EP44. What is Clean Beauty?: A Redefinition

Hello and welcome to the Formula Botanica Green Beauty Conversations podcast. My name is Gemma. I'm the relationship manager at Formula Botanica and also your host. If you want to find out a little bit more about who we are and what we do, head over to formulabotanica.com and check out our free sample class.

And for this episode that we're recording today, I am with Lorraine. Hi, Lorraine.

Hi, Gemma. I know it's going to be a great podcast podcast, so I'm looking forward to this one.

It is indeed. We've been wanting to record this one for quite a long time, haven't we? So, as mentioned in the intro, we're talking about what is clean beauty.

Yeah, it's a bit of a controversial one, isn't it? It's one that we've not really sort of gone down that route for yet. So I'm quite excited about today's podcast because we're going to put forward our philosophy on clean beauty, not green beauty. Even though it's green beauty conversations today, it's all clean beauty conversations.

Yeah. So let's just talking about the term clean beauty. Obviously, recently it's been bandied around a lot. You've been talking about it. I just wanted to get your perspective on why, you know, how do we think it originated and why do people use that term clean beauty?

It's a great question and I've been thinking about this quite a lot and I think for me, it all started with a paraben, really. So if we go back to 2004, back to the controversial initial parabens study, where a researcher at the University of Reading here in the uk, uk, called Philippa Darborough, she found traces of parabens in breast tumours. And obviously there was a big uproar about it at the time. The scientific community wasn't very happy about it because there wasn't a control group. And so that study was sort of debunked a little bit, although it didn't take away the fact that parabens were found in breast tumors. And at that point, I think the industry, or at least the consumers at large, started to pay attention. They started to sit up and think, hang on a minute, are all the ingredients in my beauty products truly the right ones for me? And that sort of kick started this whole debate about clean beauty, green beauty, natural, organic, sustainable, well being, the whole thing. And, yeah, I think that's really where it started. And then soon after that, other ingredients started to become vilified. So people said, I don't want parabens anymore. Now they don't want sodium lauryl sulfate, now they don't want phthalates, etc, etc. So I think that's really where it all started. And the last 15 years have been fascinating to watch because whereas natural beauty was originally a product type that people with skin conditions, or maybe certain health conditions would seek out, it's now started to go mainstream. And that's in part because of this discussion around clean beauty.

Yeah, that's a really interesting bit of information there. And obviously clean beauty is something that we've discussed quite a lot at Formula Botanica amongst the team and it's part of the reason why we wanted to record this podcast and have a conversation about it. And I know that we've committed some of our thoughts to paper in a way and have tried to explore what this, what clean beauty means or Formula Botanica's philosophy on clean beauty. So why don't we start actually by what we think clean beauty is not?

Yes, I think that's exactly the right place to start because it's very easy. Let's look at the mainstream or the main sort of consumer definition of clean beauty is that it's the opposite of dirty beauty. And that of course assumes that all mainstream products, all synthetic products, are inherently bad for you. And we know that's not the case. That is also not what Formula Botanica thinks. And it really brings us to this whole discussion topic around non toxic and toxic beauty, which is one that we've shied away from quite a lot because we tend to just embrace naturals because of their benefits and positives. We don't embrace naturals because we're vilifying what the mainstream is making. And that's why Formula Botanica has risen to the stage. It's now on. So, yeah, I think it's important that we just have a chat about this concept of non toxic beauty. Even recently there was quite a heated debate on Instagram. I won't name any names between some bloggers that we know well and who we get on very well with. And quite a well known cosmetic scientist who we also get on quite well with and they had a big clash about whether your cosmetics can be toxic. And this is something that we try and teach our students as soon as they enrol with us. In fact, it's in the first module of our foundation Diploma in Organic Skincare formulation. Because ultimately you can't just claim that an ingredient in your skincare or hair care or makeup is toxic just by the fact that it's in there. Because toxicity comes down to the dose and the exposure. So the example I always like to give is water. You know, you could drink a bath full of water and die. So water would be toxic in that case. Or you could have a teeny tiny amount of snake venom and also die. And there you see the difference in the dose that you have have. And then there's also this concept of acute toxicity and chronic toxicity. So just to give a bit of an example, earlier I had a look at the safety data sheets for sodium lauryl sulfate. So when you use a chemical in your cosmetics, they all come with a safety data sheet sds, and they contain quite a lot of useful information about toxicity and about the effects that they have on health and on the environment, etc. So basically, as I was looking up sodium lauryl sulfate, I'll just get my notes. I found one safety data sheet that said severe overexposure can result in death. So that's quite extreme, right? And you might look at that and think, oh, my goodness, my shampoo has sodium lauryl sulfate in it. Or, you know, one of my beauty products contains this ingredient. It could kill me. But of course that's not the case because the safety data sheet in that particular case assumes that you have quite prolonged and large exposure to this chemical. So that's where toxicity really, where you have to look at the dose and exposure. So the safety data sheet went on to say, it may be toxic to the skin. Repeated or prolonged exposure can produce target organ damage. The lowest published lethal dose in a rabbit on the skin was 10,000 milligrams per kilo. And they found increased rates of fetal anomalies and fetal death reported in association with maternal toxicity among the offspring of pregnant mice treated top with between 170 and 1700mg per kg per day of sodium lauryl sulfate. So you might read that and think, oh, my goodness, what am I putting on my skin or my hair? And that is exactly what's been driving this debate online. Whereas, in fact, not that we use sodium lauryl sulfate in our courses because of course, we are a natural training school, so we use naturally derived surfactants. But, you know, you might have a half a percentage in your shampoo and it's rinsed off almost as soon as it comes into contact with the hair. So you cannot make that leap from, from. On one hand, it's a toxic chemical when you bathe in it. When you sit in a full bath of sodium lauryl sulfate or making that leap over to and now I have it in a shampoo at half a percentage. So I think that's where the clean beauty conversation has been hijacked a little bit by this concept of dirty beauty. And that's certainly not what we stand for at Formula Botanica.

So we can definitely agree that clean beauty is not toxic.

Exactly.

But what are some other things that we think it's not?

So the other thing I feel quite strongly about is that clean beauty is not meant to make you feel guilty. And that is such an important thing because I think a lot of people are almost being shamed into buying natural cosmetics now because they're made to feel bad about putting a synthetic product on their baby or on themselves or on their family members. And that's not right either, because you should buy clean beauty products because you love them, because they mean something to you, because you want to bring that element of well being into your life. And I'm already starting to give away a little bit about what our definition is. And the other point is that clean beauty isn't meant to be about what isn't in the jar. I think, in fact, I think we should be celebrating what is in the jar. So as long as you're not using the term clean beauty as a way of claiming superiority in your formulation through what your product doesn't contain and you're not denigrating mainstream cosmetics, I think you can use the term. But then I think we need to redefine it slightly.

Yeah, yeah, definitely. So, moving on to the redefinition. So we have said the things that we don't want it associated with. And I think Lorraine made it pretty clear this idea of sort of feeling guilty about what you are using, it should be about what works for you. Let's have a look at how we've kind of defined what we think it is.

Yes. So we've defined it into four different categories. So I figured we could run through each of them one by one. And the first one is already quite controversial because I feel that clean beauty brings together these concepts of beauty and well being, where the products you buy are good for your skin and for your hair. And now this is a bit of a tricky one because of course, cosmetic regulations all around the world. And if you go back to our third podcast episode, episode where Gemma and I broke down how to comply with cosmetics regulations, you'll be familiar with what I'm about to say. But they don't allow you to make any health or pharmaceutical or medicinal claims for your cosmetics. You can't do that anywhere in the world. But nonetheless, I would say that most consumers nowadays are out there buying beauty products because they want to bring that element of well being into their life. Everyone wants to be able to hit the pause button, right? Everyone's feeling stressed and they're feeling like they rush everywhere and there's an overload of information. So a lot of people are sort of pausing and saying, right, well being is really important for me. And although cosmetics regulations don't allow you to make those claims, I think that a lot of beauty manufacturers are now trying to bring those two things together. And that's where I think clean beauty really has a role to play. Because you can say, these ingredients are great for my skin, they're great for my hair. And that can be a whole spectrum of different ingredients. It depends on what's used in the formulation. But I think it should be about what is in the jar, what is in the bottle, not about what isn't.

Okay, so we've got kind of beauty and well being. So that was the first point. So moving on to the second.

Yeah, that's about transparency and ethics. So I think clean beauty should be very much about being open about you, your formulation philosophy, why you chose those ingredients that you've chosen, and really connecting with your consumer. And this is quite a controversial one again because I know that there are quite a few chemists out there who feel that the consumer shouldn't be able to dictate what goes into your final product. But nonetheless, there are a lot of shoppers out there, and I'm sure you're listening to us right now, who feel that you should be able to get it beauty brands and say, it's really important for me that you use this particular ingredient or I'm specifically looking for a formulation that contains X, Y or Z. So being really transparent about your products, your ingredients, where you've sourced your ingredients from, how you source them, sustainability, everything like that, a lot of consumers now want brands to have that in place. And I think that's really important because then you're being clean in terms of your community impact, your supply chain impact, and ethical in how you work with your, your customers. Basically.

Yeah, that's a really interesting point and I think quite a few people will relate to that point. Especially if you've had a problem finding a, you know, skincare products or hair care products with specific ingredients because they might help a skin condition or a hair care condition of yours or, you know, whatever the case may be where you're like, oh, I really Wish someone would make a product with this in it.

Yeah, exactly. So it's about. Not just about being clean in terms of choosing the right ingredients, but also clean in doing the right thing, I think is quite important. And I know a lot of brands, big and small, are really embracing this now. So it's a great. It's not a trend, it's a movement and I'm pleased to see that.

And I guess it's a part of the wider conversation about the circular economy and how we lessen the impact on the environment and that kind of marriage of environment and community and everything. So, yeah, it's quite a big one. So, moving on to point two.

Well, you just touched on it right there. Clean beauty is clean for the environment as well. And I see this point missed a lot in discussions around clean beauty, but I'm pleased to see some brands are really embracing it now. You have to be thinking about pollution associated with your ingredients, with your footprint, your carbon footprint, your water footprint, your energy use, how you actually ship your products, where your ingredients are sourced from, from everything from cradle to grave, basically how your products are disposed of. And I really want formulators and indie brands and all beauty brands to start thinking about this because you have the opportunity here to really make big change in the wider industry also by out competing your competitors effectively, by being more sustainable. And this concept of conscious consumerism comes into this because customers are now asking for brands to show their sustainability credentials. So it's so important that you're clean for the environment as well. And that isn't just packaging. I know we've touched on this in quite a few podcasts already, but you really have to think beyond the packaging. It is the whole spectrum. And I think if you can embrace that, then that is a big pillar, as far as we're concerned, of clean beauty.

So that was the fourth point, right?

No, the third.

Third, sorry, yes, the third. And I think, like Lorraine said, you know, we. There is such a large conversation going on about beauty and the environment in all across all sectors of the cosmetics industry, really, and how people can improve on certain, you know, how companies, how people as individuals, we can. There's lots of areas that we can make improvements on, and I know that we hope that those very useful and fruitful discussions will continue. So the next point then is point four.

Yes, yes. The final one out of our definition of clean beauty, and that's your product is hygienically made, because, let's be fair, another word for clean is hygienic. And now in places like the eu, that is an absolute baseline requirement for making cosmetics. But that isn't necessarily the case in many other parts of the world where good manufacturing practice isn't legally required. But I would view a clean beauty product to be made under good manufacturing practice conditions, compliant with the highest levels of, you know, hygiene in your facilities, properly and fully tested, and made by a formulator who is proud of preservation. And I think if you can bring that into it, then you can also very much say, my product is clean. But that's when you marry it together with this concept of my product contributes to well being. My product is, you know, transparent. I'm transparent as a brand in how I put forward my ingredient strategy, my formulation philosophy. My product is clean for the environment and my product is hygienically made to the very best standards. And every single formulator should strive to achieve those standards. As far as I'm concerned.

Yes, you can say it's hygienic and therefore safe as well. Like, I know one of our key, you know, guiding mantras or philosophy is that you make your product safe and sellable. Yeah. So I think that part of the discussion is often not covered the idea of clean being hygienic. We often associate clean beauty with being products that have an absence of certain ingredients rather than them being clean. So, you know, well made and hygienic.

Yeah. And I really want to flip this conversation of clean beauty on its head. I think we really need to stop vilifying other ingredients. I think we just need to basically move beyond them. If you don't want to formulate with synthetic ingredients and you don't want to buy products that don't contain them, then just go for the natural indie brands and just focus on those who really embrace this concept of I'm proud of what's in the jar and I'm really proud of my ingredients and my formulation philosophy. And we're seeing some brands do that fantastically, you know, within our community as well. Some of our graduates are doing this amazingly well. I keep coming back to buy BP Beauty, who are our graduates, and I love receiving their emails about sustainability and how they're minimizing their footprints and how they're really proud of the ingredients that they have. And they themselves told us recently that they're constantly being asked by their customers, why did you choose this ingredient? Where did you source it from? How was it sourced? So people are starting to think about what's in the product rather than what isn't. And I think if we as an industry can start to shape that component conversation, we can move away from this dirty beauty, non toxic beauty discussion, which I don't really think is driving the industry forward in the right way.

Yeah, it's not helpful, really. It just means that people just keep voicing very polar opposite opinions with no real consensus on how we can appeal to both sides and kind of find, you know, almost like a middle ground. Which is why I know Lorena was really keen to come up with the Formula Botanica principles of clean beauty, essentially. So before we move on to something else, I was thinking perhaps we could have a brief summary of your key four pillars of what or principles of what clean beauty means for Formula Botanica.

Okay, here we go. So, clean beauty, the four pillars. One, clean beauty is made with ingredients that contribute to your overall beauty and well being of your skin and your hair. Two, it incorporates ingredients that can be traced back. So you have this full principles of ethics and transparency in your overall formulation and ingredients philosophy. Three, clean beauty is good for the environment because you've actually thought about the impact of your overall product and your business from really the cradle to grave approach, not just thinking about packaging, but thinking about your overall footprint. And four, clean beauty is hygienic beauty made under absolutely top notch good manufacturing practice conditions. Well, there is no such thing as top notch good manufacturing practice conditions. You just meet them and it's made by a formulator who is proud of preservation, who stability tests, who tests all of their products regularly and who can make sure that their products are safe. And I think if you bring those four pillars together, that is our Formula Botanica definition of clean beauty.

There you go. I hope you wrote that down, everyone. And we would really encourage you to think about your own definition.

So if you want to use the.

Term green beauty, like we've, we've talked about with other terms in previous podcasts, then it is really worth, you know, thinking about your own definition and what clean beauty means to you. And we hope that we've been able to inspire you in some way.

Yes, absolutely. So I think on that note, there is one other announcement that we need, need to make, which is that very sadly, Gemma is leaving our Green Beauty Conversations podcast and leaving Formula Botanica. And of course we're going to hugely miss her. So I just wanted to say a massive thank you, Gemma, to creating the Green Beauty Conversations podcast, because Gemma started it and put it all together for hosting it so expertly, for creating all these amazing episodes, all this fantastic content that we've shared with our community over the last one and a half years. So, Gemma, thank you so much.

It's been an absolute pleasure being able to view or interview all the amazing guests, to be able to, you know, drive the green beauty conversation forward, which is really what we'd plan to do. So I'm sad to be leaving, but I know that Lorraine has amazing things planned for Green Beauty conversations moving forward.

Yeah, we've got some exciting guests coming up in the coming months, so stay tuned. I'm going to be taking over as podcast hosts. You're going to be hearing me a little bit more. We may publish a little bit less frequently in the beginning as I find my feet, so bear with me. But yeah, we're going to miss you a lot, Gemma, and you know, it's been fantastic and I know that all the listeners will want to say goodbye to you as well. So come over onto our social media pages and come and say goodbye to Gemma because we're all going to miss her here at Formula Botanica.

Thanks so much, Lorraine. And as usual, thanks everybody for tuning in and listening to green beauty content conversations. You guys are what makes it a success. And we really hope that you've enjoyed Lorraine's breakdown and will formally Botanica Breakdown of the Principles of Clean Beauty. And we hope it has been thought provoking and has you've made lots of notes and you have something to take away and work on your own philosophy. Thanks. Bye. Bye.

If you want to find out more about Formula Botanica, who we are and what we do, head over to formulabotanica.com and check out our free sample class. You can also find us on social media, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Ormulabotanica. And join in on the global green beauty conversation by joining our free Facebook group, the Skincare Entrepreneur Mastermind. Once again, thank you so much for listening.

Sam.