In recent years we’ve seen a fantastic shift in consumer understanding with a real desire to know what ingredients a product contains and how it was formulated, with sustainability and responsible sourcing at the forefront of expectations. Clean beauty is a broad category with a lot of ambiguity that lacks a clear definition. In simple terms, clean beauty refers to cosmetic products created without harmful synthetic chemicals, added fillers and ingredients such as silicones, parabens and sulfates that have been linked to negative health effects like cancer or can cause irritation to the skin. Beyond this, clean beauty focuses on cruelty-free, ethically and environmentally responsible ingredients and sourcing. Oftentimes, those in the clean beauty category tend to be more sustainably-minded in terms of ingredients and packaging.
Unfortunately, brands aren’t always completely transparent when it comes to clean beauty, each country has different regulations and ingredient bans with some stricter than others. Marketing is also something we need to be wary of, lax regulations in certain countries allow brands to adopt the key buzzwords associated with clean beauty without it actually being the case. Clean beauty doesn’t mean we need to compromise on performance or luxury, there are some incredibly intelligent results-driven formulations that fit into this category. To help cut through the noise and clever advertising I recommend doing your own research and reviewing the ingredient list when opting for clean beauty products. Clean beauty is a personal choice often selected by those with skin sensitivity and irritations to cosmeceutical formulated products or those who live a holistic and natural lifestyle.
