You see it often portrayed as the icon of a check mark, a leaf, or a tree stamped on your go-to moisturizer’s bottle or at the back of your eyeshadow palette. The label “clean beauty” has been floated around for some time now, without necessarily and explicitly being termed as such. Today, the clean beauty movement is synonymous with the business of mindfulness—mindful of one’s environment, of one’s overall health and wellness, of one’s impact on the others around them.
A common misconception is that clean beauty is all-natural or all-organic, and this is usually tailed by descriptors such as paraben-free or toxin-free. While some of this may be good and true, clean beauty is not solely defined by the use of natural products. Over time, synthetic products that are both safe for human consumption and leave minimal impact on the natural world have been accepted as better alternatives.
Skincare and cosmetics have historically always been derived from natural materials.
But what exactly does your tedious nightly multi-step skincare routine have to do with the trees and the seas? Its long affinity has been told in the pages of history books: Ayurvedic healing treatments used botanicals, Chinese remedies favored herbs and animal byproducts, while kohl and malachite smeared the eyes of Egyptian nobles. Skincare and cosmetics have historically always been derived from natural materials.
As we become more aware of our impact on planet Earth, the realization that we will not have these materials forever has dawned on many. Because of this, there is bubbling concern over the consumption and use of natural ingredients in formulating one’s beauty regimen. Because of this, beauty enterprises are fulfilling their roles in sustainability by using precious resources sparingly and enforcing an ethical production line. This drills back to the point of mindful consumption, where beauty brands, big and small, are taking sustainability seriously.
Seal of approval
In large part, clean beauty still does not conform to a singular standard nor comply with a singular regulatory body. But all cosmetics and skincare products are encouraged to be vetted and certified by the Food & Drug Administration, even those in the Philippines. This seal of approval ensures that cosmetic products sold on the market are properly labeled, to prevent the everyday consumer from being misinformed. It also regulates the use of color additives and prohibits toxic ingredients such as poisonous substances like chloroform, mercury compounds, and hexachlorophene. Other banned substances include chlorofluorocarbon propellants and zirconium-containing complexes, which are commonly used in aerosol sprays, materials that contain cattle byproducts, and cancer-causing vinyl chloride.
On average, women may apply an estimated 168 chemicals on their bodies each day. It was widely accepted for some time, but as more and more consumers are educating themselves on every minute ingredient in their beauty regimen, consumers are favoring products that protect their skin and enrich it with the best possible ingredients.
Brands such as The Ordinary and Inkey List are on the right path by naming their products after the very ingredients that make them. It is recommended by the FDA that in labeling products, there is no regulation for the terms “organic” and “natural,” and instead they ask brands to list ingredients by their common or usual names without the aforementioned adjectives.
But the FDA does not have a clear standard for what it is to be “clean” nor does it label beauty brands as such. Other bodies are authorized to dole out coveted certifications that drill down on a variety of relevant and conscious categories.
Brands may apply to become a “B Corp,” sustainability’s golden ticket awarded to companies that are able to demonstrate their ability to create a positive impact, be it in their social or environmental performance. Currently, only 7,000 companies hold the title of B Corp. Each one is vetted and assessed by B Labs, a global nonprofit network that meticulously grades companies, from the very way they select their suppliers, to their codes of ethics, their environmental management system, and their commitment to diversity. The question of fair trade and if products are correctly priced according to just working standards and sustainable production are also covered by the assessment.
Known B Corps under the umbrella of beauty include The Body Shop, Inkey List, Aesop, Le Labo, Davines, UpCircle, and Eva NYC. Some 26 beauty B Corps have banded together to form a coalition with the mission to improve four key issues: ingredient sourcing and sustainability, greener logistics, packaging responsibility, and consistent and clear external messaging.
Kara Peck, Strategy & Partnerships senior director of B Lab US and Canada, said in a statement: “The work of the coalition is going to greatly accelerate the beauty and the personal care industry’s—and our economy’s—shift to a just, regenerative, zero-carbon future.”
Ingredients’ integrity
On average, women may apply an estimated 168 chemicals on their bodies each day. It was widely accepted for some time, but as more and more consumers are educating themselves on every minute ingredient in their beauty regimen, consumers are favoring products that protect their skin and enrich it with the best possible ingredients. With the acute shift towards healthier lifestyles, educated beauty junkies are taking their sweet time in reviewing each ingredient in the products that they apply to their skin. This has become akin to how a chef would choose the freshest produce in the market to make his dishes.
In response to ingredient-conscious consumers, beauty brands are blending environmental sustainability with a trend called “green chemistry.” The latter means that brands are swapping some ingredients with bio-based or plant-based ones, while they may also retain synthetic materials when natural materials are unavailable.
It’s been reported that personal care items such as facial cleaners and shower gels were tested for microplastic that can make its way into the human body.
One such local brand, Pure Culture, did not have to adjust to this shift, as it was founded on offering skincare that draws from the powers of nature. The brand grounds itself on mindfulness and commits to utilizing ingredients that are grown, harvested, and mined ethically, sustainably, and responsibly.
“Pure Culture educates and brings awareness to gentler, cleaner, and more natural alternatives,” says Kim Reyes-Palanca, Pure Culture’s co-founder. “We have a checklist of banned ingredients that we have committed to never use on any of our products.” The brand prides itself on being vegan-friendly, toxin-, allergy-, and cruelty-free. Apart from this, they are committed to partnering with like-minded suppliers, labs, and companies, and are the first Philippine brand to be certified by Safe Cosmetics Australia. A trusted certifying body, Safe Cosmetics Australia is an organization that advocates for toxic-free products and sets standards for ingredient selection that factors in skin health, the natural environment, and the laws of chemistry.
In relation to ingredient selection, clean and green beauty adheres to ethical sourcing of materials. In recent years, certain practices in cosmetics production have been shunned. In India and Madagascar, child labor and dangerous working environments have been linked to mining mica, the ingredient that is used to give eyeshadow its shimmer and color. Forests and thousands of trees are destroyed to harvest palm oil, a crucial provision of vitamin E in many skincare products and a component in 70 percent of cosmetics. What was once the norm, animal testing is no longer widely accepted as it promotes animal cruelty.
Thankfully, big beauty is learning from past mistakes and embracing ethical sourcing. Take the international brand, The Body Shop, as an example. The B Corp has pioneered a Community Fair Trade program that is now almost 40 years old. Through this, they adhere to safety measures and just working practices to produce key ingredients such as shea butter, all while providing women with working opportunities in rural areas where these are scarce. Most recently, The Body Shop along with other brands have announced that they will seek more working opportunities for refugees. “Here at The Body Shop, we’ve been growing our inclusive hiring practices across our markets for several years now providing jobs to people who desperately need economic stability and the kind of securities that many of us take for granted,” said Ian Bickley, its newly appointed CEO.
Natural selection
Sustainably sourced ingredients go hand in hand with responsibly-made packaging that considers its effects on the environment before and after a product’s life cycle. Brands are turning to alternative materials such as beeswax, seaweed, recycling paper, and other materials to replace plastic, glass, and metals which are said to contribute 120 units of landfill waste every year. For brands, this does not just help reduce pollution overall but aids in bringing down their costs, making the trade-off favorable for both beauty and Mother Earth. As for consumers, the use of more natural materials can limit human exposure to plastics, microplastics, and other unsafe materials. It’s been reported that personal care items such as facial cleaners and shower gels were tested for microplastic that can make its way into the human body.
The terms “clean” and “green” beauty will undoubtedly see many changes in the upcoming years, as consumers and producers enter a more enlightened and educated stage.
The packaging process is currently undergoing major scrutiny from certain beauty brands, who are making more conscious decisions, aside from frivolous ones. The Body Shop, for example, partners with artisan communities in Nepal to supply their handcrafted paper and gift boxes. But the environmental efforts do not halt there. They have also introduced an elaborate recycling scheme called Scan2Recycle in the U.K. to encourage customers to deposit their beauty packaging at any The Body Shop store so they may give bottles, glass, or plastic a second life.
Locally, brands like Pure Culture practice sustainable methods from their boxes to their bottles. They make it a point to use unbleached, recyclable boxes, honeycomb wrappers and fillers, and glass instead of plastic. They also choose to work with couriers who carry compostable and biodegradable mailers for their delivery cycle.
“Most people may get intimidated or overwhelmed when it comes to being more environmentally conscious. It’s not an all-or-nothing approach, and we hope our efforts inspire others to take simple steps in their own way,” says Kim. “We like to say, ‘small steps, big changes’ at Pure Culture, and this applies to nurturing our skin, our soul, and our surroundings. These all add up and help us build a conscious collective that can realize that change.”
The terms “clean” and “green” beauty will undoubtedly see many changes in the upcoming years, as consumers and producers enter a more enlightened and educated stage. As we witness its evolution, hopefully, a defined label, set industry standards, and unifying all-encompassing body will arise to make this new version of beauty products clearer. Till then, there is comfort in knowing that some brands practice future-thinking and are not taking the clean movement lightly. These brands are constantly searching for ways to positively impact health, community, and nature while making sure not to sacrifice their product experience and its ethos of making women feel beautiful and confident.
