What is Clean Beauty?

In honor of Clean Beauty Day on June 4, we're tackling the big questions surrounding this term. What is clean beauty? How do I find "clean" products, and what should I look for? We'll do our best to tackle what the term means, and what it means for you.

What is clean beauty?

The reason there is so much confusion around "clean beauty" is because there is no one definition in the industry. Some people think of clean beauty as products without the harmful ingredients banned in the EU. Others want clean beauty to have no harmful impact on the environment, and others search out clean beauty products because they think switching may help with allergies and sensitivities. And then there's the "clean beauty" or "clean girl" trend, which has nothing to do with ingredients and everything to do with application of products. So, if you've been swimming in a sea of confusion as you try to navigate the makeup aisle, you're not alone.

Clean Beauty Ingredients

Until there's a universal standard, you'll need to define what clean beauty means for you. In general, a good rule of thumb is that you should look for ingredients that you can pronounce, just like on your food labels. Don't be fooled by packaging--companies sometimes try to create packaging that looks clean or green but really isn't. Any company can change their packaging to include the image of a tree and state that it's made with "all natural ingredients"--and there's not much to regulate that claim, so watch for that. Unfortunately, there's no shortcut for knowing your ingredients.

Where can you go to learn more? Beauty Heroes has a list of harmful ingredients that they don't allow in any of their products (find it here). Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Yuka app can also be helpful tools to understand which ingredients cause sensitivity. EWG's website allows you to type in your brand and product name, see the score, and learn why it's rated the way it is.

If you're looking for a small place to start, try avoiding products with synthetic fragrances, which includes perfumes, body washes, lotions, and more. Synthetic fragrances are the source of allergies for many, contain hormone disruptors, and many of these companies lack transparency. Other common problematic ingredients to consider eliminating include parabens, phthalates, and sulfates.

Clean Beauty for the Environment

Another thing to consider with clean beauty is packaging. Look for sustainable, recyclable, and/or reusable packaging with the products you choose (glass containers to wash and fill with other things, fully recyclable packages). A lot of beauty packaging contains excess product to for decorative purposes so that we buy more; however, many beauty containers aren't fully recyclable and don't break down in the landfill. Products made with glass, aluminum, and recycled plastic are good bets. Sometimes brands have refillable products, and that helps to reduce the environmental impact. Aim to reduce using single use or sample-size products to help eliminate waste, too.

What next?

There are so many ingredients to be aware of and so many definitions of clean beauty that you may wonder where to start. Try looking up a few of your products on EWG or do some research on the ingredients. If you decide you want to look for something cleaner as you use products up, take your time and go beyond the "Clean Beauty" signs at popular makeup retailers. (Read more about "greenwashing" here.) Knowing the facts will help you make a truly empowered choice that's best for your body.

Salon Patrice sells clean beauty products from brands like Brigeo and Karin Herzog. Call (815) 223-8643 to learn more, or find our services here.