What is “Clean” beauty? 

Currently there is no legal definition of “Clean” as it applies to cosmetics, skin, and hair care. While there are many organizations and blogs that will give their ratings for clean brands, the use of the term is not regulated and therefore may be used by brands for marketing purposes when it does not actually apply. 

“Clean Beauty” is generally defined as products that are formulated with only proven safe and non-toxic ingredients, and brands having clearly disclosed their ingredients lists for transparency and honesty. It is distinct from “organic” and “natural” as those terms are also not regulated, and many organic or natural ingredients can still be unsafe for topical use. Many synthetic ingredients are also completely safe, and even better for cosmetic use than their natural counterparts. 

What makes a brand “Clean”? 

Brands manufactured in the EU are subject to EU Cosmetic Production Regulation, which bans over 1300 ingredients from use in cosmetic products. This does not guarantee a brand is Clean however, as other organizations have compiled lists of over 2700 ingredients deemed unsafe due to potential risk as allergens, carcinogens, hormone  disruptors, and toxicity to the environment or human body. 

The brands we have marked as Clean have either been verified to use 100% safe natural ingredients, or go above and beyond the EU standards in how they formulate their products. Many self-labeled Clean brands will also go the extra mile to provide a “No-List” of the ingredients they exclude to support their claim.

While the complete list is very long, here are some of the main ingredients to avoid when shopping Clean: – Parabens – Sulfates – Phthalates – Talc – Formaldehyde – Petrolatum – Cyclic Silicones –  Polyethylene Glycol (PEGS) – Oxybenzone & octinoxate – Triclosan – Coal tar – BHA/BHT –  Polyacrylamide – Ethanolamines (MEA, DEA, TEA, MEA, ETA)  

Clean Brands Spotlight

SKINCARE / BODY
Aztec Secret
Bare Republic
Bite Toothpaste
Bump Patrol (Patrol Grooming)
Caudalie
Cleo + Coco
Dickinson’s Witch Hazel
Dr. Bronner’s
Dr. Hauschka
Egyptian Magic
Eminence
EO Products
Goldfaden MD
Hardworking Gentlemen
Herbivore
Heritage Store
Jao
Kai
Lavanila
Mad Hippie
MD Solar Sciences
Montana Emu Ranch
Moroccan Magic
Noriko
Okay Pure Naturals
Olivella
ORG Skincare
Plant Therapy
PurErb
Silcskin
Taha Natural
Thayers Witch Hazel
Timeless Skin Care
To-Go Spa
Vie En Rose
Weleda
Xotics

MAKEUP
Blinc
Colorescience
EcoBrow
Eleman Beauty
Esum
Ilia Beauty
Jane Iredale
Jillian Dempsey
Kjaer Weis
Kosas Cosmetics
LYS Beauty
RMS Beauty
Sweed Beauty
Tinge
Youngblood

HAIRCARE

ABBA Hair Care
AG Care
Briogeo
ColorProof
Cult + King
Ethica
EVO
Kai
Kinky Curly
Love & Snow
Original Minerals (O&M)
Original Sprout
Oway
Rahua
Reverie
RŌZ

OTHER
BeautyBlender
Medic Murder Mix
Sana.Sana Apothecary (Germaphobe)