Buying "Clean" Isn't Always Easy

A few weeks ago I decided to try a new eye cream I heard about through a woman I follow on Instagram. The company makes the same claims as many: natural, plant-based, all the buzzwords. Clearly I’m the ideal consumer. I believed the (unpaid) influencer and I believed the company’s claims. Kudos to the marketing team!

When my package arrived I looked at the ingredient list. To my surprise, it contained more than 45 ingredients with at least 20 I would have to research to understand. Sure, just because I don’t understand an ingredient doesn’t mean it isn’t natural or even plant-based. But here’s the thing…I don’t WANT to question whether ingredients are natural and safe. And I definitely don’t want to spend time researching 20 ingredients.

I’m on a daily mission to use and consume only the cleanest ingredients in the foods we eat, the products we use on our bodies and the cleaners we use in our home. It doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one small change at a time.

If you ever wonder whether one of our ingredients is safe for your skin, just ask. But let me take the guesswork out of the three ingredients I might question if I hadn’t done my research. These are all found in our Hydrating Serum:

  • Phenoxyethanol is a preservative used in many skincare and cosmetic products. It is found naturally in green tea, but most products contain a synthetic version. As an ingredient, it helps prevent microbial growth, stabilize products and prolong shelf life. Side effects are not common.
  • Caprylyl Glycol is often used in combination with phenoxyethanol to prevent microbial growth. It can be plant-derived or synthetic, and it's also a conditioning ingredient that leaves skin feeling soft.
  • Sorbic Acid is another naturally occurring and synthetically produced preservative. It’s not only used in skincare, but also as a food preservative. Like nearly every ingredient, it can be an allergen.

I love to share what I know about clean ingredients and products I’ve found that actually work. For skincare basics, I obviously use and recommend our products. I would love to chat about other product categories, too, so reach out if you have questions or if you need a good product recommendation!
Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.