Why Clean Beauty Matters + My Latest Swaps

Gosh, clean beauty.

Where to start? This is a tough topic to write about because there is just so much information about it.

But I would first like to announce something I’m VERY excited about:

I have started a Better Beauty Email list!

I assume that since you’ve already made the decision to give this post a good ‘ol *click* it means you’re curious about clean and/or better beauty. And hey, I know it’s a huge topic and so much ground to cover (why is it so hard to just be healthy and beautiful?!), which is why I want to make it easier on my followers and readers to receive (and understand) all the relevant and necessary info. So that you can be the best and most informed consumer that you can be!

So if you want to learn more about the why, how, where, and what of this whole movement, I highly recommend hitting the button below and entering your email.

P.S. Everyone who subscribes this week will be entered to win one of my FAVORITE clean beauty products AND be eligible for a special new subscriber offer!

So really – what’s the harm? Sign up below:

Click here to sign up for my Better Beauty email list!

So there are a few things I want to say before I get into all of it:

I am truly in no means trying to scare anyone into something (or out of something). I really just want to spread awareness since, even though it’s been gaining some traction recently, I don’t think this topic is talked about nearly enough.

I also want to make it clear that I am not a scientist and have no professional background in this topic, but believe the statistics and studies speak for themselves.

I also want to make sure you guys know I am not now, nor will ever be, a non-clean beauty shamer. It’s your choice! And I’m nowhere near being 100% clean in what I use, and I might never be! If none of the clean mascaras work for me, then I’m just going to use my non-clean mascara! But what’s the harm in trying a safer option to see if it works, ya know?

I really just want to continue to explore clean beauty because I love simplicity and love knowing what’s actually in the products I’m using. Because those labels are confusing AF and are a totally unfair aspect of the beauty industry that I think needs to be fixed ASAP.

So, does clean beauty matter?

Yes, BUT I think it all depends on how much you care about what’s going into and on your body. I’ve done the research and, to be completely honest, it’s pretty inconclusive. However, I will share the most powerful stats and studies that keep me wary of the “toxins” so many companies claim to be bad for us. And I will say, after all the inconclusiveness, I decided that clean beauty matters to me.

That EU stat is so maddening for me. The US really leaves it up to the consumer to read the impossible-to-read labels and make a (most likely uninformed) decision, instead of doing a better job of regulating it for us. Before I knew anything about this movement, I thought – well if it’s on the shelves, it can’t be thaaaat bad for us, right? Uh yeah no, there is literally zero (zilch!) regulation in the beauty industry. These are things we are using daily that are seeping into our skin or are potentially even ingesting (lip products), and the beauty industry can pretty much put anything they want into them.

The thing I found most interesting in my research was on the topic of parabens: In a 2004 study, they did find traces of parabens in samples of cancer tumors. But the study did not show that parabens were the cause or even contributed to cancer development, it only showed they were there. And what this meant is not yet clear. Not yet clear?! Um ok, well while we are still figuring out what it means, if it’s possible to avoid parabens (that Europe thought best to ban from the beauty industry), might as well avoid ’em, eh?

Also something important to consider is that it’s really really hard to determine what causes cancer (uh duh, that’s why we don’t have a cure yet). There are just so many things we are exposed to every single day, it’s impossible to figure out exactly what factors contribute to something like cancer. So even though we can’t conclusively say that any of these toxins cause cancer, I’ve decided it’s still best to avoid them if I can. But, again, it’s all up to you!

So, what are the main toxins you should try to avoid?

Parabens (methyl-, isobutyl-, propyl- and others)
A class of preservatives commonly used to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. Parabens are endocrine (or hormone) disruptors, which may alter important hormone mechanisms in our bodies. Found in: shampoo, face cleanser, body wash, body lotion, foundation.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG compounds)
PEGs are widely used in cosmetics as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture-carriers. Depending on manufacturing processes, PEGs may be contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, which are both carcinogens. Found in: creams, sunscreen, shampoo.

Phthalates (DBP, DEHP, DEP and others)
A class of plasticizing chemicals used to make products more pliable or to make fragrances stick to skin. Phthalates disrupt the endocrine system and may cause birth defects. Found in: synthetic fragrance, nail polish, hairspray, and plastic materials.

Oxybenzone
Sunscreen agent and ultraviolet light absorber linked to irritation, sensitization and allergies, and possible hormone disruption. Found in: sunscreen, moisturizer.

For a more complete list, I like to refer to Beautycounter’s Never List.

At the end of the day, my clean beauty journey stems from two main motivations:

1. I love buying smart. It feels good to know what ingredients are and how they can potentially affect our bodies, inside and out. Making informed decisions as a consumer, and otherwise, is empowering.

2. I want to be beautiful. I want a clear, balanced, and healthy complexion. And a lot of no-no toxins are known to have estrogen-like properties, and any kind of hormone imbalance can cause skin issues and more. So I’m choosing to use products that help me avoid those chemicals as best I can. The best part about the better beauty/ clean beauty movement is there are so many options out there – and a LOT of great ones to choose from! So if there’s a product out there that works PLUS comes with a little piece of mind, then why not?

Looking to make some clean beauty swaps? Scroll below to see my latest swaps and make sure to check out My Favorite Clean Beauty Brands post. Another great resource is Sephora’s Clean At Sephora page (plus the products have badges so when you’re just scrolling through any assortment on their website, you can easily identify the cleaner options). And if you just want to try out one brand and not mess around with all these options, I can strongly recommend Beautycounter as the way to go. They have the widest assortment of clean products (that work) that I’ve seen. Plus, I love their packaging and their 60-day return policy.