s a cosy shop on Van Woustraat, a family business that goes back three generations. When I used to live in that area I was a loyal costumer. They sell cosmetics as well as make-up products, and also a wide range of vitamins and supplements.
• Vitaminstore – with a few shops around the city, they specialize in vitamins and supplements but offer also cosmetics.
• Dille & Kamille – it’s mainly a home and kitchen shop, but they sell some bio products for body care and bath. I really love their soap selection.
• Pure natural cosmetics — a shop that started from a passion: home made cosmetics. They sell online and can be found at some markets.
• Bio supermarkets often have a small variety of cosmetics as well. At Ekoplaza for example you can find brands like Weleda, Lavera or De Traay (one of my favourite!). You can also find the Dr. Hauschka make-up range at Ekoplaza and very conveniently sneak a lipstick on your groceries list 🙂
• And then there are the local markets (Saturday Market at Noordermarkt, Pure Markt and others) where lesser known brands can often be found trying to break into the market with sometimes great products. Just keep an eye on them.
• If you want to make your own cosmetics, you can buy your ingredients online at De Kruiderie.

I hope my selection was useful for you, and this list is open, so please send me any suggestions you might have!

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