One of these things is not like the other

With so many “beauty truths” out there, actual truth is getting lost. Buzzwords swarming around. A new “better/ best” popping up weekly. The industry is clouded with information, and some misinformation. So let’s get a few things straight:

Clean ≠ Vegan.  Yes, they are commonly lumped together, and it seems like a new brand every day is launching with title of Clean & Vegan. One of these things is not like other.

“Clean Beauty”. Not made with any known harmful ingredients. Everyone’s new hot trend. With the daily uptick of wellness blogs, healthy lifestyle blogs, and awareness, chemicals have gotten a bad name. Nothing makes a professional roll their eyes harder than clients wanting “chemical free” products. Unless you are mixing the moment you are applying it, “chemical free” isn’t a thing. Now, there are chemicals safer than others. Which is where the FDA and EU come into play with regulations and bans.  The European Union has a full list on banned, and chemicals for restricted use. The US has very few in comparison. Why? The US FDA, while it has rigorous testing to get approval for usage, very few get banned. IF harm is caused by an ingredient the FDA pushes for voluntary discontinuance of use, whereas the EU looks to not begin usage. When you hear the words “clean beauty”, it really letting you know of what’s NOT in the product. Known endocrine disruptors are not used, and this helps those suffering with certain conditions narrow down their search. They aren’t organic, they aren’t natural, they aren’t always vegan, just less likely to do harm.

Vegan. No animal products or bi products. That’s it. Simple.

Cruelty Free ≠ Vegan.  Cruelty Free means the product has not been tested on animals. On occasion you will see “final product not tested on animals”. At some point, some ingredient(s) may have been tested on animals. Vegan companies will not perform animal testing, and search for ingredients that have never been. There is a rare occasion where there is one source, or one ingredient and many many moons ago it happened. There was a time when this was the only known way for safety testing. Many companies are moving away from these antiquated methods.

The demand for cruelty free, vegan products is reaching new heights. With that comes the need to expand distribution, and deep pockets. Many of the small brands are getting purchased by some beauty majors. Many of the majors have made the decision to go ‘cruelty free’. Great. Fantastic. Now, how do you navigate the beauty world with majors that still perform animal testing, or own other companies that do? What if the parent company does animal testing in another field but is simply the financiers, and do not require them to use same testing? Where is your line in the sand?

Natural ≠ Better. The term natural is unregulated. We’re not talking organic which is regulated where testing, and approval can take years. Let’s just talk “naturals”. Along with clean beauty comes the naturals of the world. For many years, if a product was natural it was seen as not being as high quality, high performing, and just missing the mark. The more technologies that join the market, the more possibilities there are. Naturals are now getting the performance, and quality people want. But is natural better? Not necessarily. The more sensitive, reactive, and allergies one has the less likely natural would be the best. Safe synthetic is the way to go. It’s why they were created. The biggest misunderstanding I encounter is thinking natural is not going to give you a reaction. It’s quite the opposite. Common allergies are from things found in nature. Reactions can and will happen.

If these buzzwords have caught your attention, I encourage you to dig a little deeper. Why are you so drawn to the idea? What are you seeking from your routine that your current one is lacking? What are these products offering that your current selections isn't? Nothing wrong with a little change and improvement. Be sure you get what’s right for you.