MARCH 18, 2021 / Skincare

Clean Beauty Is a Scam

Yes, you heard that right clean beauty is a SCAM. The media and manufacturers like to play with your head to get some coin. Not only is this misleading information corrupt, but it also puts consumers in fear for no good reason. Let me explain.

What Does Clean Beauty Mean?

Clean beauty deems safe ingredients “harmful” and celebrates more sensitizing and irritating ones instead, to put it very bluntly. “Clean” beauty products consist of mainly essential oils and natural ingredients.

The clean beauty community calls out various ingredients that have been safe for years and label clean beauty products “free of” them. For example, we have all seen “paraben-free,” “silicone-free,” or even “chemical-free” news flash, everything is a chemical.

Guess what! “Clean beauty” is also formulated with preservatives. You cannot develop a product without them, as bacteria and fungi grow very quickly, in turn causing skin infections and irritation.

The problem with “Clean Beauty” or “Natural Beauty” is that it’s a deceptive statement and is not a regulated term. There are no scientific explanations to back up these false claims. Clean beauty isn’t something the FDA puts its stamp of approval on. The term “clean” means nothing.

Clean beauty focuses on natural ingredients and shames synthetic ingredients. However, natural isn’t always safer and better for your skin.

Ingredients made in a lab are controlled to eliminate common allergens and don’t disrupt or take from mother nature. For more on natural and synthetic fragrances, refer to my blog post: Understanding Fragrance In Cosmetics.

So you’re walking down the aisle in your local drug store looking for a new moisturizer, and you’re telling me all the ones that don’t say “clean beauty” are toxic? Pish Posh. Here’s the thing, ingredients that have been around for a long time that don’t say “clean” are very safe and effective and are getting bad reps from the corrupt clean beauty movement.

Celebrities, manufacturers, and even the EWG (Environmental Working Group) all have misled you into thinking certain ingredients are harmful so they can make products “free of” these ingredients to sell and make money. This is the simple truth.

From Gwyneth Paltrow stating certain safe ingredients is the same as putting anti-freeze on your face to Bella Thorne’s Haper’s BAZAAR nighttime skincare routine, smearing lemon juice and coconut oil all over her face. It’s scary out there, ya’ll.

The Environmental Working Group sounds promising if you never heard of it before. These are just a group of people who are not doctors or scientists. They make false claims to gain profits. They are not focused on science or being correct; they have a financial influence on everything they state. They are not a reliable source when it comes to skincare.

Manufacturers make products in response to consumer demands. I can guarantee that if everyone on Instagram posted how they wish they had hemp seed oil in all their skincare products, slowly, but surely brands would have hemp seed oil products coming out of the walls. Are you catching what I’m throwing here?

Products that aren’t in the clean beauty section or haven’t been stickered “clean beauty” doesn’t mean they’re toxic or carcinogenic. This is so confusing for consumers. They’re designed to trick you into thinking you must throw all your existing products out and can only buy theirs because they’re “safer.” This is bs and bad marketing.

The only thing that can potentially cause problems in ANY product is the chance you might be allergic to something, whether a product is “clean” or not.

The Clean beauty list of falsely accused ingredients

Here’s a list of a few ingredients that have been (undeservedly) called out for being “toxic” or cancer-causing.

Preservatives/Parabens

These are put in products to keep them from growing bacteria and fungi. These have been around for a long time and cause no health threats. As a matter of fact, in 2019, The American Contact Dermatitis stated parabens are the safest preservative as they do not cause any irritation or sensitivity.

Mineral Oil

Non-sensitizing, moisturizing ingredient, great for skin replenishment.

Petrolatum

Humectant, non-allergenic, sits on top of the skin to seal in water and protect. It can be used on open wounds for healing. Petrolatum is Vaseline…

Propylene Glycol

Penetration enhancers for actives, also a humectant.

Silicone/Dimethicone

Skin-soothing, used for “slip” in cosmetics, and binds water to the skin.

Aluminum Salts

They are used in Deodorants and antiperspirants to prevent excess sweating.

Let’s touch on this natural deodorant, crapola, for a second. Aluminum has been getting a bad rep for years now, claiming it causes breast cancer. Aluminum salts in deodorants have not been shown to cause breast cancer in any of the many studies that have been done.

“Natural deodorant,” on the other hand, not only do they not work, but they’re also very irritating due to all the essential oils put into them. I haven’t seen one natural deodorant without the damn essential oils.

The problem with leaving essential oils in a skin fold area like that where it’s continuously being rubbed is that they’re sensitizing, to begin with, and with increased friction, make them more problematic.

Lathering your underarms with lavender oil isn’t helping the problem. It’s only making you smell like a stinky flower…

To put your mind more at ease on this matter. Here are just two of many final statements from reputable sources.

“There are no strong epidemiologic studies in the medical literature that link breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use, and very little scientific evidence to support this claim.” – American Cancer Society

“There is no evidence that the use of antiperspirants increases your risk for breast cancer…there is no link between aluminum and breast cancer risk.” – Canadian Cancer Society

Clean Beauty Is Not Environmentally Friendly

There is a common misunderstanding that if a product is natural, is it better for your skin and the planet. This is far from correct.

Clean beauty focuses on a lot of natural ingredients. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to produce these natural ingredients with such high demand.

Each natural extract varies from manufacture to manufacture. It all depends on the conditions of their resources, how stable these extracts are, and much more.

For example, squalene an ingredient naturally found in our skin’s oil. It is also abundant in fish, sharks as well as olive oil.

Why kill marine life or extract from plants when you can make the same thing in a lab?

Why take from the earth when it can be exactly replicated in a lab safely?

There is A LOT of sourcing and forced slave labor that goes into extracting these ingredients. It is not as pretty as it sounds. That’s a whole other topic in itself.

Lets keep it real

I don’t believe all products labeled clean beauty are bad products. It is just the corrupt marketing that needs to go.

Instead of these clean beauty brands sh*tting on safe ingredients, I’d like to see them come out with reusable or recyclable packaging. That is something that can change up beauty game for the better and help our planet.

Telling lies as your marketing tactic to boost sales is slimy.

I have always been a firm believer in science, and I’m always making sure it’s been backed up before I go on yapping about something. It’s disheartening and confusing for these claims to be falsely made.

In conclusion, clean beauty is a deceptive statement. It is all a marketing tactic. There are enormous financial influences behind these claims.

Skincare in your local drug store or in your medicine cabinets are not toxic or harmful to your health. It’s essential to understand what your skin needs and stick to that. All the trends and marketing can throw you for a loop.

Lil ol’ me has a small voice next to these vast money-making corporations, but I can assure you I’m always honest with what I write.