The rise of the clean beauty trend in sun protection

There is no singular definition for clean beauty, as it means different things to different people – consumer to consumer, brand to brand. Clean beauty embraces both natural and synthetic ingredients, focusing on safety over source.  It is important to remember that not all ‘natural’ ingredients are safe – we would not use poison ivy or lead in a skin care product, and that not all synthetic ingredients are unsafe. ‘Clean’ should not be confused with ‘natural’ as a brand can be considered ‘clean’ without being ‘natural’. Non-profit organisations such as the EWG (Environmental Working Group) aim to inform and educate consumers by highlighting potential negative health implications that could be associated with certain personal care. This has resulted in skin care products being put 'under the microscope' and self proclaimed 'clean' brands such as Tata Harper, Goldfaden MD and Goop leading the way. 

Clean beauty has emerged alongside the ‘clean eating’ movement, seen in the food and beverage industry where consumers want to be more aware of what they put into their bodies. The emergence of the clean beauty trend has been predominantly led by millennials and social media. Consumers are more knowledgeable than ever, more aware of the impact of certain ingredients on their body and skin and have become increasingly concerned about the ethics behind the products they buy. Shoppers now have a direct connection to their favourite brands and as millennials grow in age and influence, these values force brands to consider their own values and respond to the increasing demand for products that are ethically sourced. 

Consequently, retailers big and small are responding to the demand for clean beauty and transparency.  Sephora has started to include a bulleted list of “what it is formulated WITHOUT” regardless of whether the brand identifies as natural or clean.  It has also launched a ‘Clean Beauty Category’ so that their customers can easily select the products they want, based on their lifestyle needs and choices. Many customers look to shop for products that are free-from certain ingredients and the ‘Clean at Sephora’ category helps them to easily identify clean beauty products. Online beauty box subscription service ‘Art of Organics’ only uses products that are organic, natural, cruelty-free and non-toxic and lists ingredients that will not be found in any of the products featured.