It's time to come clean - For years we’ve been bombarded with images and recipes of green smoothies and vegetable salads from the ‘clean eating’ movement, but when it comes to clean beauty things are a little hazy. So what does clean actually mean?
There has been a significant rise in the demand for ‘Clean Beauty’ products in recent years, with more people caring about what ingredients are inside those pretty packaged pots and bottles on their bathroom shelves (and where exactly they come from!)
Interested in knowing more? Have a read below for our guide on all things ‘Clean Beauty’. From what it is and why it’s so important, to what you should be looking for when adding new products to your everyday skincare routine, Kinvara has got you covered.
What is Clean Beauty?
Clean Beauty is a term still open to interpretation.
For us, put simply, Clean Beauty means a product that is safe for people and the planet. It is a natural, plant-based product that is mindfully created, ethically sourced and made with both human and environmental health in mind.
Much like ‘clean eating’ avoids processed junk foods to focus on eating plant-based produce to feed your body vitamins, minerals and antioxidants; the same is true for clean skincare.
Every beauty product made also has an impact on our planet through its supply chain. Clean Beauty products consider where the ingredients are sourced from, how it’s packaged and who manufactured it.
If you’re reading this and wondering if it’s time for you to make the switch to Clean Beauty and begin using natural products, our blog post ‘Is now the time to switch to natural skincare?’ can give you the low down on if it’s right for you.
So, where did the Clean Beauty movement come from?
The Clean Beauty movement seems to have arisen from ‘frustration over regulatory oversight of cosmetics and personal care products’. In America, the standards for beauty and skincare products and their ingredients were shockingly low.
This led to the Environmental Working Group and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to take matters into their own hands.
They classified certain ingredients found in commercial cosmetic and personal care products as harmful and not suitable for topical use.
Thus, the emergence of Clean Beauty came about. What was once a niche trend championed by a few brands has now gathered some serious momentum due to the rise of conscious consumerism.
But, it’s true right? We all care now and we should, more than ever, about what we put on our skin and in our bodies. We don’t want to put refined petrochemicals on our skin, just like we don’t want to ingest artificial flavours and pesticides.
Our founder, Dr. Joanne Reilly, champions this. With her remarkable background in natural science and her observation of the importance of traditional herbal medicines during expeditions to Sumatra, she has focused on developing plant-based, clean skincare products that can help to deliver real results.
A few years before Clean Beauty became ‘fashionable’ due to the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Alba, Kinvara Skincare was born with the sole purpose to provide customers with effective and ethical natural skincare products. Kinvara products feel good, do good and are good - without a toxic ingredient in sight!
So, what to look for in your skincare products?
A little research never hurt anybody, so be sure to educate yourself on what sort of ingredients you want to avoid in order to make informed purchasing decisions and dodge being ‘greenwashed’.
If a product will be on your body/skin for the majority of the day then it’s time to think of looking for more natural options. Start by finding a more sustainable replacement for your everyday skincare products; your deodorant, moisturiser, sunscreen, cleanser, hand wash, etc.
Start by informing yourself about parabens, studies have shown that parabens mimic estrogen in the human body, with evidence linking them to reproductive organ harm, thyroid disruption, obesity and other health issues. The European Commission has actually banned several types of parabens for use in personal care products: isopropyl-, isobutyl-, phenyl-, benzyl-, and pentylparabens. It is contentious and many cosmetic chemists argue that parabens are safe and they claim they are safer in some regards than natural preservatives.
Also look into phthalates, a group of chemicals that would make fragrances last longer and that some studies have linked with health issues like obesity.
You might also want to watch out for products that include mineral oils; In 2011, a study found mineral oil to be one of the biggest contaminants present in women’s bodies possibly due to the accumulation of different cosmetics used that included this ingredient.
So, how do I tell if my beauty products are the real deal?
It’s important to put your products under the microscope before use. There are certain signs and certifications that can help you distinguish a product's legitimacy.
We recommend thoroughly checking the list of ingredients on your skincare products to ensure there’s no unwanted ingredients in there. You can:
- Have a list of the ingredients you should be avoiding and cross reference them with the product in front of you. Remember, ingredients at the start of the list have higher percentages than those at the end
- Avoid brands that aren’t forthcoming with their ingredients- what do they have to hide?
- Check if your brand formulates to EWG, MadeSafe, COSMOS, Ecocert, or any reliable association standards. If the brand you use is honest about their stance on this, you know you can trust them, and you know which of their ingredients adhere to the specific standards.
- Look out for simple indicators on product packaging for if the brand tests on animals, is vegan friendly and easily recyclable. It's worth noting that all products sold in the EU are de facto cruelty free since 2009.
Are you now keen for Clean Beauty?
If you have high standards in terms of choosing ingredients and formulations that won’t be harmful to your health, or to the health of the world, then Clean Beauty is for you.
Kinvara makes sustainable plant-powered skincare with no false promises. Our products are plant based, vegan friendly and cruelty-free.
We are also multi-award winning, having been awarded Silver for Best ‘Free-From’ Skincare Brand, and Gold for Best ‘Free-From’ Eye care product ‘Eye Wow’ in the 2019 FreeFrom Skincare Awards. This award body has been celebrating the best in ‘Free-From’ skincare products, be that allergens, fragrances or harmful ingredients, for …….10 YEARS!
Here at Kinvara, we use plants because they are natural sources of ingredients rich in antioxidants, omega fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and numerous active ingredients.
Plants are loaded with good-for-skin ingredients, so we don’t need to use anything else!
