Despite it being one of beauty’s most buzzed-about terminologies, ‘clean beauty’ remains largely misunderstood by beauty buyers.
Unlike certified beauty categories such as ‘organic’ or ‘vegan’, clean beauty represents a wider industry movement that aims to transform the way beauty brands operate and make consumers more mindful about the products they use.
With no official regulation, clean beauty is often used by brands as a marketing tool, open to misuse. So how do you make sure you’re buying beauty products that align with your values?
Here, marie claire rounds up everything you need to know about clean beauty.
Why Is Clean Beauty Trending?
Just as the fashion industry has seen a rise in sustainable fashion, beauty consumers are looking to stripped-back formulas and complete brand transparency; from where products are made to their carbon footprint.
To choose products that are ‘natural’ is no longer enough, but rather the norm. Our growing obsession with wellness is influencing our beauty choices and consumers are more discerning than ever before.
Other factors such as increased exposure to blue light and heightened pollution levels have resulted in a rise of people with sensitive skin, driving many to consider products and ingredients they have never used before.
What Is Clean Beauty?
Although clean beauty doesn’t have official regulation, innovative beauty brands are backing up their clean beauty approach with certifications that speak to the movement’s intentions.
Hair care brand HASK is built on a clean beauty promise to deliver safe and healthy products that are carefully sourced, tested for efficacy and formulated without any of the bad stuff (read: sulphates, parabens, phthalates, gluten and aluminium starch).
In fact, the clean beauty brand has garnered praise from many of Hollywood’s biggest hairstylists. Angelina Jolie’s hairstylist on Maleficent, Audrey Stern reveals her clients are very aware of the formulations used on set.
“My celebrity clients are picky about what they let me use in their hair, so it’s important to have access to a brand that I trust to deliver, and that’s free of the bad stuff – HASK is that brand.”
HASK’s commitment further extends to the compassion of animals, guaranteeing as a brand, that it and its suppliers do not test any of their products, ingredients or raw materials on animals. Clean beauty seekers can confidently buy HASK products knowing that they are Leaping Bunny Certified as Cruelty Free. This means HASK’s products, ingredients and component parts, including raw materials, meet the global requirements of the Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals.
Is Clean Beauty Effective?
A common myth surrounding clean beauty is that its products are not as high-tech as others, however this is not the case.
For now, clean beauty doesn’t have an official list of banned ingredients, rather it is at the discretion of individual clean beauty brands to formulate their own ingredient blacklists. Clean beauty brands need to be ultra-selective when choosing their ingredients, which often requires greater research and more innovative formulas.
Harnessing a diverse range of exotic ingredients, responsibly sourced from around the globe, HASK develops distinctive blends of unique, key ingredients such as argan oil from Morocco, coconut oil from Tahiti and charcoal from the Philippines to create performance-driven formulas that are specific to their consumers’ hair needs.
Despite operating with a lengthy blacklist of ingredients, HASK has become one of the fastest growing hair care brands worldwide. The brand’s repairing Deep Conditioner Hair Masks and 5-In-1 Leave-In Sprays are now the #1 sellers in their respective categories.
Emmy-nominated hairstylist Cheryl Marks, who has worked with Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick and Elle Fanning, swears by HASK’s clean formulas and their ability to deliver results she wants.
“As Anna Kendrick’s personal hairstylist, I prep her hair with HASK’s Rose Oil & Peach Colour Protection Shampoo,” she says. “The sulphate-free formula keeps strands super moisturised and vibrant.”
What Products Are Right For Me?
Just like regular beauty brands, clean beauty brands design products to target specific concerns. Whether you’re seeking a frizz-fighting shampoo or a glow-giving skincare solution, clean beauty products are just as prescriptive.
With a diverse product range, Cheryl Marks trusts HASK to maintain hair health behind the scenes, whilst delivering camera-ready hair, “I’ve styled Elizabeth Banks’ looks with HASK Hair Oils to control frizz and create that on-screen glow!”
HASK allows customers to browse their clean beauty products based on hair benefits. Whether customers are seeking a smoothing treatment, added moisture or repairing qualities, HASK offers collections that cater to each.
The appeal of clean beauty is that it remains open to interpretation. It is a personal choice as to which products, ingredients and manufacturing standards customers perceive as ‘clean’, and therefore buy into.
Clean beauty hair care brand HASK strives to develop products that are specific to hair needs. “We are a hair care brand that understands the wants and needs of modern-day hair and we are proud to have developed a line of products which are not only able to combat common hair concerns but restore the health of both scalp and strand,” says HASK Director of Product Development, Melani Helle.
Start your clean beauty journey by acquainting yourself with cosmetic ingredients and learning the story behind your favourite clean beauty brands. From there, you will be able to fine-tune your clean beauty routine by developing a set of trusted clean-beauty favourites — and feel good about what you’re choosing to use.
Brought to you by HASK.
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