Not all beauty products marketed as ‘clean’ are good for the environment. What to watch for
With Earth Day and Arbor Day both recently behind us, you may have noticed an uptick in marketing “clean” beauty or skincare products. While many products labeled as “clean” might be better for your skin than other products, they are not necessarily all better for the environment. Here’s why.
WHAT DOES “CLEAN SKINCARE” MEAN?
The trouble with comparing clean skincare products is that every brand and drugstore uses its own definition of what “clean skincare” means. Therefore, Walgreens/Boots, Ulta, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, CVS, and Target have their own unique definitions of what makes a certain product “clean” or not.
Generally speaking, these brands create lists of ingredients that they exclude in the products that they label as “clean.” In some cases, brands will allow certain ingredients such as phenoxyethanol to exist in the clean category as long as it is under a certain percentage. This is why some clean beauty brands allow phenoxyethanol, a compound in cosmetic products linked to allergic reactions, sometimes severe.
Additionally, “clean” applies to the ingredients in the products, not how those ingredients were sourced, manufactured or harvested. Not all clean beauty products have necessarily been sourced or manufactured in environmentally friendly ways.
WHAT IS THE BEST CLEAN BEAUTY PRODUCT BRAND?
If you are looking for beauty products that are good for your skin and the environment, you will have to do some extra research into the manufacturing process as well.
The best clean skincare brands not only use clean ingredients, but they also make sure their packaging is as environmentally friendly as possible and that their ingredients are sourced sustainably. As an added bonus, some Earth-friendly beauty brands even donate to organizations that have a positive impact on the environment.
Burt’s Bees is an example of a company that I have personally worked with that really cares about the Earth.
They set a good standard for which all clean beauty companies should strive.
Another clean beauty brand that I am a fan of is SheaTerra. Founder Tammie Umbel is considered one of the founders of the clean beauty movement and works closely with wildlife conservation groups to help preserve natural habitats.
BOTTOM LINE
Not all clean beauty brands are environmentally friendly. Check the brand’s website for more information about how products are sourced, manufactured and packaged to find clean beauty brands that are good for both your skin and the Earth.
For more skincare news and advice, follow @SkinTypeSolutions on social media, or browse the Skin Type Solutions library.