As a skin expert, I’m often asked about the latest trends in beauty, and one of the most common terms at the moment is “Clean Beauty”.

It sounds so appealing right?

Products that are free from “harmful” ingredients, eco-friendly and gentle on your skin. But before you get too excited about the latest “clean” product in your skincare routine, it’s important to consider a few things. 

Some brands claim that their products are clean because they avoid certain ingredients like parabens, sulfates and synthetic fragrances. Others might emphasize natural, organic, or sustainably sourced. While this sounds great on paper, the term “clean” can be a bit of a marketing buzzword without much consistency. 

In my experience, most people that are looking for “clean beauty” are actually looking for synthetic free products. The problem? “Clean” beauty isn’t officially regulated. I can’t stress enough that there is nothing WRONG with using products that have synthetic ingredients in them.

Think of it like this: You're going to eat pre-packaged snacks, just maybe not every meal and every day. But having this on occasion isn’t going to kill you. Especially if for the most part, you are snacking on healthier items. Now if all you were consuming is pre-packaged food, you might not feel so great.

So, the key here is moderation. 

The Reality

Sensitivities can be developed where there is an over use of synthetic ingredients over time. There are synthetic preservation methods that are known to be HIGHLY effective and broad-spectrum options. These are ingredients approved by the FDA and are absolutely safe in certain quantities, however – if they are in every single skincare product that you use and you're doing a 10 step skincare routine morning and night… now you're using way more of that specific ingredient than was approved. 

But that’s on YOU as the consumer to manage for yourself, not the brands responsibility. 

The best thing you can do, is manage how many products you use and know what’s in them. Any product with active ingredients such as Vitamin A or C needs strong preservation as these are highly unstable ingredients. 

Anything with water in a product will need to be preserved, otherwise it would spoil very quickly and start to grow some unfriendly bacteria, fungus or mold. If you are someone that wants to use completely synthetic free products, there are absolutely plant-based preservation ingredients – they are just not as widely used as they are more expensive and don’t hold stability as well as some of the other alternatives.

Its important that big brands have strong preservation methods as it could be years before the product ever gets to you between manufacturing, transporting and sitting on shelves before it’s purchased.

 So, What Can You Do?

Look Beyond the Buzzwords

Know Your Skin

Do Your Research

Talk To A Professional!

In Conclusion

Take the time to read ingredient lists, understand what’s in your products and support brands that genuinely align with your needs and values. And in general, it’s always best to consult with a professional, because your skin is completely unique to you and just because a product is trending online, doesn’t mean it will be right for YOUR skin.

I hope this helps shed some light on why you should be cautions with “clean” beauty claims! Have any of you been caught up in the clean beauty trend? Let me know in the comments, and lets chat!