What “Clean” Means in Beauty
Terms like “clean” and “non-toxic” have appeared on our hair, body, food, skin, and cosmetics products. So, what does that mean?
Clean beauty has risen in popularity within the last few years as we have become more aware of the potentially negative effects certain ingredients can have on our bodies. Brands have taken note of this, hence terms like “clean”, “organic”, and “non-toxic” appearing on the beauty and care products we use.
It’s important to be aware of what these terms mean, so we know exactly what the risk is in and on our bodies, as well as the effects on our planet.
Unfortunately, the beauty and cosmetics industry within the United States is not heavily regulated when compared to other countries. To create a better visual of this, let's compare the U.S. to the E.U. In the U.S., 11 ingredients are banned by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), versus over 1,000 banned ingredients in the EU.
Due to the lack of regulation, companies have been able to take advantage and misusing clean beauty terms which we call greenwashing. Greenwashing, coined back in the 1980s, is when companies market their product as “natural”, despite no backing evidence to support these claims.
With greenwashing in mind, here are terms used in clean beauty and personal care products you should know:
Clean: Product does not contain toxic ingredients like parabens, fragrance, phthalates, or formaldehyde. Make sure to still check out the ingredients list!
Vegan: Does not contain any animal ingredients or animal-derived ingredients like honey.
Cruelty-free: No animals were tested in the making of this product.
Natural: There’s no clear definition on what natural means for products. Companies might use it to advertise the use of natural ingredients, but the FDA does regulate companies that label their products as “natural”. Keep an eye out for the ingredients list!
Organic: Agricultural ingredients used within product are certified organic
Non-toxic: Same as “clean”, does not contain toxic ingredients.
References:
Milman, Oliver. “US Cosmetics Are Full of Chemicals Banned by Europe – Why?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 22 May 2019, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/22/chemicals-in-cosmetics-us-restricted-eu.
Morosini, Daniela. “How To Spot (And Avoid) Greenwashing In Beauty.” British Vogue, Condé Nast, 14 Aug. 2019, www.vogue.co.uk/article/how-to-spot-and-avoid-greenwashing-in-beauty.