The growing awareness of the importance of protecting the environment and our health is also influencing our choice of cosmetic products. The most attractive labels are natural, clean and sustainable, yet there is still a lot of misleading and a lack of clear definitions in the beauty industry, so it is best for individuals to be as informed as possible so that they really choose what is in line with their needs and values.
Although there is no regulatory body that can determine a universal definition of natural cosmetics, it is generally accepted that they should contain at least 95% of ingredients sourced from nature. However, where to draw the line between natural and synthetic is not quite clear. How do you classify ingredients that exist in nature but cannot be obtained naturally because it is impossible, too expensive, or bad for the environment, such as hyaluronic acid, d-Panthenol, niacinamide or different forms of vitamins A and C? These nature-identical cosmetic ingredients play an important role in rejuvenating, moisturizing and soothing the skin, so they cannot be lumped together with synthetic ingredients, that are aggressive, polluting, dangerous to health and even hormone disruptors. Nature-identical ingredients are just as good for the skin and more sustainable – as they reduce the pressure on nature, which is already suffering from intensive agriculture.
But one thing is for sure, not everything that is natural is automatically good for your skin, as I wrote about in my previous blog, and unfortunately, the label natural is not always a guarantee that the formulation is first-class either.
This is why there is now also a growing trend for clean beauty that does not care about the origin of a cosmetic ingredient, but avoids the use of toxins and dangerous ingredients in products. Just like natural beauty also clean beauty industry is not regulated and clean brands determine the list of ingredients they avoid and inform their customers about it. However, in addition to proven harmful ingredients, this list may sometimes also include ingredients for which there is no scientific evidence of harm, so it is up to the customer to educate themselves about what they want or do not want in a product, which is often not easy.
As we can see, there is no clear definition of clean or natural beauty. There are different standards around the world, including which ingredients are prohibited and which are not and brands themselves decide how they will label themselves. However, the clean and natural beauty trends themselves are positive trends if they are accompanied by quality, transparency, safety and sustainability. So which cosmetic products are best for you? Definitely the ones that best suit your skin and are in line with your values.
At Miri, we are committed to natural and clean beauty. We are transparent about the origin and functionality of our ingredients and avoid any ingredient that is harmful to the environment and people. In addition, we strive for the smallest environmental footprint through the selection of recyclable packaging, and our ingredients and production processes are cruelty-free.
Miri, best for your skin and the environment.
