The Murky Truth of the Clean Beauty Movement

The Murky Truth of the Clean Beauty Movement

 By: Bobbie Brooke Hopkins & Mary Beth Howard

 In today’s modern society, standards of personal wellbeing look very different than decades before. The 21st century brought about the evolutionary shift away from chemically treated foods, harsh dyes, and preservatives. Along with this shift came the emergence of the trendy term “clean beauty.” Clean beauty is marketed by cosmetic companies and social media influencers as an all-encompassing term for products created without unhealthy ingredients. Some chemicals that are being avoided in these clean beauty lines include formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, mercury, which can damage the kidneys and nervous system, certain phthalates that disrupt hormones and damages the reproductive system.[1] Today, every large chain beauty supply store such as Ulta or Sephora have sections on their websites and in their stores labeled “Clean Beauty” or “Green Beauty.”[2] A few years ago, those sections did not exist. The creation of the clean beauty movement might have been created out of the desire to promote overall bodily wellbeing, but is this trend actually warranted? Are there real dangers to using non-clean beauty products? Are these products deemed “clean” actually clean, and at what price? And are these products better for the environment and better for the consumer?

The clean beauty movement is a trend that is emphasizing the importance of beauty products that do not include chemicals that can be harmful or toxic to the human body. The origin of this movement is unknown; however, many believe it stems from the same health and wellness proponents urging “clean eating” diets that do not contain chemically processed ingredients.[3] People are not only caring about what they put into their body, but now there is a shift to the products they are using on their faces and skin. On the outside, this movement seems very important and something that consumers are demanding from beauty companies. Why wouldn’t consumers expect products that are claimed to be “better” or “cleaner” for them actually meet those standards? While it sounds great, there is an issue with the Food and Drug Administration's lack of updated regulation on the cosmetic and beauty industry, there can be no actual confirmation on the claims these beauty companies make about its products are truthful products.[4]

A class-action lawsuit brought in 2018 against The Clorox Company, the umbrella company of Burt’s Bees, alleged their “Güd” products labeled “natural” were riddled with synthetic ingredients such as “phenoxyethanol, polysorbate 20, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, zinc oxide” and other chemicals.[5] The lawsuit alleges that Burt’s Bees violated regulations under California’s False Advertising Laws along with claims of fraud under the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration.[6]

In 2019, Truly Organic, Inc. a self-care beauty brand had to pay $1.76 million to the Federal Trade Commission for false advertising when they labeled their products as “organic” and “100% Organic” when they were not.[7] The company also made claims that its products were vegan, which in fact some of the products had honey and lactose in them.[8] During the investigation, the Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, Andrew Smith said, “[t]o know if a product is truly organic, consumers have to rely on companies to be truthful and accurate.”[9] As a consumer, we are at the mercy of these corporations to be truthful about its products and about the claims it is making about its products. However, as this case has shown, that is not always the case. Companies can easily label their products as “clean” or “natural” or “green” and unless they are caught by the FDA and FTC then they can get away with it. Sadly, consumers who might not be as knowledgeable will fall for it. 

Because of the deceit of some companies and also the curiosity of the everyday consumer, apps that tell what are in products are gaining popularity. Apps such as, ‘Thick Dirty’ or ‘GoodGuide’, which allow the consumer to scan the back of a beauty product and then evaluate the dangers of the product by breaking down the ingredient list and showing the toxicity level of specific ingredients.[10] These apps also offer clean alternatives to the products that consumers are scanning.

While the world seems to be moving towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly place, there are still companies using this idea and movement to their advantage. Making false claims to get consumers who are actually concerned about the products they place on their body and whether these products are better for the environment to buy into their marketing and purchase their products. Knowledge is power. Don’t fall into the trap of “clean” or “green” beauty. Research ingredients in products with the apps discussed and pay attention to claims that seem too good to be true.       

[1] Scott Faber, The toxic twelve chemicals and contaminants in cosmetics, Environmental Working Group (May 5, 2020), https://www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics/toxic12.

[2] Ashley Collins, The untold truth of clean beauty, The List (Feb. 12, 2020), https://www.thelist.com/188351/the-untold-truth-of-clean-beauty/.

[3] Molly Wanner and Neera Nathan, Clean cosmetics: The science behind the trend, Harvard Health Publishing (Mar. 4, 2019), https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/clean-cosmetics-the-science-behind-the-trend-2019030416066.

[4] Food and Drug Administration, FDA Authority Over Cosmetics: How Cosmetics Are Not FDA-Approved, but Are FDA-Regulated, https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/fda-authority-over-cosmetics-how-cosmetics-are-not-fda-approved-are-fda-regulated (last visited Dec. 12, 2020).

[5] Paul Tassin, Burt’s Bees Güd Products Don’t Live Up to ‘Natural’ Label, Class Action Says, Top Class Actions (Jan. 10, 2018), https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/831354-burts-bees-gud-products-dont-live-natural-label-class-action-says/.

[6] Id.

[7]Truly Organic? The FTC Says No, Alleges Retailer Misled Consumers about Its Products, Federal Trade Commission (Sep. 19, 2019), https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/09/truly-organic-ftc-says-no-alleges-retailer-misled-consumers-about.

[8] Id.

[9] Id.

[10] Amy Sciarretto, These 5 Apps Tell You What’s In Your Beauty Products So You Can Shop Safer, Bustle (Aug. 30, 2019), https://www.bustle.com/p/5-apps-that-tell-you-whats-in-beauty-products-because-knowledge-is-power-11997650.