Fashion and Beauty Entrepreneur Natalie from Nomade and Mode
Photo credit: jrobbphoto
As a fashion and beauty writer, I’m always keeping an eye out for new skincare trends. The “clean beauty” movement is one of the industry’s most recent.
After struggling with irritated skin for years, I was willing to try the clean beauty trend.
But what does “clean beauty” actually mean? Like sustainable fashion and greenwashing, skincare brands use words like natural, non-irritating, and hypoallergenic to influence shoppers. But these are not regulated industry terms.
That’s why it’s essential to look for regulated certifications, such as vegan, organic, and fair trade and to always take a closer look at the ingredients in your everyday products to know if they are truly clean.
Personal Journey: Making The Switch To Clean Beauty
It’s common to experience skin breakouts as a teen, but it’s not something you expect to have to deal with as an adult.
It wasn’t until my early twenties that I started experiencing skin health problems – namely, bad acne that wouldn’t budge. These skin issues went on for six years – six years of swapping out different products, purchasing expensive facial treatments, trying no gluten, no dairy, no sugar diets, taking regular Epsom salt baths, and trying every other possible acne cure.
It’s a familiar journey that everyone who struggles with acne experiences, testing every acne cure in the book and hoping that something sticks.
While all of these things helped, it was only a day or two before my skin would flare up again in angry red bumps.
Having never struggled with allergies before, it wasn’t on my radar that the topical products, and more specifically, the individual ingredients in the formulations I was using every day, could be the cause of my breakouts. After all, they were designed, formulated, and marketed for skin. Some of them were even branded “anti-acne,” so why would they?
When I eventually did switch to “clean” products (specifically hypoallergenic and non-irritating), I saw an immediate change: less redness, fewer breakouts, and I was even able to go without wearing foundation for the first time in years.
Common Irritants to Avoid: What I Learned
After researching different products and their specific ingredients, I learned that skincare and shampoos often include preservatives and fragrances, which can be irritating and even cause allergic reactions.
Skincare ingredient regulations vary depending on the country you’re located in. However, according to WebMD, ingredients to avoid include:
- Parabens
- Imidazolidinyl urea
- Quaternium-15
- DMDM hydantoin
- Phenoxyethanol
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- Formaldehyde
- Added fragrances
These ingredients are commonly irritating and best avoided, especially for sensitive skin.
Tips for Transitioning to Clean Beauty: How I Shop
Since transitioning to clean beauty products, there are a few ways that I identify safe products to include in my routine:
- Editor’s Note: EWG’s Skin Deep® database gives practical solutions to protect yourself and your family from everyday exposure to chemicals in personal care products.
- Using the Think Dirty, Shop Clean app: Think Dirty is a clean beauty app that allows you to scan the barcodes of beauty products while shopping in real time. That way, you can easily assess if the products have any ingredients you want to avoid.
- Patch test before introducing new products: Everyone reacts differently. Even if a product is labeled “hypoallergenic,” it may irritate your skin. Some pharmacies and beauty stores have testers or sample sizes, which are helpful to test if the product works for you before committing to a larger purchase.
Recommended Clean Beauty Products: What Worked For Me
Since discovering that I have skin sensitivities, I’ve switched to only hypoallergenic, sensitive, and non-comedogenic products – including shampoo and body care products.
Finding product go-tos has been a work in progress, but after some trial and error, I found a collection of products that worked for me and my skin.
If you’re like me and want to find ‘clean’ products made by sustainable brands there is an entire category devoted to this on The Greatest Good. You can easily shop by Ethically Made, Made with Sustainably Sourced Materials, and Promotes Mindful Consumption categories.
The Benefits of Switching To Clean Beauty
Many people don’t consider that the products made to go on our skin and clothing might be causing a reaction. This is understandable. Besides, why would they do this if they’ve passed product safety standards?
It’s worth visiting your doctor and allergist to confirm exactly which ingredients are bothering you.
In the meantime, if you’ve had unsolved skin issues for years like I did, you may want to consider switching to clean beauty products. Switching to sensitive skincare products could be a simple fix to see clearer skin.
Shop The Greatest Good: Clean Beauty Brands
Looking to add (or swap) clean beauty products in your skincare routine? Visit The Greatest Good’s curated collection of clean beauty products.
Ready to make the switch to clean beauty skincare?
Author Bio: Natalie is a fashion and beauty writer at Nomade & Mode and the host of The Fashion Ambition Podcast, a fashion and beauty podcast covering interviews with industry professionals and up and coming brands.
P.S. Our site contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase, we earn a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. Be assured, all brands and products meet our sustainable and ethical criteria.
P.P.S. *All information in this article is based on the author’s personal experience, edited by The Greatest Good, and does not constitute medical advice. For medical advice, seek treatment from a qualified medical practitioner.
