Chemical-free, oil-free, free from parabens & sulfates, sustainable, and much more terms are in trend nowadays. Do these terms used to safeguard people from harm or to attract people? Let us find out.
Reason for the clean beauty
Organic products are called clean, which is in trend. I will be using the word clean in this article from now. A couple of years ago, natural products are sold in small stores with green leaves decorated on the labels. It was considered a separate niche by the beauty brands. But now, famous beauty brands are promoting their products as natural. The reason behind this is consumer awareness in the first place. Many natural and ayurvedic brands have garnered more attention, gained huge profits, and increased sales in recent years.
What made consumers switch to natural products?
Problems and side effects faced by people using beauty products are the reason behind this. There have been high-profile lawsuits on Jhonson & Jhonson that claimed to cause cancer from their baby powder. Several claims like these made consumers think Chemicals = Harmful. Because of this, all beauty brands made their products free of chemicals to attract the audience.
The question is, is it for real or an advertising strategy?
Well, the answer is both. It depends on the consumers. Some brands use it as a marketing strategy for attention and still have harmful chemicals in their products. Apart from advertisement in television and newspapers, social media plays a huge role today. The word given by our favourite YouTubers and influencers makes us go and buy the product without a second thought.
While some brands use it for advertising, some brands genuinely do it to benefit the consumers and the environment. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and not fall into the traps of the beauty industry.
Many consumers are now aware of looking into the ingredients list mentioned to buy products. From the ingredients, you will be able to identify the percentage of the particular chemicals in the products. Many brands show the complete ingredients list of products to gain customer trust. If the ingredients list is incomplete, it is evident that it is a scam.
All the beauty products with less or no fragrance indicate it is safe to use.
So then natural = safe? Is it worth the attention?
Now the big question is, are natural products safe? Yes, natural products are safe, but some natural oil exposed to sunlight can damage our skin. Now, man-made products come into the picture which are said to be an alternative to natural products. Man-made products are made in a laboratory. They are not derived from a natural source but are manufactured to remove harmful oils from natural products by removing dangerous components and making the final product safe. Chemically modified products have the same composition and molecules as natural ones. Thus,
- To have a healthy lifestyle, you need to avoid harsh treatments and products on the skin and go the natural way.
- Great things take time. You need to be patient for the transition to organic beauty.
Bursting the myths
Myth 1: Chemical products are bad
All skincare brands are made of chemicals. The branding by clean beauty brands has made chemical a bad word. Your products can contain lab-made ingredients derived from plant ingredients. These are no lesser than natural products.
Myth 2: Organic products need to be expensive
Customer misconception is that if the products are labeled “natural” the products need to be more expensive than normal brands. That is not true. Natural, so-called clean beauty can start from using aloe vera from your house, coconut oil as a deep moisturizer for removing makeup, etc. These can be bought from your near local store.
Myth 3: All clean beauty brands are sustainable
Many beauty brands try to follow this but not all clean beauty brands are sustainable. Sustainable in the beauty industry means:
- The products are natural and organic i.e., free from sulfates, parabens, and other chemicals that may potentially damage the environment.
- All the products are manufactured keeping the environment in mind. It includes less pollution during the process and recyclable packaging as well.
- Sustainable skincare products use the zero-waste principle. A product is considered zero waste when it is cruelty-free, vegan, non-toxic, made from eco-certified ingredients, recyclable, and compostable.
Here the problem is when the brand is said to be organic, everyone thinks it is sustainable. Who doesn’t want to choose an eco-friendly brand? But, to manufacture a quality product at a lower price with all the above-mentioned conditions is quite tough. Thus, many brands claim to have this by just naming the label and using it in their marketing strategy. It is our responsibility to look thoroughly at the product before purchase. Brands need to be verified either through certification or by analysis to prove that their claims are true.
What next?
By now, I guess all your doubts are answered. There have been many improvements in our beauty industry and products than before. One of them is to stop animal testing. Earlier, most harmful chemicals and ingredients were usually tested on animals before the products were sold to customers. But after clean beauty came into the picture, there have been immense changes within the industry as well as consumer buying behaviour. These are the change we need to see that is finally happening. Consumers are the largest system in all industries. Thus, if we change our thoughts, all the emerging brands will change accordingly.
“Vegan certified” and “Cruelty-free” on the product labels are the change we all have been waiting for, and it is happening, which is great.
To conclude, not falling for overhyped trends is the key. If a product has worked best for you for years, stick to it.
Transparency is crucial in clean beauty. You cannot read only the label and conclude. Be aware of ingredients as I mentioned in this article. Know what works for you. Consulting a dermatologist is best if you are confused.
. . .
References: