"Is 'clean' cosmetics the same as natural? Is every natural cosmetic 'clean'?"
Natural and clean (“clean”) cosmetics are often conflated, although they are not the same.
Both emerged from the desire to eliminate proven harmful or controversial ingredients from cosmetics: phthalates, parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), synthetic fragrances and colors… Natural cosmetics, additionally, do not use synthetically derived compounds and molecules, such as acids, peptides, or vitamins. If they contain them, they are naturally derived from plant extracts, oils, macerates, or hydrosols. For example, natural cosmetics do not contain salicylic acid, but they do contain willow extract, which is rich in salicylic acid.
Thus, natural cosmetics are always “clean” and have stricter standards. Natural cosmetics have a longer tradition than “clean” and are better regulated: there are many certifications governing this area, and we would highlight one of the strictest, NATRUE, under which Dr. Hauschka cosmetics are certified.
“Clean beauty” can be conditionally viewed as an extension of natural cosmetics, introducing synthetically derived ingredients considered safe. Initially, this included hyaluronic acid, then peptides, and vitamins… The term “clean beauty” gained popularity without any regulation. Over time, “clean” cosmetics have become independent and distanced themselves from natural cosmetics, leading to typical dermocosmetic brands that are “clean.” Both natural and “clean” cosmetics have high ecological standards and avoid ingredients harmful to the planet. In online communication and on social media, the differences between ingredients harmful to the skin and the planet blur, with all ingredients being lumped together under the label “dangerous,” based on the principle of “better safe than sorry.”
APPLICATION OR CERTIFICATION?
In the case of “clean” cosmetics, the interpretation of ingredient harmfulness is quite arbitrary, with no regulation except for some applications that scan and interpret product compositions based on their lists. In the United States, the most well-known is the EWG (Environmental Working Group), which has been classifying harmful ingredients for years, and the “EWG VERIFIED” label means that a product does not contain such ingredients. In Europe, applications like INCI Beauty analyze product compositions, or YUKA interprets food and cosmetic ingredients in a similar way (not available for download in Serbia). Due to scientifically proven harmfulness—or the notorious reputation of some ingredients without definitive evidence—the phrase “free of” has become the cornerstone of cosmetic marketing.
“GREENWASHING” & “CLEANWASHING”
In the field of natural cosmetics, there are abuses known as “greenwashing” (not particularly well translated into our language as “eco-manipulation”). This refers to falsely presenting a brand as natural, done in countless ways: using a green leaf icon on the packaging, mentioning “untouched nature” from which ingredients come, certifying a few products from a brand to sell others as natural even though they are not… Naturally, with the “clean” movement came “cleanwashing” – manipulation of the “free of” theme, listing what is not in the product. For example, the label “paraben-free” or “silicone-free” doesn’t mean much for safety or whether the product is “clean.”
“CLEAN” & “SAFE”
Is “clean” the same as “safe”? Despite its immense popularity, the term “clean” remains unclear, and many consider it controversial and undefined, using consumer fear for promotion. On lists of undesirable ingredients—depending on who writes them—besides proven harmful ingredients, you’ll find those that have been safely used in medicine for years (e.g., paraffin). Applications scanning ingredient lists also cannot know their concentrations, which often determines the toxicity of an ingredient. Despite all its shortcomings, the “clean” movement is here, and we expect it to grow. We would just like it to be better defined and regulated.
