How many times have you purchased products that are labeled as ‘clean’, ‘vegan’, ‘natural’, or ‘organic’? Have you ever wondered what these labels actually mean? More importantly, what do they mean in regards to your beauty products and which labels are important to you? Are companies really doing us a favor and truly making stellar products? Or are they attaching these labels to their products to justify high prices? Well, I can’t tell you which labels are important to you. But I can tell you what these labels actually mean in regards to beauty products, if the definition is vague or clear, and which labels are most important to me. If the label is vague and up to interpretation, you may want to take a deeper dive into that product: reading the ingredient label, researching ingredients, asking the brand questions, etc. 

All women, whether you wear makeup everyday or just have a solid, reliable skincare routine like me, or both, we all consume beauty products- products for our hair, skin, eyes, nails, teeth, makeup, etc. I hope this post provides some clarity for you, so the next time you shop and are trying to decide if a product is really worth the coins (aka retail value), you’ll know for sure if it’s worth it for you and if that label is truly meaningful to you. 

Below, I’ll be breaking down the following designations: clean, cruelty free, eco-friendly, ethically made, fair trade, handmade, K beauty, natural, non-toxic, organic, sustainably produced, and vegan.   

Clean. 

Vague or Clear? Vague. 

Clean beauty products focus on eliminating as many toxins as possible. Typically, they will not contain parabens, silicones, polyethylene, metallic aluminum, talc, formaldehyde, etc. It’s crazy to think that companies knowingly put harmful chemicals in products we use on our face and hair daily, which are then absorbed through our skin and hair into our bodies. But unfortunately, it happens. The key here is that ‘clean’ varies. It’s not regulated, so there’s no standardized checklist of substances that can’t be in ‘clean’ products. But, you can say that the ingredients generally are safe and non-toxic, meaning your health is not at risk. 

Cruelty Free. 

Vague or Clear? Clear.

Cruelty free products are not tested on animals nor are its ingredients tested on animals. This category is clear and regulated. You often will see a bunny symbol on cruelty free products, and they may be certified cruelty free by one of the following organizations: Leaping Bunny, PETA, or Choose Cruelty-Free. 

Eco-friendly. 

Vague or Clear? Vague. 

The focus here is products that don’t harm the environment. That could mean the company uses packaging made from recycled materials. Or it could mean the company makes an effort to reduce waste and pollution during manufacturing. Again, this buzzword is a bit up to interpretation. You won’t really know exactly what the company is doing that is environmentally friendly unless they are discussing it openly and specifically. Often, brands discuss this on their social media platforms, website, or commercials. If that’s not the case and you only see the words ‘eco-friendly’ labeled on their packaging, you really wouldn’t know.

Ethically Made. 

Vague or Clear? Vague. 

In short, ethically made usually refers to ethical, fair treatment of the workers and that labor rights of workers are respected in the making of the product. In general, ethically made products aim to reduce the negative impact on people, animals, and the planet. The company is being fair and ethical with their sourcing and crafting of the products. This could mean fair wages for all workers involved, good working conditions, creating sustainable jobs, or giving back to the community. Now, exactly what the company is doing varies. If they say ethically made, it doesn’t mean they are doing all of these things, but they are possibly doing one of them, some of them, or some other ethical action. It can vary. Again, we really don’t know their exact ethical action unless they discuss it openly. 

Fair Trade. 

Vague or Clear? Clear.

Fair trade products mean that the brand (typically in a developed country) is working in partnership with a disadvantaged group(s) (often in a developing country), and they pay that disadvantaged group fair prices. This fair trading with producers, farmers, and workers in a developing country allows them to overcome barriers they may be facing in sustaining livelihood and finding markets to sell their products. The example that comes to mind most immediately is how SheaMoisture uses Fair Trade Shea Butter sourced from Ghana in all of their products. They label their products “made with Fair Trade Shea Butter” and discuss it on social media, in ads, and on their website. 

Handmade. 

Vague or Clear? Clear. 

Handmade is probably one of my favorite beauty categories to buy! The products are literally handmade by someone and often a small business formulating products in small batches. I’ve definitely come to appreciate the handmade love, care, and time that goes into manufacturing handmade products. 

K Beauty. 

Vague or Clear? Clear. 

K Beauty refers to skincare products and makeup products that are made in Korea. The focus of K Beauty skincare is typically on health, hydration, and brightening. They also focus on improving the health of your skin over time rather than overnight. The ingredients used tend to be natural. Wondering if a product is K Beauty? Simply look at the packaging, and it would say “Made in Korea” if so. 

Natural. 

Vague or Clear? Vague. 

Natural typically means that the product contains no artificial ingredients or added colors. This sounds great, but realistically, it’s not regulated and can be a whole bunch of fluff just for marketing and to charge you higher prices. It varies: it can mean that a couple of the ingredients are natural or all of them are natural. It could be 100% natural or less than 100%. It’s best to look at the ingredient list and see if you actually recognize any ingredients, especially the first 5 or so ingredients. When in doubt, you can google them or look them up on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep page to double check it’s safety. 

Non-toxic. 

Vague or Clear? Clear. 

Non-toxic products claim to leave out toxic ingredients, meaning ingredients linked to neuro-disruption, hormone disruption, cancer, death, and any other bad health side effects. For example, phthalates are commonly found in shampoos and conditioners to give products a uniform consistency. They are also known to damage the liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive system. Realistically, there is probably not a large amount in your beauty products, but consistent weekly or daily use of toxins over your entire lifespan are then absorbed into your body, can accumulate, and have an effect on your health. 

Organic. 

Vague or Clear? Clear.

Organic products are actually regulated by the FDA and usually certified by the USDA. Organic means that the ingredient(s) is grown and processed under a strict code of cleanliness with no pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or artificial agents. You may see a USDA label on it. Keep in mind though that the ‘organic’ product could contain only 1 organic ingredient, multiple organic ingredients, or be 100% organic. Read the packaging carefully. 

Sustainably Produced. 

Vague or Clear? Vague. 

This designation typically entails products made in a non-polluting way and minimizing negative environmental effects. It could mean the product was made while conserving non-renewable energy and natural resources, made in an economically efficient way, or that it’s manufacturing was safe for workers, communities, and consumers. Again, it varies, and it depends on what the brand actually communicates that they do. 

Vegan. 

Vague or Clear? Clear.

These products contain no animal ingredients and no animal by-products. For example, vegan products do not include honey as honey is a by-product of bees. 

What’s important to me?

As someone that’s health conscious and has a science and health background, I truly care what I put on my face, hair, and skin because it later will potentially be absorbed into my body. For that reason, I prefer clean, non-toxic products. As a beauty influencer that’s tried and reviewed a lot of products, I’ve come to also love handmade and K beauty products. Handmade products are just made with a special kind of TLC, and K beauty products agree with my sensitive skin. 

After reading this post, hopefully you noticed that the beauty industry lacks regulation, especially here in the US. With no organization, like the FDA, regulating and legitimizing these buzzwords, some of them are becoming exactly that. Just popular words with very little meeting behind them that brands then use to make their products sound better and validate high prices. Some of these designations are important and meaningful to me. Others, I don’t blindly trust anymore and make sure to do my own digging (i.e. research) when needed. 

I hope this post provides you with some clarity to help you determine and perhaps reconsider what labels are truly important to you!

Xoxo, 

Margaret Nicole