What Does ‘Clean Beauty’ Actually Mean And What Beauty Brands Are Truly ‘Clean’?

‘Clean beauty’ has emerged as one of the beauty industry’s favourite terms in the last few years, with brands galore embracing the the title to boost their brand’s recognition in constantly growing the marketplace. We’ve all seen it on advertising posters, boxes and magazines, but what actually is clean beauty? In technical terms, what does it mean? How does it affect the products we wear and is it really something we should be paying attention to? If you are as bamboozled as we were on this topic, relax, because we’re about clear up a few things when it comes to clean beauty.

Clean beauty really means that products are free from toxic ingredients like harsh chemicals that may harm your health or your skin. One thing to note, is that just because a product is labelled ‘natural’ does NOT mean it’s clean. When it comes to labelling beauty products, whether that be skincare or makeup, there is little regulation surrounding the terms brands can use to position themselves in both the market and the minds on consumers. So, when a product says it has ‘all natural ingredients’, this really can’t be a defining factor on the types of ingredients in the product. It may still have harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin so watch out for these when you’re doing your next beauty haul. Creating a clean beauty product means that all aspects of the manufacturing process should be affected, from the product’s inception to trials and testing; it should not be a marketing ploy … emphasis on the ‘should not’.

What To Look Out For

When checking if your skincare and cosmetic products are clean, there are a few things to watch out for in the ingredients section that are guaranteed to ring some alarm bells when you see them. Here are some ingredients to keep an eye out for:

• Parabens
• Sulfates
• Fragrances (particularly synthetic ones)
• Talc
• Silica
• Refined petroleum

Ultimately, clean beauty products should be safe for your skin and lacking harsh chemicals, which usually means they are cruelty free and/or vegan, but this is not the case with all brands. For the most part, ‘clean beauty’ is an unregulated term across the board so you can’t trust the marketing terms on the box, but instead you can dig deeper into the ingredients list to uncover the truth.

Your Favourite Clean Products

Just because you want to become mindful about the chemicals you’re putting on your skin, doesn’t mean that you have to abandon all of your favourite beauty products. Some of your most loved brands have clean products, like Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter Concealer or the NARS Climax mascara. The point is, it’s difficult to judge a brand on all its products, so take them one at a time and do a little bit of homework next time your makeup bag needs a top up.

 

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If you’re looking for some clean skincare to add to your routine, The Ordinary have a great range of products including their famous Hyaluronic Acid drops and Silicone Primer. If you’re feeling a little fancy and want to splurge, try one of the pioneering brands of clean beauty, Drunk Elephant, for some product inspiration. We love their Lala Retro Whipped Cream and B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Cream.

Some Tips To Help You Learn More About Clean Beauty

If you’re sitting there a little overwhelmed about your makeup bag, wondering if it’s doing more harm than good, then take a deep breath and relax. In reality, the harsh ingredients in beauty are oftentimes at such a low dose, that they won’t do much harm for the first while. The issues come with people who have allergies, naturally irritable skin or prolonged use of harsh products that can leave you with irritable skin.

If you struggle to decipher what ingredients are bad for you and what is clean, then there are a multitude of clean beauty retailers and websites that score products based on their ‘cleanness’ that can let you know what exactly is in your favourite products. Check out websites like The Good Skin Index, The Detox Market and Credo Beauty to scout for some new clean additions to your beauty routine.

When starting your clean beauty journey, take it slow and work through your beauty routine one step at a time. Start with your face and hair, then move onto other products like body scrub, bath bombs and laundry detergents. One step at a time to make little changes to be kinder to your skin.

Ultimately, clean beauty means companies are being transparent about what is in their products. Generally, they also want to educate their customers regarding what ingredients are good for their skin and what can be harmful, irritable or harsh on your delicate face. Whilst some companies may use it as a marketing ploy due to a lack of regulation around buzzwords like clean, natural or eco-friendly, armed with some knowledge about what to look out for, your skin journey can become all the better with a little care and consideration.

• Beauty
• Clean beauty