What Does Clean Beauty Mean?

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You May Have Noticed Clean Beauty is Having a Moment Right Now

Everything from lipsticks and eyeshadows to cleansers and lotions are now available in clean beauty versions and lots of products are featuring their “paraben-free” status. Clean beauty is important for women of color because studies show that Black and Latinx women have paraben levels that are 4x-8x higher than the general population. In addition, over 75% of products marketed to women of color in the US are made with potentially harmful and hormone disrupting ingredients.

But what exactly is clean beauty and why does it matter? This may seem like a simple question, but the truth is, there is no single definition or standard for clean beauty. That's why, as a clean beauty skincare line, we at AbsoluteJOI want to be clear about what we mean by clean beauty, including clean beauty for women of color.

Here Are the Six Ways We Support Clean Beauty for Women of Color:

Believe in science, not hype.

When looking for ingredients that work, we rely on science and research studies to tell us which ingredients really work. Too many beauty products make promises and don’t deliver because they haven’t been made with ingredients with a proven benefit for healthy skin. Instead, we include ingredients that we know work, and eliminate the ingredients that are fillers or potentially cause harm. When we decide which ingredients to avoid, we use scientific research to make our choices.

Clean beauty is about health and using skincare products that do not have a negative effect on health. Sometimes, science falls short and there is not good research to answer the question of whether an ingredient is definitely safe, or definitely dangerous. Sometimes the research just hasn't been done. When there is a possibility an ingredient is not safe, we will call that ingredient “questionable” and will say why.

There is no need for scare tactics when talking about clean beauty.

We try to avoid language meant to scare people when we talk about ingredients. Instead of using scary terms like "toxic" or "poison", we talk about ingredients that are proven dangerous when used in cosmetics, or not proven safe. Toxins and poisons cause illness and death, but their impact on health is also determined by the amount and type of exposure. For example, nutmeg is a natural spice that is safely used in everyday cooking. But it contains a toxic ingredient that causes heart palpitations and hallucinations in high doses. Similarly, with beauty products some ingredients can cause health problems, but only when present in very high doses or used improperly. We stick to the science of what’s safe and promote clean beauty skincare for better health, not because people should be scared.

We talk about skin bleach and its impact on melanin-rich skin health.

Clean beauty is on the rise because many personal care products contain potentially harmful ingredients, this includes over 75% of products marketed to women of color and over 60% of products marketed to the general population by the beauty industry. While clean beauty focuses on ingredients like parabens and phthalates, a unique issue for women of color is skincare products made for us are designed to address hyperpigmentation and often contain skin bleaching ingredients. Skin bleach creams can have mercury when made outside the US and many US-made skincare products contain hydroquinone, a skin bleach that is banned in Europe because of its impact on skin health. Skincare products that are marketed to “help even skin tone” or as “fade creams” often contain bleach, so even if you do not want to lighten your skin, you may be using skin bleach without knowing it.

There is a role in skincare for some of these ingredients, but only for a short period of time, and under the direction of a skin care professional. They are not for everyday, long-term use and can have negative effects on your skin health when used improperly. Yes, clean beauty skincare means avoiding certain ingredients like parabens and phthalates, but for Black women and other women of color it also means a specific focus on eliminating skin bleach an ingredient that is mr likely to be sold to us – often without our knowing it.

3) We talk about skin bleach and its impact on melanin-rich skin health. Clean beauty is on the rise because most products contain potentially harmful ingredients, this includes over 75% of products marketed to women of color and over 60% of products marketed to the general population by the beauty industry. While clean beauty focuses on ingredients like parabens and phthalates, a big issue for women of color is skincare products made for us often contain skin bleaching ingredients. Skin bleach creams can have mercury when made outside the US andmany US-made skincare products contain hydroquinone, a skin bleach that is banned in Europe because of its impact on skin health. Skincare products that are marketed to “help even skin tone” or as “fade creams” often contain bleach,so even if you do not want to lighten your skin, you may be using skin bleach without knowing it. There is a role in skincare for some of these ingredients,but only for a short period of time, and under the direction of a skin care professional. They are not for everyday use and can have negative effects on your skin health when used improperly. Yes, clean beauty skincare mean savoiding ingredients like parabens and phthalates, but for Black women and other women of color it also means a specific focus on eliminating skin bleach because that is an ingredient that has been sold to us– often without our knowing it.

Melanin-rich skin is sensitive and needs to be treated gently.

Clean beauty for women of color must be different. Women of color are twice as likely to have sensitive skin -- in fact about two-thirds of us have some skin sensitivity. This means that skincare products we use should not have perfumes, dyes, or fragrances because these are all common skin irritants. A common source of irritation are natural essential oils that are added to a lot of skincare products – some of these are added only because they make products smell good. However, this can cause problems for people with sensitive skin – which is the majority of people with melanin-rich skin. There are many natural beauty products available – but “natural beauty” does not mean gentle. Natural products can be strong and highly effective, but they can also cause skin reactions. If you can imagine a poison ivy serum, you would not want to use it because it will cause severe skin reactions – even if it is “green”, “a natural product” and “organic”. These words are used by the beauty industry to market skincare products rather than tell you what is genuinely effective and good for skin. At AbsoluteJOI, we love to use natural beauty oils and organic ingredients. And we use those natural ingredients when science shows us that they are good for your skin. We select ingredients based on science, not hype.

We support a healthy, non-toxic lifestyle for women of color.

You cannot have beautiful healthy skin showing on the outside, if you are not healthy on the inside. Like most responsible skincare professionals, we advise our customers take care of themselves – sleep, drink water, exercise, eat well. As the founder of AbsoluteJOI, and as a physician, I eat a plant-based diet and try to live what I preach. But beyond a healthy lifestyle for physical health, we recognize that toxins can include toxic relationships, toxic standards of beauty and toxic language. We also do not uphold unrealistic standards of beauty. Instead, werecognize there are beautiful people all around us and use real world images, and real people for our brand. As a beauty company, we do not use marketing language that preys on women’s insecurities to sell skincare products. Instead, we are trying to create a space where women feel safe and supported to take the best care of themselves and use language that focuses on health.

We promote clean beauty for women of color.

We are often asked why focus on Black women and other women of color --shouldn't everyone want to use clean beauty products? The short answer is yes, clean beauty can benefit everyone. However, the research is clear, Black and Latinx women have more exposures to questionable ingredients and ther bodies have higher levels of these ingredients than the general population. Parabens function like estrogen in our bodies and are highly concentrated in estrogen sensitive tumors. This includes uterine fibroids, which are two times more likely to occur in Black women and certain types of breast cancer, which is a more aggressive disease among Black women. As a Black-owned skincare brand, we know clean beauty is not just a fashionable nice-to-have, it is a health imperative, especially for women of color. We are an inclusive brand that welcomes all customers interested in clean, effective, easy to use skincare products – and we reach out to women of color, because they have the most to gain from the benefits of using clean beauty products.

Since clean beauty is a popular term with no standard definition, I would love to hear from you -- what does clean beauty mean for you and what do you think clean beauty products should offer as a better alternative?

AbsoluteJOI Skincare by Dr. Anne

AbsoluteJOI is a physician-founded skin care brand with a science-based approach to the needs of people over 35 with all skin types and tones. Developed by physician researcher, Dr. Anne Beal, our products are formulated and tested for sensitive skin, while addressing dyspigmentation, the first sign of aging for many people. Our philosophy is not to focus on anti-aging, but to celebrate all ages and stages and to help our customers age beautifully, while celebrating the confidence and wisdom they’ve gained with time.

Each product combines natural and clinically effective ingredients for healthy skin. We use NO parabens, phthalates, sulphates, or skin bleach. And we use no perfumes or dyes to offer pure and clean products good for all skin types, including sensitive skin.