How to Find Clean Beauty Products
If you’re starting a low-tox living lifestyle or just looking for ways to minimize the number of harmful chemicals in your beauty routine, you might be curious about how to find clean beauty products. After all, some beauty brands pack their products full of substances that can be harmful to our bodies. Finding clean alternatives doesn’t have to be a treasure hunt, so I’m here to help you find brands that are dedicated to providing beauty products without these harmful substances.
How to Find Clean Beauty Products
More and more clean beauty brands are popping up on the market. So much, so that large retailers like Target and Sephora now have emblems to differentiate clean beauty products from others.
There’s just one caveat: The label “clean” is actually not regulated by any agency. In fact, one brand’s definition of clean can be quite different than another. To make things even more confusing, some items are non-toxic yet don’t have special labeling to indicate them.
How to define a product as “clean”
There is no standard definition of what’s considered “clean”. Generally, products that don’t contain ingredients that are harmful to people or the environment fall into this category.
There’s a pretty hefty list of potentially harmful ingredients and contaminants that are legally allowed for use in cosmetic and personal care products.
Some of these ingredients include:
Many of these ingredients are known as endocrine disruptors. Some have even been linked to serious conditions including cancer with long-term exposure.
Keep in mind that many of these substances won’t likely harm you with short-term, limited exposure. But imagine coming in contact with them every day for years and even decades. You probably don’t have to imagine since we all have products that we love and use daily.
If you have conditions like fibroids, endometriosis, or other hormonal-related conditions, these substances are taxing to a body that likely already has an overburdened immune and excretory system.
Before you panic, know that you can’t avoid every toxin or harmful chemical. However, you can reduce your body’s toxic load by removing things from your environment over time. Remember, it’s the small, consistent changes over time that have the greatest impact.
Here are four tips that will help you narrow down your search and find the products that are right for you.
Four Tips for Finding Clean Beauty Products
1. Download the EWG HealthyLiving app.
I can’t tell you how often I used this app when I first began switching to clean beauty products.
The database is really comprehensive, so you’ll be able to find many products. There are other apps, but EWG is the one I use the most.
2. Use “clean” emblems to narrow your search.
This labeling makes it helpful to figure out which products might work. Then you can scan them on the app. At the time of this post, Target still allows fragrance on the ingredients list of their clean products.
3. Get familiar with no-no ingredients.
This way, you can quickly skim labels. Fragrance is one of the most common and easiest to spot immediately.
4. Email the brand directly.
Yes, I’ve actually done this. In my experience brands that have nothing to hide don’t. If a brand doesn’t give a direct answer about an ingredient I’m questioning, it’s a red flag.
Remember, you don’t have to be perfect. I’ve purchased many products that I thought were non-toxic. Only to realize that I had been duped by misleading labeling. Usually, I kept those products and used them up. Unless you’re really ill, it’s not likely that using a not-so-clean product for a month or two will cause any severe issues, especially if you’re making other healthy lifestyle adjustments.
Clean Beauty Brands I Love
This is not a comprehensive list of clean beauty brands. But I find myself reaching for products from these companies the most.
Also, some of these brands have beauty products that are EWG verified. Meaning these products meet the Environmental Working Group’s standard for safety.
Beautycounter
If you follow me over on Instagram, you already know that I’m a raving fan of Beautycounter and many of their products. They set the bar for safer, high-quality ingredients. You can shop with my link here.
Some of my top product picks from Beautycounter:
MILK
MILK’s clean makeup products take me back to my days working behind the beauty counter in retail. The chic branding and high performance give hot girl vibes but in a non-toxic way.
KOSAS
Kosas hits the mark with their makeup for me. Clean makeup with a broad shade range that performs well. Take all my money!
Melanin Hair Care
Finding hair care products that are fragrance-free for black hair has been the bain of my existence until recently. However, what takes this brand up a notch is that the conditioner and hair oil are multi-use.
Figuring out how to find clean beauty products doesn’t have to be a mystical puzzle. I hope this post helps you start building your clean beauty arsenal so you can start cutting out harmful ingredients and supporting brands that have the same values you do.
