Green Beauty Gains a Foothold in Texas’ Hottest Shopping Mecca

Plano’s mega shopping center Legacy West already has a Sephora and MAC Cosmetics, so the entrée of a third beauty boutique may seem redundant – but Credo offers something that sets it apart from the rest. The San Francisco-based store carries all of the beauty products you want, without the ingredients you don’t want. Every product is certifiably “clean.”

“What we really wanted to offer women by putting our stores in locations like this, where there’s a lot of other beauty around… is to have people understand that there are other options out there,” says co-founder and COO Annie Jackson.

The company is the brainchild of Jackson and the late Shashi Batra, both of whom were on the executive team that launched Sephora in the United States. Since opening its first shop in 2015, Credo has expanded to include a booming e-commerce business and eight boutiques across the country. The Legacy West shop is Credo’s first location in Texas (the next closest is in Chicago).

“Every since we started Credo, our top markets were New York, California and Texas, specifically Dallas,” says Jackson. The company settled in Plano because there’s “so much growth happening. It seems like a really innovative community, people are progressive and that’s what we look for.”

Knowing what exactly qualifies as “clean” beauty can be tricky, but Credo has a few standards that brands must meet to get the green light.

“There’s no legal definition for clean or natural or green, and there’s a real lack of regulation in the United States. We’re trying to create a standard and these brands are working hard to meet that standard,” Jackson says.

First and foremost, the brands must adhere to Credo’s list of banned “dirty” ingredients. Beyond that, products must perform well (Credo tests each new product for at least six weeks), have nice packaging, and a reasonable price point. Credo carries about 110 independent beauty brands, many of which are exclusive to the store.

If you’re new to the world of green beauty, Credo employees will happily give you an education – all are either estheticians or makeup artists, and all are well-versed in natural beauty brands. You can even bring in your makeup bag and an associate will help swap out your favorite products for green alternative.

In addition to offering in-store makeovers and mini-facials, Credo’s Plano location holds a Tata Harper Skincare spa.