The Clean Beauty Explained
But is this clean? We often ask ourselves as we flip and turn beauty packaging inside out, only to squint at long ingredients lists in small typefaces, feeling lost and confused about what we are using during our everyday beauty routines.
However, in the age of transparency, and the generation of beauty education (think millennials and Gen Z), we can be our own investigators and activists, taking a stand on the products we use every single day. Are they good for the planet and are they good for me?
By loose definition, Clean Beauty is defined by products that are created and produced without any proven or suspected toxic ingredients. These ingredients are ethically and mindfully sourced, keeping our health and the environment as priority. Being clean is all about sustainability, safety and the quality of the ingredients. This all seems a lot to think about as you shop for a new mascara or eye cream, doesn’t it?
The science can seem murky but you need to be as careful about what you put on your skin as what you eat and drink. Even your favourite moisturiser that is applied topically still makes its way into your skin's epidermis. Add in exposure to pollution, blue light, free radicals and stress hormones, and sensitive spot-prone skin can flare up.
Picture yourself wearing non-toxic spy goggles, scanning your mental checklist to see what each product contains. As around 60% of what we put onto our skin gets absorbed, these are top ingredients to avoid:
• Parabens (known on labels as anything ending with paraben, for example propylparaben or methylparaben) are beauty preservatives that were first introduced in the 1950’s. They are used to lengthen your products shelf life but are believed to disrupt your hormones by mimicking oestrogen in our bodies.
• Phthalates are added to make fragrances last longer and can be found in perfumes, hair sprays and nail varnish. These can stick to your skin and cause irritation.
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a chemical foaming agent and can sometimes be found in cleansers and body washes to achieve that foamy texture, this can be very drying on the skin so try and use a natural creamy formula instead.
• Silicone, a substance derived from silica, is water resistant and can give your skin a silky feel by creating a smooth barrier. Sounds appealing, but silicones (thought of as liquid plastic) can trap sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria, leading to congested skin and acne breakouts.
• Mineral oil is a petroleum by-product that coats the skin, clogging its pores. This is toxic because it interferes with the skin’s ability to fully eliminate toxins, which can lead to sensitised and irritated skin.
Clean brands also think about their packaging, whether it be using PCR (post-consumer recycled material), plastic made from ocean waste or materials that can be fully recycled. We should be asking if brands have a refill scheme or are they using renewable energy sources to power their production line? It’s good to know that once you have hit-pan on a product, it's packaging can have a second life.
Just when we have got our heads around going clean, and what to avoid, we are hit by the illusion of Greenwashing. Think of this as the beauty version of brainwashing. It stands for a misleading claim that makes consumers believe that a company’s product is environmentally friendly and clean - when in fact it is not. We as consumers are so desperately craving to shop clean that our eyes latch on to beauty buzz words such as; natural, eco, green, and botanical. Products can contain as little as just 1% of organic ingredients, and can be labelled as organic (even if the other 99% are pesticides, parabens and other types of synthetics). *With the global natural beauty sector predicted to hit £17 billion by 2024, and the global wellness market topping £3.2 trillion last year, it's no surprise that brands are keen to advertise all things green. A 2020 study by Mintel shows us that ‘Consumers are getting more savvy on what ‘natural’ means and are quick to notice ‘greenwashing’ in products. With the ownership of smartphones, access to information has become easy and social media sites have become platforms where consumers can challenge retailers making natural or ethical claims.’ *source: vogue.co.uk
There are a few ways to check how clean the brands you are using are. The Soil Association work with COSMOS to establish global standards for the beauty market, and give brands a seal of approval. The COSMOS Organic Certification means a product has at least 95% organic ingredients, ensures protection for vulnerable plants and is cruelty and GM free. This certified stamp means they have said no to animal testing, toxic ingredients, synthetics, colours, and fragrances. But can guarantee on sustainability sourced biodegradable ingredients, transparent manufacturing processes and more. However, need to check on the go? The Think Dirty App scans your ingredients list and gives you the lowdown on what is inside, and how truly organic it is.
We refuse to be fooled. So, get your beauty magnifying glass out and take a stand! There are now so many ways to check - we all need to be part of a clean generation.
These are four hero beauty brands who are sustainable leaders with beautiful products to match:
Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm, £40
Click here to shop Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm
Known for their iconic (recyclable) blue glass bottles, Neal’s Yard Remedies was first established in 1981, producing all of their products in an eco factory in the UK. Certified organic, the brand are cruelty free and only use sustainably sourced ingredients, free from parabens, synthetic colours and fragrances. The brand also offset the amount of CO2 used to make their packaging by protecting tropical forests. Since 2012 the brand have helped save a huge 1,000,000m² of endangered forest, offsetting 250 tonnes of CO2. Not tried it before? Their Wild Rose Beauty Balm is a multipurpose product for both body and face. Packed with antioxidant-rich wild Rose Hip Oil and organic Geranium and Patchouli Essential Oil, to deeply nourish skin, leaving you with a radiant glow.
REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream, £36
Click here to shop REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream
REN has always been clean to our skin and clean to the planet, using only sustainably sourced and cruelty free ingredients that are targeted for all skin types, along with PH balanced formulas to keep skin naturally healthy. With bottles already made with Ocean Plastic and tubes using post-consumer-recycled materials, the brand has also pledged to become Zero Waste by 2021, whereby 100% of packaging will be recycled, recyclable and reusable. Their Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream uses powerful antioxidants to protect skin against free radicals, pollution and dehydration. Added Black Current Seed Oil, rich in omega 3, nourishes skin, while Sea Buckthorn Oil keeps skin soft and supple in texture. The new packaging for this product is made using ground-breaking technology that fully regenerates plastic waste to make recycled plastic identical to virgin. REN have named this ‘Infinity Recycling’, saving material that would otherwise be destined for landfill and creating a plastic that can forever be recycled without losing its quality.
Rahua Elixir, £145
Click here to shop Rahua Hair Elixir
Pioneers in chemical free haircare, Rahua are know for their iconic hair products using Rahua Oil which is harvested in the Amazonian rainforest. The brand works with indigenous people in the Amazon to gather plant-derived, organic ingredients that are rainforest grown, all from self-sustained forests. All plastic packaging used is 100% recyclable and as a way of giving back the brand has preserved 37,500 hectares of biodiverse tribal land to date, deep within the Amazon Rainforest. Their hair Elixir is non-toxic, vegan, sulphate and paraben free. The formula is enriched with the classic Rahua Oil to deeply nourish and strengthen each strand, whilst added Ungurahua Oil rejuvenates hair follicles to keep locks glossy and healthy.
Rahua Classic Shampoo, £33
Click here to shop Rahua Classic Shampoo
Pioneers in chemical free haircare, Rahua are know for their iconic hair products using Rahua Oil which is harvested in the Amazonian rainforest. The brand works with indigenous people in the Amazon to gather plant-derived, organic ingredients that are rainforest grown, all from self-sustained forests. All plastic packaging used is 100% recyclable and as a way of giving back the brand has preserved 37,500 hectares of biodiverse tribal land to date, deep within the Amazon Rainforest. Their Classic Shampoo is non-toxic, vegan, sulphate and paraben free and formulated with omega-9 rich Rahua Oil and Palo Santo Oil. This powerful combination helps keep hair soft, hydrated and lustrous, while maintaining a healthy scalp.
Liz Earle Balancing Botanical Drops, £26
Click here to shop Liz Earle Balancing Botanical Drops
Founded in 1995, Liz Earle is a cult botanical beauty brand with a long sustainable checklist. All of their naturally active ingredients (from either plant, marine or mineral sources) are responsibly sourced to protect farmers and communities. The brand also creates recyclable packaging and is certified cruelty free. If you have oily and acne prone skin, their lightweight Balancing Botanical Drops are a water-based gel formula that can help to reduce the appearance of pores and blemishes. The Egyptian Lotus extract works to re-balance the skin and combat shine. Add a few drops onto freshly washed skin for a clean and magnifying finish.
This PIBE online exclusive has been produced by:
Photography & Motion / Iakovos Kalaitzakis
Words / Sarah Barnes