Not toxins and harmful ingredients, that’s for sure.
According to Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle website goop, “clean products are made without ingredients shown or suspected to harm human health”. The term “clean” is used by brands to signal that their products do not have unsafe ingredients, may it be natural or synthetic.
Since there’s currently no formal regulation of clean beauty or which product can claim the “clean” tag, the consensus in the industry is that the term refers to products that use natural and synthetic ingredients as long as they are safe for people and the planet.
Several brands promoting their clean products are also beginning to do away with harmful packaging, incorporating recycled plastic or paper into the whole package to lessen waste.
Wellness and beauty store Watsons recognizes brands that were mindfully created to better serve its customers and the planet. According to the store, “clean” products do not contain 10 ingredients it recognizes as harmful and unwanted.
Hydroquinone—used for skin lightening that may cause skin discoloration.
Triclosan—used a preservative that may cause hormone disruption.
Triclocarban—used a preservative that may cause hormone disruption.
Quaternium-15—used as a preservative that may cause skin allergies.
Chloroacetamide—used as preservative that may cause skin allergies.
Phthalates—used as a fragrance ingredient that may cause hormone disruption.
O-Phenylphenol—used as a preservative and fragrance ingredient that may cause respiratory problems and skin irritation.
Borates—used as an emulsifier or preservative that may cause skin irritation and hormone disruption.
Methylene Glycol—used as a preservative that may be carcinogenic.
Microplastics—used as an exfoliator which also absorb toxins in the water and hazardous to marine life.
For those interested in using clean beauty products, experts recommend checking the ingredient list before purchasing. Studies on natural and synthetic ingredients used in skincare and cosmetics are continuous, so better to be updated on which is harmful and which is not.
Further, there are several apps (Think Dirty, INCI Beauty, Detox Me, etc.) as well as websites (CosDNA, Environmental Working Group, Beautypedia, Skincarisma, etc.) that help consumers check the ingredients used in beauty products.
Watsons carries a number of brands and products tagged as Clean Beauty, including hair care brands Naturals by Watsons, Herbal Essences, and Nanny Roses; personal care brands such as Dove, Nivea, and Palmolive; and skincare products from Aveeno, Thayers, QuickFX, and Luxe Organix.
Shoppers can head to a Watsons store near them or shop online at watsons.com.ph or through the Watsons mobile app or via select stores’ call and delivery service.