“Clean Makeup” refers to cosmetic brands that market themselves as safer and more environmentally conscious. The movement began in the 1970s as chemical protests started happening following WWI, WW2, and Vietnam War (Silent Spring). Nail salons were developed as a result of the Vietnam War.
The Clean Beauty Movement seeks to eliminate the synthetic harmful materials found in traditional brands. Keep in mind that none of the beauty industry is deregulated. Many barriers to entry have been eliminated, resulting in a myriad of products you can buy. In the United States of America, there is little federal oversight to how companies operate. The FDA does not review marketing or ingredients, only offering guidelines and recall suggestions to brands. Some government officials do accept bribes.
Not every product or ingredient has a substitution; some substitutions are worse than the original ingredient.
Some Tips:
- Look for talc free products (later I’ll discuss why)
- Choose fragrance free, unscented products
- If you are shopping on Amazon, use AI chat to get complete ingredient list. Brands often do not reveal all the ingredients used in marketing materials. The chat bot is good about finding deception in claims.
- Avoid linalool, lillial, limonene, citral
- Avoid synthetic dyes like Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Chromium Oxide Green (CI 77288), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), D&C Violet No. 2 (Ci 60725), FD&C Green No. 3 (CI 42053)
- Swap one item at a time and wait at least a week to note changes
- Immediately stop use of product if any adverse symptoms are noted
- Refer to consumer advocacy groups like Clearya and EWG for ingredient checks
Budget ($20 and under)
- NYX Cosmetics
- E.L.F Cosmetics
- Aila Nail Polish
Mid ($50 and under)
- M-A-C Cosmetics
- Anastastia of Beverly Hills
- Ilia Cosmetics
- Bare Minerals
- Haus Labs
- RMS
- Think Sunscreen
- Kook Swim Care
Luxury ($55 and up)
Poppy & Monroe Salon Nashville
What I Use:
- M-A-C Cosmetics Paint Pot in Ochre
- M-A-C Cosmetics Prolongwear Concealer in NC20
- M-A-C Cosmetics Extreme Dimension 3D Mascara in Black
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Palette (talc-free)
- Ilia Fullest Voluminizing Mascara in Black (not as vibrant as M-A-C)
- Ilia Soft Focus Finishing Powder
- NYX Epicwear Liquid Eyeliner in Black
- NYX Gitter Eyeshadow Primer
- Divinah Cosmetics Duo/Multichrome (Mineral eyeshadows that colorshift) in 347
- Black Moon Cosmetics (liquid lipstick and regular lipstick)
- Fragrance-free makeup wipes (Equate brand from Walmart)
- Unscented Summer of Eve Wipes and Body Wash
- Dr Bronner’s Unscented Castille Bar Soap
- Kitsch Purple Toning Shampoo Bar
- Kitsch Unscented Shampoo and Body Wash Bar
- Kitsch Unscented Conditioner and Shave Bar
- The Honest Company Unscented Bubble Bath
- Native Unscented Deodorant
References:
Some History:
Allure Magazine: History of Clean Beauty (since 1990s)
Essay from the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC)
The Pull Agency: Navigating a World of Non Toxic
Pending Regulation:
H.R.5540 – Cosmetic Safety for Communities of Color and Professional Salon Workers Act of 2021
https://www.aaldef.org/news/asamnews-healthy-nail-salon-bill-potentially-blocked-for-the-third-year/
Key Nail Technician Safety and Labor Initiatives
- Kentucky Senate Bill 14 (2024): Signed into law, this act updates salon regulations, expands the Board of Cosmetology to include a licensed nail technician, requires exams in multiple languages, and mandates written warnings for violations before license revocation.
- New York Nail Salon Minimum Standards Council Act (Proposed): Aimed at establishing industry standards for wages, time off, and safety, this bill (S1800/A378) seeks to create a council of workers, employers, and officials to address health and safety concerns.
- New York Ventilation Regulations: Implemented to reduce risks of cancer, asthma, and reproductive issues, these regulations require proper ventilation systems in salons.
- California AB 5 (2019): While not exclusively a safety bill, this legislation addressed worker classification, pushing for nail technicians to be treated as employees rather than independent contractors to ensure better labor protections.
- Federal Cosmetic Safety (Proposed): The Cosmetic Safety for Professionals Act (H.R.3620) aims to mandate that manufacturers publish safety data sheets for chemicals, enhancing transparency and reducing exposure to harmful substances for salon workers.
Common Safety Concerns Addressed
- Chemical Exposure: Regulations target volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxic chemicals in polishes/removers.
- Ventilation: A primary focus to reduce air contaminants and reproductive health issues, particularly for AAPI and Latinx workers.
- Training & Access: Efforts to provide safety training in multiple languages, such as Vietnamese and English.
For brands selling in European Union countries, Digital Product Passports and Carbon Accounting will be required.
Grow BAE 