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34 IN THE QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL OF CLEAN BEAUTY, ANNE LEE PHILLIPS DOTS AND SLATHERS SQUALANE OIL, VITAMIN C, ALGAE, AND CUCUMBER AND DISCOVERS HOUSTON IS A HOTBED OF BEAUTY-BRAND START-UPS. NATURAL I nterior designer Elizabeth Parry struggled with allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity, autoimmune issues, and infertility. During her successful pregnancy with her now four-year-old, she became fully conscious of the negative effects chemicals in our products could have. "I knew I wasn't alone," Parry says. "I was so tired of wasting money on brands that were filled with harmful chemicals, chemicals my sensitive skin would react to. I knew plant-based products were better but wanted to know why — which ingredients were going to be beneficial, anti-aging, hydrating, and healing." She followed her passion and launched Parry Botanicals in Houston in 2015 with three products: a restorative cream, body cream, and pure botanical lotion. The success was immediate, and she continues to introduce new plant- based products, including mineral makeup, squalane oil ("nature's facelift"), and a vitamin C serum. Parry was right; she wasn't alone. In fact, Houston has become a haven for natural and clean beauty product start-ups. The city has long been entrepreneur-friendly, with no state income tax, no zoning laws, a comparatively low cost of living for a large city, and funding potential. The traditional big beauty business remains in New York and California; perhaps it's the distance from those big corporations that allows these natural-beauty gurus to disrupt the old practices. Tiffany Masterson, the founder of clean-beauty brand Drunk Elephant, has said that she will remain in Houston in part because it keeps her mindset away from the big- beauty industry. Combine those elements with Houston's cutting-edge medical community and focus on combating cancer, it isn't surprising Houston is a hotbed for natural beauty brand activity. For those uninitiated into the buzzy world of clean beauty, national cosmetics regulation laws haven't been updated substantively since 1938. Some companies are taking matters into their own hands to offer clean or natural cosmetics and skincare products, usually free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and other ingredients the company has deemed unsafe and that can lead to anything from minor skin irritation, endocrine disruption, to even cancer. Here, our guide to the top Houston- based clean skincare and beauty brands. Naturally. D'Antonio Perfumes The 411: All-natural solid perfumes hand-poured by founder Tiffany D'Antonio in the Heights. Yes: Essential oils, absolutes, isolates. No: Synthetics. Find at: Lemon Laine, Mary & Moss, Naked Natural, Switch2Pure. More info: dantonioperfumes.com. Drunk Elephant The 411: Founded in 2012 by Tiffany Masterson, picked up by Sephora and now worth millions. Yes: Made in the U.S. Ingredients carefully chosen based on their biocompatibility. The highest percentages of actives at ideal pH levels synergistically blended with non- sensitizing ingredients. Formulated with nonirritating, light ingredients that skin can easily absorb and benefit from. No: Essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical screens, fragrance or dyes, SLS. Products: Moisturizers, serums, masks, cleansers, sun protection. Famous for: C-Firma Day Serum, T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial, Protini Polypeptide moisturizer, Find at: Kuhl-Linscomb, Sephora. More info: drunkelephant.com. BEAUTIES KHRISTIO