Clean Beauty has become quite the buzzword on the skincare circuit over the past few years. Despite its growing popularity, most of us have more questions than answers on the subject. We decided to answer some of the most commonly asked questions, to help you understand clean beauty better.
What is clean beauty?
We believe that Clean Beauty means products made with ingredients that aren’t harmful to human health as well as environment. Clean Beauty is safe, effective and ethical.
For us, each and every ingredient in a Clean Beauty product should be of benefit, and serve a specific purpose related to efficacy of the product. Every substance is accounted for. This means, there’s no room for synthetic fragrances, fillers and harsh emulsifiers like DEA and TEA that can be avoided.
Is clean beauty the same as natural beauty?
Clean Beauty is often used interchangeably with chemical-free and natural products. However, it’s important to understand that EVERYTHING is a chemical and is derived from naturally occurring chemicals ( elements). Our bodies are made of chemicals. And at the same time, not all “natural” ingredients are safe. For instance, Poison Ivy and lead are naturally occurring, but it’s definitely not safe for your skin! While there are chemicals that can cause skin and overall damage, it isn’t prudent to dismiss all chemicals entirely as toxic. In fact, within the purview of clean beauty, lab made ingredients are likely to be safer, as they’re designed to be gentle and non-irritating. Some lab made ingredients are also derived from plant sources like coco glucoside – coconuts and fruit sugars.
Which ingredients are big no-no’s in Clean Skincare?
Lead, aluminium, petrochemicals, mineral oil, formaldehyde, mercury and mercury compounds, PEG compounds, DEA, Phalates, synthetic fragrances and colorants are some of the most common ones to avoid.
Can a product be clean, even if it has preservatives?
Yes, it can. Like we mentioned earlier, not all chemicals are bad. Preservatives are, in fact, necessary, safer and actually a better choice as it helps take the pressure off natural resources. Without preservatives, we’d be smearing bacteria and fungi on our faces. Water-based products most definitely need preservatives to keep the microbes at bay. What you should look for, in such cases, is the type of preservatives to avoid. Parabens are often used as they are cheap and require less effort in formulations.
How can you be sure a product falls under Clean Beauty?
As always, educate yourself about skincare ingredients and labels. Understanding these itself will help you immensely in making wise choices. Pay attention to what these symbols mean. Cruelty free products with vegan ingredients definitely take the products closer to clean beauty.And don’t hesitate to ask questions! A brand should always be available to allay any doubts about the product, ingredients and application.
How do I make sure my routine is clean?
While, it’s pretty much unsustainable to have 100% clean beauty products, simple but smart decisions will help you in the long run. A general rule to follow is to keep it simple. The fewer steps your skincare routine has, the closer you are to Clean Beauty. Your AM routine should be 2-3 steps and your PM should consist of not more that 3-4 with targeted solutions. A good criteria of gauging clean beauty products is the impact its ingredients and packaging have on the environment. Silicones for e.g aren’t biodegradable and therefore impact are marine life and eco system in the long run.
It’s important to remember that Clean Beauty is a broad term, with multiple interpretations. But the above forms the very basis of it. To sum it up – the essence of Clean Beauty is that it focuses on only what’s essential and most beneficial to the skin, your overall health and the environment.