I started my “clean beauty” journey in September 2017. After being diagnosed with a reproductive illness, I decided to re-evaluate the food I was putting into my body. I then decided to also focus on the types of products I was putting on my body. What I learned was incredibly eye-opening and made me really recognize the importance of finding better beauty and skincare products.
Don’t Focus on Terminology
Now, before getting into some details, I want to start off with the terminology. Usually, you see the term “clean” precede “beauty” or “skincare.” However, bear in mind this is not a universal term; you will also see terms such as “natural” or “non-toxic.” There is absolutely no consensus on what each of these descriptors really means. So, you need to take the terminology with a grain of salt. These terms are really just a way to express a concept — beauty or skincare products that do not contain the types of ingredients that will actually damage your skin or are known to cause illnesses, such as cancers or birth defects. As such, do not focus on the terminology – focus on the ingredients.
And, what ingredients do you definitely want to avoid? Well, you want to avoid parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan and synthetic fragrances and dyes. If a product claims to be “clean” or “natural” or “non-toxic” but still contains these ingredients, you need to research that product’s ingredients as it may not really be clean.
Update: As of late, I have noticed some brands using the term “ultra-clean” to describe their products. This essentially means that the products are primarily, if not entirely, plant-based or vegan. It means that there are essentially no additives or allergens in the product. This is a particularly huge plus for women looking for products to use during pregnancy.
Research, Research, Research
There is a lot of information on the internet about cosmetics products, yet finding a resource you can trust is essential. Fortunately, I pretty quickly discovered the Environmental Working Group (aka “EWG”). The EWG is a non-profit organization that seeks to shine the light on exactly what is in the products we consume and use each day. In addition to having a great website, they also have an app called “EWG’s Healthy Living.” The app provides product health and safety ratings for over 200,000 food and cosmetics products so you can easily search the contents of products before purchasing.
Once I found the app, I started searching the contents of the various beauty products I was using. Needless to say, I was in for quite the awakening. As I typed each product into the search function of the app, I began to throw products out without any hesitation; I was putting highly toxic products on my skin every single day and they needed to go immediately.
Update: I love EWG’s app, but after moving to France I discovered the Yuka app. I find it easier to use than EWG. It allows you to simply scan the barcode of the product to learn about the ingredients of the product. Yuka also tracks the stricter ingredient standards of the European Union. This means that some products marked as “safe” or “good” by EWG will rate as “poor” or “bad” by Yuka.
Finding the Clean Skincare Products Easily
Fortunately, many retailers, such as the Dermstore, Nordstrom, Birchbox, and Sephora, have started to devote pages on their websites specifically to clean skincare products. I recommend using these sites as a starting point to identify products that you would like to try. And, even better, each of these retailers has a great return policy and some will even provide you with samples before buying.
Additionally, there are more and more retailers – online and local – who only stock non-toxic beauty products. One of my favorites is Ivy Wild Beauty, a store with an online presence who used to have a physical retail space in the Washington D.C. area. The owner is fabulous and incredibly helpful. You should definitely reach out if you have any queries. Another option is The Green Beauty Jungle, which has a wide variety of products and ships to the EU, US, and Canada.
Change Products Slowly and One at a Time
Now, I would actually recommend that you do not do a dramatic purge (like I did) and change all of your products at once. Instead, slowly introduce one new product into your routine at a time. Usually, you will start to see results after about 14 days. If you experience any negative reaction, you can expect that to manifest in about 3-5 days. I recommend you start by removing one toxic product and replacing it with one clean product. If you do not have a reaction after 3-5 days and start to see results after about 14 days, then the product is likely worth keeping.
What to Do If You Have a Bad Reaction
What do you do if you have a bad reaction? First, immediately discontinue use and allow your skin to breath (i.e. avoid putting makeup on your face and just wash, cleanse, tone each day). Next, take a look at the ingredient list and see if you can identify the ingredient that caused the reaction. For example, many clean makeup brands are made with a coconut oil base. However, for me, coconut oil-based products cause horrible breakouts on my face. While my hands, feet and legs love coconut oil, my face hates it. Just learn the ingredients that do not work for you so you can be mindful in future product purchases.
Additional Considerations
There is much more to convey about clean skincare than I can do in this post. So, consider this an introduction. I intend to delve deeper into this topic by writing posts on deodorant, perfume, face oils, sunscreen, makeup, nail polish (French brands here), and anything else that I manage to switch to “clean.” I will provide product recommendations, tips, and resources that will be helpful as you begin your clean skincare (and beyond) journey.
Finally, for me, at least, my clean beauty journey is about improving my skin – not covering up my flaws. However, investing in clean skincare products will only produce limited results. If you want to see real change in your skin, you also need to ensure you are putting quality products inside of your body. Focus on drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day, taking a multi-vitamin, exercising multiple times per week, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables!
Resources:
- Environmental Working Group: www.ewg.org
- Yuka App: https://yuka.io/en/
- 5 Bogus Cosmetic Claims by Paula’s Choice: https://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/skincare-advice/myths/five-bogus-cosmetic-claims.html
- Art of Organics: https://artoforganics.com/pages/definition-of-clean-beauty
Clean Skincare and Beauty Brands I Use (or Have Sampled with Success):
- Caudalie
- Odacite
- Herbivore
- Acure Organics
- Savor Beauty
- Elemis
- Earth Tu Face
- Peek Beauty – Color Cosmetics
- Ilia Beauty
- RMS Beauty
- Suntegrity Skincare
- Honest Beauty
Updated to include this link with a comprehensive review + list of clean skincare products I have tried