UNDERSTANDING CLEAN BEAUTY

Clean beauty is still a hot topic in the beauty world, starting as a niche positioning for brands which then became mainstream.

• 27% of US consumers now look for skincare products with as few ingredients as possible. (Mintel 2019)

• 76% of consumers felt misled by the labels on beauty products. (Soil Association 2019)

• 60% of consumers who desire clean products also want to see more “kitchen-like” ingredients. (Cosmetics & Toiletries 2018)

• 2/3 of consumers read ingredient labels for transparency. (Cosmetic & Toiletries 2018)

• 53% of consumers of FMCG said that the absence of undesirable ingredients in products is more important than the inclusion of beneficial ones. (Nielsen’s 2018 )

• ½ consumers globally identified “natural” claims as one of the top factors in purchase decisions. (Cosmetic & Toiletries 2018)

• 4 x the amount of vegan searches in the last 5 years. (Google 2019)

Many consumers are now looking for a clean approach to beauty and it is clear that there has been a shift in consumers attitudes, but do they really know what ‘clean beauty’ means? The answer is probably no. The reason I say that is because there is no universal definition or standard for ‘clean beauty’.

In this blog we breakdown the different approaches to clean beauty so you can decide what is important to your brand and consumer. To help further, we’ve collated them into 3 key areas.

1. Free From…

2. Natural & Organic

3. Animal Testing

Free from

Free from claims appear on many products and are often looked for by consumers. So before we delve into free from claims, it is worth noting that in the EU over 1,250 ingredients are banned from usage in cosmetics products and this list is always under review.

So, what type of free from claims are there.

1. Free from artificial fragrance. Artificial fragrances are often avoided as they can increase skin sensitivity so brands can opt for natural fragrances or hypo-allergenic fragrances that utilise a predetermined list of ingredients tested as suitable for sensitive skin.

2. Free from mineral oils. Mineral oils have been used for many years in the beauty industry with products such as Vaseline and baby oil using these as a main ingredient. They were used as a cheap and lightweight moisturising agent to help reduce water loss from the skin. However, they have been known to clog pores and cause blackheads or spots.

3. Free from silicones. Silicones have quite split views. Critics of their use reference that they can trap dirt in the skin which can clog pores and cause breakouts. They also claim that silicones block other active ingredients from getting through and are hard to remove from the skin. Supporters of silicones herald their usage for improvements to formula feel, leaving the skin feeling soft and silky. They claim silicones do not clog the pores as the scientific make up of silicones are too thick to penetrate. They also claim they do not trap dirt or stop penetration of other actives again due to their scientific make up. They act much like a tea bag – when applied to the skin any actives seep into the skin, much like tea infuses with water.

4. Free from SLS. Sodium lauryl sulphate is a great foaming agent and used in many facial cleansers and body washes. However, it is known to be a drying agent and strip the skin of moisture. Top tip – you skin should NOT squeak after you wash it. This means you have over cleansed. 

5. Free from phthalates. (DBP, DMP, DEHP, DEP) Phthalates were historically used in certain beauty products such as nail varnishes to reduce cracking and in hair spray to help reduce stiffness. DBP and DMP have been discontinued by the cosmetics industry. DEP is only periodically used, and most manufacturers are no longer using this ingredient. Others such as DEHP have no history of use in cosmetics products.

6. Free from parabens. Parabens are used to help extend the shelf life of cosmetics products and help prevent the growth of mould and bacteria within formulas. In studies it has been found that parabens have been found in tissue cells showing that they can penetrate the skin. It cannot be said categorically that parabens are bad for us but there are now other preservatives that manufacturers can use in their place.

7. Free from alcohol. When it comes to alcohol there is good and bad alcohol (and we are not talking cocktails!). The decision to be taken is if alcohol adds a benefit to the product type. Alcohols to 100% avoid include SD alcohol, denatured alcohol and isopropyl alcohol. Whereas, fatty alcohols in small amounts can improve skin texture and keep certain ingredients stable. These include cetyl, stearyl and cetearyl alcohol.

8. Free from artificial colours. Colours were previously used to help make formulations look more appealing or fit with a brands identity. There is no added skin benefit to this approach and artificial colours can increase skin sensitivity so should be avoided.

Natural & Organic

Many consumers look for natural or organic products. How a brand decides what is ‘natural’ has been open to interpretation with many brands using ‘derived from’ claims previously. If brands want to truly develop as natural there are certain standards to follow. These include COSMOS certification through the Soil Association or ISO 16128.

The difference between natural and organic has also been often confused. Natural products contain ingredients from plants or nature. Organic products take this to the next level and are made with non-GMO ingredients that have been grown and manufactured without chemicals.

Determining how natural your products are really does need some thought and how important this is to the consumer should be top of mind. You can take the approach of selecting the best ingredients to achieve you desired results and some of these will be natural and others not. You can decide to approach with a % natural claim or go fully natural.

Animal Testing & Vegan

Leaping Bunny is a great accreditation that can be put onto your products to certify that you have not tested on animals. It worth noting that the EU has had certain bans on animal testing for ingredients and finished products since 2003, and more recently in 2013 the EU completed a full ban on the sale of cosmetic animal-tested products. Many consumers do not understand this law and there is still confusion around this topic.

The vegan approach to life has been on the increase over the last few years. Google cited that vegan related searches quadrupled in the last 5 years and it now has 3 times more interest than vegetarian. Vegan products do not contain any ingredients derived from animals and can include mainly commonly used ingredients including honey, collagen, gelatin, keratin.

How does this affect your brand?

Hopefully you now feel a bit more informed om clean beauty. My overall recommendation on how to approach this is to really think about your consumer; listen to what they are asking for, know what are they looking for from their beauty products and tailor your brand and product decisions to meet their needs.

THE BEAUTY BRAND COACH