What exactly is "Clean Beauty"?
You may have
asked yourself this question as you've become more aware of the "Clean Beauty" movement.
Over the last few years, we have become more and more conscious of what we put in & on our bodies.
As science and society evolved, they have exposed dangers to many synthetic ingredients that have traditionally been used in skincare, body care, foods, & cleaning products.
Due to these heralding advancements, we now look a little closer at the ingredient lists of our common beauty and household products.
The Clean Beauty movement was a result of this!
To be honest, at first, I kinda thought it was just another way to cover up some just as yucky ingredients that the beauty industry is still adamant on using, by alerting us to the the comparatively yuckier ingredients that they were willing to exclude. Part of me still believes this, at least for some brands.
Maybe this will explain why I am still wary!...
"Clean Beauty", by definition, is referring to products that are mindfully produced and formulated without any proven or suspiciously toxic ingredients.
This also includes the use of ethically sourced ingredients that are made with the wellness of our bodies and our environment in mind.
So why is this definition important?
Well, it's important because CLEAN does not equal NATURAL!
Now, don't get me wrong. There are synthetic ingredients out there that are supposedly considered Clean, and on the other hand, there may be "natural" ingredients that were extracted through the use of synthetics!
Regardless, I can't help but also question this definition due to several facts about many beauty ingredients:
1. They haven't been used in cosmetics long enough to be deemed safe over time.
2. There are so many ingredients that a lot of them haven't been scrutinized as much as other ingredients that have already been listed as nasty.
3. Safety and "Clean" standards vary dramatically between different countries and organizations.
Number 3 is what makes me the most cautious!
There's a lot we don't know, even about natural ingredients, so number 1 and 2 are true for just about anything that hasn't been around for decades upon decades. However, number 3 is pretty scary!
Depending on which organization a company chooses to reference, an ingredient can either be totally clean while another organization has listed it as harmful/toxic.
At BODY & BOTANY we strive to only use 100% naturally derived, body and environmentally safe, and sustainable ingredients. It certainly makes for a more challenging formulation, but it's a challenge we are willing to take on for our Goddesses!
In a future blog, I'm going to focus in on some unfortunate deceptions some "Clean" beauty brands are pulling, but this post is simply to plant the seed of awareness :)
So what does this mean for you?
Just know that the product that claims to be "Clean" still may not be that great or natural for your body or the environment!
Ultimately, it's always best to look at Full Ingredient listings and do some research. Being your own advocate and looking into ingredients on your own will always provide you with the best information!
The Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) is a good place to start your ingredient research efforts!
Stay tuned for my upcoming blog series Sneaky Secrets of some "clean" beauty brands! Eek! for more insights into the Clean Beauty industry!