My Honest Earth Harbor Skincare Review (Pros & Cons)

I’ve been using various Earth Harbor skincare products for several years now.

I think their overall vibe is fun—they’ve got colorful products with sweet (but not overpowering) scents—but it’s also functional and relatively minimalistic at the same time.

Plus, Earth Harbor’s founder, Ali, is a toxicologist and an herbalist! This actually makes it unique among other non-toxic skincare brands. (Ali’s story is actually kind of wild. She was in a near-fatal car accident that left her disabled, then very shortly after that found out she was pregnant, then after that started Earth Harbor with $2,000 of savings inside of her off-the-grid treehouse.)

First I’ll give you the rundown on Earth Harbor as a whole and then I’ll tell you what I thought about all of the different products I’ve tried.

100% plant-based ingredients

Every single ingredient Earth Harbor uses is plant-based, mineral-based, or bio-identical. Many of them are also certified organic, non-GMO, and/or wildcrafted.

Bio-identical/nature-identical means that all of the ingredients are either a) sourced from nature, or b) made in a lab but completely identical to the natural ingredient.

(Without going too far down this rabbit hole for right now, nature-identical ingredients are perfectly safe compared to the “real,” naturally-sourced ones. In fact, nature-identical ingredients can actually have less contamination than their alternatives, and they can be more sustainable as well.)

Earth Harbor has a long list of ingredients they do not use (~2,700 of them), including synthetic fragrances, parabens, talc, nanoparticles, phenoxyethanol, some common allergens (like gluten and soy), and many more.

Low-plastic & refillable

Earth Hero is not 100% plastic-free, but honestly, very few skincare brands are—mostly because of the lids.

But a lot of Earth Hero’s products come in glass jars and they have a lot of refillable options. They also partner with Pact Collective and Terracycle to help with harder-to-recycle things.

They’ve got a bunch of other sustainability initiatives in place too, including solar-powered manufacturing facilities, compostable shipping packaging, and more.

Locally sourced & manufactured

Not only does Earth Harbor make over 99% of their products in-house (in Utah), but they also try to source as many of their ingredients locally as well. They work with small independent farmers as well as larger cooperatives that obtain most of their ingredients from organic and/or wildcrafted sources.

Good for all ages & skin types—including skincare newbies, acne-prone, and aging

I actually think Earth Harbor is one of those few brands that can transcend age. They have a lot of products that would appeal to Sephora-obsessed tweens and teens, including their Dewy You Minis Set and a collection of products for breakouts and acne.

But then they also have plenty of serums, moisturizers, and other things that target fine lines and wrinkles.

So moms & aunties, you don’t have to worry about your young people stealing your skincare and being exposed to endocrine-disruptors or anything like that!

For skincare lovers and minimalists

Earth Harbor’s natural skincare collection is pretty large—they have a lot of different treatments, serums, and elixirs. So if you are really into skincare and like to have a complicated routine, they can help you with that. (They even say you can mix products for customized skincare cocktails if you want!)

But, you don’t have to get fancy with it if you don’t want to. If you only want to stick with the basics—a cleanser and moisturizer—that is great too. Their products are functional enough to stand on their own.

If you’re just getting started with the brand, it might be a little difficult to decide which products would be best for you, but they have a Skincare Quiz to give you personalized recommendations.

Third-party certifications

As I’ve explained before, third-party certifications have their pros and cons. They are imperfect, but still helpful. These certifications can be expensive for brands to obtain and maintain, so I don’t think they are by any means required in order for a brand to be non-toxic/ethical/sustainable. But if the brand can afford it, I do like to see as many certifications as possible. Here are the ones Earth Harbor has:

• 1% for the Planet® (just like The Filtery!)
• Carbon Neutral (Change Climate Project®)
• Plastic Negative (Plastic Credit Exchange®)
• EU Certified
• Leaping Bunny®
• PETA® Vegan & Cruelty-Free
• Forest Stewardship Council®
• ISO Good Manufacturing Practices
• Local Sourcing (ECOCERT®; Utah’s Own®; Georgia Grown®)
• USDA Organic & Non-GMO (for individual ingredients)

Here are my high-level pros & cons in a nutshell:

This guide contains product recommendations and we may receive compensation if you purchase through certain links. This review is not sponsored, but the product was gifted (thank you!). As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!

Btw, if you decide to try it out for yourself, you can use the code THEFILTERY15 for 15% off your order.

My (unsponsored) thoughts on Earth Harbor’s natural skincare products

I’m going to give you my reviews on all of the individual products I tried, but my overall thoughts are:

• I really like this natural skincare brand.
• It’s totally non-toxic and I have not found any “iffy” ingredients.
• Although I liked some of the products more than others, I would basically re-buy any/all of them.

Sea Kiss Plumpy Lip Balm

Overall, I like this lip gloss for a little moisturization and shine. It’s kind of mid-weight—it’s not one of those super-thick glosses that make my lips feel weighed down, but it’s thicker than a regular chapstick-type balm.

It definitely goes on smoothly and helps to soften my lips.

The “plumpy” part of it is very subtle. Don’t expect it to be one of those lip balms that makes your lips feel like they just got stung by a bee. But there is a slight tingle / cooling sensation.

It’s also got a very subtle rose scent to it (which I’m assuming comes from the evening primrose that’s added to support fullness and add some antioxidants).

Other ingredients include things like castor seed oil, shea butter, prickly pear, seaweed, and squalene. Some of the ingredients are certified organic.

I think this would be a great clean lip balm for tweens who are into skincare.

It comes in three sizes: regular (15 ml, which comes in a glass jar & plastic lid), refill (15 ml; glass jar with aluminum lid), and mini (which is only available in one of their sets).

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TIDAL ROSE Seaweed Hydration Mist

This spray can be a toner, a makeup setting spray, or a hydrating pick-me-up for my morning or afternoon. (It’s a simple thing I’ve started doing, but giving myself a little spritz does help to just kind of wake me up a little bit.)

It’s got rose flower water, which helps to hydrate and balance pH, white tea for antioxidants, tremella mushroom to help with elasticity, and other skin-loving ingredients.

Sometimes I think the smell of skincare products with rose in them can be a little much, but I actually really like this one. You can definitely smell the rose, but it’s not overpowering. All-in-all, I think it makes for a product that is simultaneously soothing and refreshing.

It comes in a glass bottle with a plastic spray lid. To reduce plastic, you can get a refill that comes with just an aluminum lid.

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Anchor Bio-Retinal Vitality Serum

This anti-aging serum has two plant-based retinol alternatives in it: bakuchiol and babchi. It’s also got a bunch of other ingredients that help with fine lines and wrinkles—citrus stem cells, lychee and rosehip seed oil, astaxanthin (which also helps to protect against UV and other environmental factors), and more.

It has a pink-ish color and a smooth lightweight texture.

This doesn’t have much of a smell to it. The subtle smell is kind of hard to describe, to be honest… Kind of fresh sea air vibes?

This comes in a glass bottle with a plastic pump lid. You can get a refill that comes with an aluminum screw-top lid and then just swap the plastic lid from one bottle to the other.

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CELESTINE Hydra-Peptide Firming Serum

I really like the texture of this serum. It’s got the consistency of a very light moisturizer. It goes on really smoothly.

This one has a lot of anti-aging ingredients, including a few different types of (vegan & plant-based) hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, seaweed collagen, and more. You could actually use this in place of a hyaluronic acid serum if you wanted to.

I like to put this one on under my morning moisturizer because it adds an extra layer of hydration and protection without weighing down my face.

This comes in a glass bottle with a plastic dropper lid, and you can get this one in a refill as well.

I honestly really like both of these serums. I would continue using both/either of them and am having a hard time choosing between the two!

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Mermaid Moon Line-Filling Balm Cream

This might be my favorite Earth Harbor product. I love the texture—it is so smooth and fluffy. It smells really good too, which I think might be the combination of meadowfoam flower and blue tansy. (Idk why, but sometimes I really like the smell of blue tansy products and sometimes I don’t. I really like this one, though!)

This is definitely a night-time cream for me. Although it has a sort of ‘marshmallow-y’ texture, it’s a bit too thick & oily for a daytime moisturizer.

In addition to the meadowfoam flower and blue tansy, it also contains bakuchiol (a plant-based retinol alternative), squalane, plant ceramides, and other anti pro-aging ingredients.

I would definitely re-buy this and continue using it.

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MERMAID MILK Nutrient Glow Moisturizer

Where the Mermaid Moon Line-Filling Cream is a nighttime moisturizer, this Mermaid Milk one is more of a daytime option. It also smells really good (it’s got blue tansy too), but it’s much more lightweight. It’s actually got a slightly jelly/bouncy consistency to it. It absorbs quickly but still gives hydration and protection for the day.

The first time I tried it I actually just put it on my hands (I already had makeup on) and for the next hour I kept noticing how soft my hands felt—but without being greasy at all.

It’s got ingredients like spirulina, seaweed, an matcha—all of which give your skin antioxidants and other nutrients. It’s also got turmeric which can help soothe acne-prone or irritated skin.

This is one of their products I think would be great for tweens & teens who love skincare. It’s functional, it’s not heavy on the anti-aging ingredients, it smells good, and it’s a fun green color.

This one comes in a glass jar with a plastic lid. But honestly, I think you could just get the refill option instead if you wanted to. The jar is the same size but the lid is aluminum.

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SIREN SILK Bio-Retinol Hydration Cream

This is a nice mid-weight moisturizer. They call it a “whipped cream,” which I’d say is accurate—it’s got a bit of a marshmallow-y vibe while still packing a lot of moisturization power. My face definitely feels softer after using it.

This one has a lot of different plants in it, including rosehip seed oil (a plant-based retinol alternative), sunflower vitamin e (which helps to protect against UV and environmental exposure), and meadowfoam seed oil (which is high in omega fatty acids to help strengthen the skin barrier).

This one doesn’t have much of a smell to it.

This is another one that comes in a glass jar with a plastic lid, but if you wanted to decrease the plastic you could just get the refill jar instead.

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CALYPSO Vitamin C Facial Oil

I’m all about the vitamin C serums these days. They help protect against daily environmental exposures—including the blue light from typing on this computer all day!

The vitamin C in this ‘elixir’ comes from a few different sources including certified organic sea buckthorn berry CO2 extract and rose petal extract. It’s also got co-Enzyme Q10, which can help with deep hydration and strengthening the skin barrier.

I typically don’t like wearing oils on my face during the day because they feel too heavy for me. But I really don’t mind this one at all. It’s lighter weight than a lot of the other oils I have in my cabinet, it absorbs pretty well, and I definitely notice a difference in the texture of my skin after putting it on. I’ve been putting it on last, after the rest of my serums and moisturizer. But you can also use it on its own if you want.

This comes in a glass vial with a plastic dropper lid. You can get a refill too.

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ECLIPSE Sheer Mineral Sunscreen (SPF 30)

I really don’t mind this sunscreen, which is saying a lot considering I tend to hate the way all sunscreens feel on my face!

The active ingredient in this is non-nano zinc oxide, which is the safest active ingredient currently approved for use in the U.S.

It’s one of the least greasy sunscreens I’ve tried. And it blends in really easily and doesn’t leave a white cast either. (I believe this comes from improvements in how they can formulate mineral sunscreen these days—Earth Harbor calls it a “sheer mineral matrix”.)

But it’s not just a sunscreen, either. It also contains microalgae and green tea extract to help shield from the damaging effects of blue light.

So all of that being said, if you’re someone who likes to put sunscreen on every single day, I do think this would be a good one to try since it’s lightweight, does not leave a white cast, and is multi-purpose (protecting from both UV and blue light specifically).

It comes in a glass jar which is opaque pink (not see-through) to help make sure it doesn’t degrade. You can also get a refill jar.

Don’t forget: if you want to try Earth Harbor for yourself, you can use the code THEFILTERY15 for 15% off.

If you’ve tried any of Earth Harbor’s products, let me know which ones in the comments and what you thought.

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