Clean it Up! Why Clean Skin Care Products are a MUST if your goal is Healthy Skin

These days, there’s an overwhelming variety of beauty products to choose from. When it comes to skincare, being picky about what you put on your skin sets you up for success – in more ways than one. 

Think of your skin like a sponge -- it soaks up things it comes into contact with. So when it comes to your face, you want to make sure that you’re choosing products that are safe and good for your skin to absorb. 

One of the best types of products to ensure you’re keeping your beautiful skin healthy and free from harm is to opt for clean skincare products.

What is a Clean Skin Care Product/Clean Beauty?

The only way to achieve truly healthy skin is through conscientious buying. Basically, knowing how to identify clean skincare is where it all starts. 

While there isn’t a regulated standard for a product to be considered “clean,” we’d like to think it’s pretty easy to pick out clean skincare products once you begin to understand your skin’s needs, how to read labels, manufacturing, and shopping sustainably. 

Many consumers see the lack of regulations around “clean beauty” as frustrating. 

What does “safe” really mean? 

At its core, clean beauty means products or practices that are safe for you, inside and out. 

And though regulations may not be the strictest for clean beauty yet, that can actually be a positive thing. It allows you to determine what clean means to you instead of being pulled in a million different directions by marketing gurus who just want your money.

When you do the research and take the time to understand sustainable and clean skincare, you reap the benefits!  

At Terasana, clean skincare means it’s safe for humans AND safe for the environment. That’s why our patented formula harnesses the power of naturally-derived squalane and the science-driven power of CBG. 

We believe in sustainable skincare that protects you and the planet. 

Ingredients to Look for (and Stay Away From) in Clean Skincare Products

Ingredients in clean beauty products vary depending on the goal of the formulation and the background of the company. Some clean products come from a company that brings science-forward innovation with their formulations, while others focus on nature as the source of ingredients. 

Ingredients listed on a clean formula product label may not always sound simple or familiar, but the goal should always be safe ingredients – each thoughtfully chosen for their natural properties that benefit the skin.

And while we’re on the subject, synthetic ingredients (or those formulated in a lab) get a bad rep. But it’s important to keep in mind that just because something is created synthetically, doesn’t automatically mean it’s bad for you. As long as it harnesses all of the beneficial properties to give you the healthiest, most effective results, you can consider a product to be, “clean.”

On the other hand, others believe clean skincare products should focus on nature-forward ingredients derived at the source or converted through natural processes. They may even complement a blend of synthetic ingredients, though. For a product with a plant-derived or naturally occurring approach, the ingredients on the label are bound to sound more familiar. Just something to keep in mind if that’s how you also define, “clean!”

It is, however, important to also understand what should never be deemed as a clean product, due to the possible negative effects they could have on your skin. Some examples of ingredients to watch out for include, but are not limited to: 

• Parabens
• Phltalates 
• PEGs
• Ethanolamines
• Chemical sunscreens
• Synthetic fragrance
• BHT
• BHA 

It’s hard to believe, but many ingredients that have already been proven to be harmful to your health may still be in the products you use. These are some of the biggest hitters:

• Formaldehyde
• Mineral Oils 
• Phthalates 

Why Do Companies Use Toxic Ingredients in the First Place? 

By now, you’re probably on Team-Clean and are now wondering, “Why even use toxic ingredients if the products are supposed to HELP resolve an issue but they cause another?! What’s the point?” 

Sadly, the answer isn’t so simple. 

While some companies started using toxic ingredients purely for cost efficiency (hello, cheap filler oils and base formulas), many companies use these toxic ingredients to hold together chemical formulations or protect the product from rotting. 

That’s why it’s important to find companies and products that prioritize better, healthier practices for you. After all, science and technology have come leaps and bounds since the start of skincare. And as consumers, we shouldn’t have to settle for products that heal one thing and hurt another!

That’s the best part about clean beauty that harnesses the power of nature and science. 

It’s magic at your fingertips. 

Difference Between ‘Clean’ & ‘Natural’ Products

Alright, now that you have some background on Clean beauty, there’s another important distinction to make here, so listen carefully!

Many consumers are confused about the differences between ‘natural’ and ‘clean’ products. 

There’s a multitude of ways to describe a healthy product, but they don’t always indicate or represent the same things. 

We’ve covered this a little bit, but let’s get more specific. 

‘Natural’ means that ingredients were sourced from nature and are minimally processed – like jojoba seed oil or coconut oil. 

‘Clean’ means non-toxic to the health of your body – like a product formulated without parabens or phthalates. It focuses on both natural and synthetic materials, with the end result providing a nourishing and safe product. 

So when choosing your skincare products, it’s important to be careful with ‘natural’ products. Many brands use this term to deceive consumers and greenwash products (aka stretch the truth about the safety of using their products).

And unfortunately, many people will purchase products that claim to be natural and miss the glaring red flags on the labels because they don’t know better.

Without regulations, any company can throw in one single natural ingredient and call it “all-natural,” even if the label is otherwise packed full of harmful ingredients. 

Knowledge is power. Do your research, and pay attention to labels! 

How to Clean Up Your Current Skin Care Products

If you want to clean up your skincare, start by eliminating some of the biggest offenders you have in your bathroom right now for sneaking in harmful ingredients, including: 

• “Fragrance” – skincare that contains a generic “fragrance” as an ingredient, beware. This can hide a number of potentially harmful ingredients. Beauty brands aren’t required to disclose what is in their “fragrance” because it’s considered to be a crucial component of their selling point and confidential information. 
• Paraben – anything on the label that contains the word “paraben” (usually it’s tacked onto another word at the end), steer clear. While there’s been debate over whether or not parabens are critically harmful, if there’s a chance it could negatively affect your health, why risk it? 
• Sulfate – sulfates are the properties in many skincare products that form suds or foaming. While this is the standard we’ve been taught for hair care, body, and face cleansing, it’s actually not required to get clean. 

The list could go on and on, but prioritizing some of the biggest offenders will still go a long way for your peace of mind and the health of your body (inside and out!).

It’s also worth noting – some of these risks are still heavily debated, or formally “unknown.” Our opinion at Terasana?... It’s always better to be safe than sorry. 

That’s why clean beauty products are committed to creating formulas with the highest standards of safety and always looking to improve. 

P.S. A simple rule of thumb when reading labels? The fewer ingredients, the better. 

Benefits of Clean Skin Care and Clean Beauty

Now that you know a little more about what clean skincare and beauty is (and what it’s not!), here are even more benefits of working clean skincare products into your routine. 

Lower Risk for Health Issues & Improves Overall Health

This might seem obvious to some, but what you put ON your skin also translates into what you put in your body. 

Consider how your products might be affecting your overall health.  

Many products that you put on your skin absorb into your bloodstream at an alarming rate.

Why? 

Because skincare products are designed to do just that – penetrate and absorb deep into the skin to create lasting change. Remember, your skin is a sponge.

Obviously, this is a good thing if your products are clean, but if they are laden with chemicals, this can have a serious impact on your health over time.

Just think about how many different products you use on your skin. Multiplied by everyday use can result in dangerous exposure like cancer-causing chemicals that can enter your bloodstream without you realizing it.  

 

Choosing products that are transparent with their ingredients is an easy way to eliminate (or at least significantly reduce) your exposure to toxins, supporting health and longevity. 

Lower Risk of Irritation

Another added bonus of sticking with clean skincare products? 

Less risk of irritation! Everyone has a unique microbiome skin makeup – it’s almost impossible to predict which products might create irritation, inflammation, or just not suit your skin. 

When in doubt, choose clean beauty products!

Toxins are often the culprit when it comes to irritated skin. Your skin just isn’t used to the chemical balance of foreign ingredients and can’t regulate the reaction. 

Clean ingredients are formulated specifically to work with your skin, mimicking and supporting the natural functions of healthy skin!

Lowers Risk of Hormonal Disruption

Hormonal disruption is on the rise everywhere. There are a number of ingredients that have been linked to hormone disruption and hormonal imbalances including:

• Lead 
• Mercury
• Parabens
• Diethylene glycol (found in fragrances) 

Hormonal disruption affects a variety of critical human body systems and functions. This can cause unwanted imbalances or difficulties in reproduction, neurological processes, cancer, issues with metabolism and obesity, and affect cardiovascular processes.  

Better for the Planet

Oftentimes, choosing clean skincare products means you’re also choosing a better solution for the environment. With chemicals constantly introduced into our daily routines, many of our toxic and chemical-laden products wash down our drains, and directly into our water sources. 

Long term, this will have devastating effects on populations of aquatic life. And we need healthy oceans to thrive. Many fishing communities depend on the quality of fish supply and their reproductive health. Without a healthy ocean, things could quickly go downhill. 

Not to mention, clean beauty brands often give back to a meaningful cause or commit to sustainable practices – like carbon-neutral shipping, sustainable packaging, or recycling programs. Take your skincare one step further and support the health of our planet.

At Terasana, we believe it’s important to look past yourself. Yes, you should care about what you’re putting on and in your body. But we’re doing ourselves a disservice if we aren’t also paying attention to the harm we’re causing the earth in the process. 

Support sustainable skincare brands that are formulating and using clean ingredients, safe for you and safe for the planet. 

Builds Trust Between You and Your Skin Care

We all know the struggle of not knowing which brands and products to trust when it comes to skincare. How do you know who to trust anymore? 

With so many brands greenwashing products and using marketing tactics to deceive and stretch the truth, you have to be a smart buyer.

Thankfully, finding a clean skincare brand with transparent ingredients and transparent processes means you can rest easy knowing your products are vetted and trustworthy. 

You won’t waste a dime worrying about things like irritation, health concerns, or random outbreaks because you KNOW what’s in your products. 

Clean products deliver honest results, it’s that simple. 

Know Your Worth - for Yourself and the Planet

Practicing clean beauty and supporting responsible skincare brands makes a huge difference in your life and in the lives of countless others. Our world needs us (literally and figuratively) to make sustainable clean skincare a priority. Let’s get back to our roots, and create a new standard for self-care.

We deserve clean ingredients that do what they say they will, without the risks. 

Make sustainable and thoughtful choices about your skincare, and take back the power. 

Once you go clean, you’ll never go back.