Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1464744
New member benefit! Get the ASCP SkinPro app at ascpskincare.com/skinpro 41 INGREDIENT DECK Clean, Green, and Sustainable Beauty What does it all mean? by Ella Cressman AS BOTH SKIN CARE PROFESSIONALS and consumers, we are well aware of the clean and green beauty movements. But what do those terms really mean? Are they the same? And if not, how are they diff erent? Are they legitimate qualifying classifi cations, or extremely eff ective marketing terms designed to play on our emotions? To fi nd clear answers, we must fi rst understand where the terms evolved from. CLEAN Clean beauty is thought to have developed from clean eating, a movement that began over a decade ago (longer, really, but it didn't garner momentum until the early 2010s). Eating clean was defi ned as eating natural, whole foods and avoiding processed foods or toxic ingredients. Eating clean helped the body process nutrients better and function more effi ciently, as nature intended. Ah! Well, then, if clean eating is best for what goes in our bodies, clean beauty must be better for what goes on our bodies. Voila: A movement founded on the pursuit of personal care products free of toxins, allergens, carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and all things bad was born. (Not exactly "born" to those of us who have followed the evolution from the beginning, but you get the gist.) The idea that products we used to make us feel pretty were actually laden with ingredients that could result in ugly consequences became more widespread and accepted. Consumers became more curious about the ingredients used in product formulations. The industry quickly caught on, removing phthalates, sulfates, parabens, and anything else that was potentially dirty (perceived or otherwise), and touting their products as clean. It is important to note that clean beauty is not a regulated term that requires adherence to a specifi c set of rules determined by a regulatory agency, but rather a set of principles and ideals.