When it comes to clean beauty there are a few things you should know. shaunasplace took the leg work out for you and narrow it down to a simple post that will create a better understanding. The word clean beauty has many synonyms such as natural, organic, sustainable, vegan or pure. Clean beauty has been around for a while but it has become popular in the last decade due to millennials and Gen Zs.
Clean beauty is no new concept and in fact has been around for a while and many brands are jumping on the band wagon. In fact, I believe that clean beauty can be coupled with an effective self-care routine to create a mindful lifestyle. Clean beauty is about being conscious about the products you put on your skin which can have an adverse effect on your health. Products that are paraben-free are growing 80% faster than the overall market, and statistic shows that the beauty industry is projected to exceed over $715B by 2025.
Companies such as OSEA have created products that are gluten-free, contains natural ingredients, packaging is eco-friendly and the company is socially responsible. Herbivore Botanicals uses certified organic and natural ingredients, the believe in minimalist to achieve the best results for the skin, eco-friendly packaging and the company is socially responsible.
What is clean beauty?
Technology has shaped how we see the world, part of that plays a role in the clean skincare movement. A movement? yes a movement that many people are taking part in as people are being more aware of the harmful ingredients in their beauty products and as such have made decisions about what is acceptable and what isn’t. Which then forces company to reshape how they do things or form new strategies all together.
Clean by definition means- the classification of beauty products that doesn’t contain synthetic chemicals or ingredients. This often follows up with the use of non-toxic, no dye, hypoallergenic, natural or clean. These words are used together or interchangeably. One would agree that using a word alone doesn’t just classify a product as being clean but rather the ingredients used.
Putting clean alone on the package isn’t enough to assure customers that the product is that standard, in fact some companies have standards a product must meet in order to be considered clean. Retailer such as Sephora have their own criteria which includes a list of ingredients that shouldn’t be included in the products, they have a distinct logo that will be assigned to that product if it is clean. Other retailers such as Whole foods and Credo Beauty too have their own standards that must be met in order to sell your products with them.
Why is clean beauty so popular?
Clean beauty have always been around, but it wasn’t always accessible to everyone. Or not everyone had the means to buy clean products as they were a bit more expensive. Beauty products have come along way ten years ago there wasn’t so much of a movement as it is now and people are becoming more conscious about what they put on their body.
The skin is the largest and toughest organ on the body, general rule is what ever you put in is reflected on your skin. A lot of products often contains ingredients that are toxic which can seep through the skin and cause damage.The opposite can also be said about whatever you put on your can also be reflected on your skin.
Social media has made it so easy for people to become educated and aware of what is out there. A lot of clean beauty skincare brands that have emerged over the past few years has created by people who wanted to see change in the beauty industry. It’s people like me and you who are aware of the damage of toxic skincare products what go out and find alternatives.
Luckily we don’t have to look too far and it’s available at the tip of your fingers. More and more people especially millennials and Gen Z’er are investing in using clean products, while also talking about the benefits of using said products. Not only that it raises awareness about the harm these ingredients have on the environment and implement new ways to fix them.
The biggest obsession right now is better health not only for the body but for the skin, which means that detoxification is a key word you will find in everyones mouth. Whether it be teas, or juices- everyone wants to promote having good health. Which includes skincare as people are getting rid of anything that strips the skin from it’s natural state.
What is the difference between clean, natural and organic?
How do you know what is right for you? With so much product types such as clean, natural or organic. How do you decide which is right for you and if what is being advertised is what you are actually getting. All these words are used so freely in the beauty industry and often times customers cannot tell the difference, each word has their own function and are different from each other.
Natural– is the use of products that is produced in nature such as certain oils, plant additives and fragrance. Just because a company put natural on their packaging doesn’t mean the product is natural but can be manufactured to mimic the structure of natural ingredients. Often times natural products aren’t regulated therefore it’s not tested, therefore we cannot be certain everything 100% natural.
Clean- compared to natural, clean problems are more regulated, clean is often times used interchangeably with the word ‘non-toxic’. Unlink the nature of natural products, clean products have more to do with the environmental impact. Not only that companies have a list of ingredients that shouldn’t be include in a product to meet the clean standard.
Organic- refers to products that contain ingredients that doesn’t contain any pesticides, artificial or synthetic ingredients. Organic products are the most regulated and the products have to be tested by an accredited agent, certification is then given by the USDA.
Is clean beauty for you?
Take the word trend out the equation, if you view this as a trend and you want to be a part of it then this isn’t for you. One thing I will say is that I don’t follow trends nor do I buy a product just because a celebrity endorses it. It is always a good idea to do your own research and educate yourself, your skin might be sensitive and some ingredients used in a clean product might affect you.
Firstly, you have to identify your needs, everyone’s skin is different and the same skin condition experienced by two people often times does require different treatments. Which is why it’s not a one size fits all, thus making it beneficial to establish your own needs.
When deciding to support a brand, think about their mission and overall philosophy for their customers. A company that has a strong social stance is always a good one to start with, smaller companies might be a bit more pricey but often times more thought and consideration is put into their products. Not to exclude larger companies as they too have been offering more clean options for their customers.
Things to thing about before investing in clean beauty what are you looking for? Is clean beauty the best option as opposed to natural or organic? Can I afford it? The best thing you can do is research, there are very affordable brands out there for every pocket, if you want to spend a little more that is ok too.
[…] out a lot of the guess work when trying to figure out if it is for you. Majority of the products are vegan and cruelty-free, which is something a lot of people have been interested […]