Clean beauty movement: what it means for consumers and brands today

The clean lifestyle and clean beauty movement are directly linked to current consumers’ preferences and choices, which have been a key trend for a while now, particularly among younger generations. The #CleanBeauty tag, accumulating 1.9 billion views on TikTok and 6 billion tags on Instagram, acts as a compelling marker for the ongoing interest in the clean beauty trend.

The clean lifestyle is mostly embraced by Millennials and Generation Z, who are making healthier choices like drinking less, exercising more, and adopting plant-based diets. This reflects the more holistic approach to health and well-being that is at the center of a clean lifestyle, taking in everything from food to household products. Naturally, this has extended to BPC, where the clean beauty movement has become one of the most influential narratives in the industry today.

The holistic approach related to the clean lifestyle involves food, fashion, beauty, personal care, household, travel, consumer technology, leisure, hospitality, retail, finance… It has an impact on a wide range of industries and has led many to tap into wellness marketing. In other words, clean lifestyles are blooming and making consumers demand products that focus on natural and real, declining everything that is artificial or processed and pursuing healthy living as a way to find balance among the global uncertainty that is present today.

As these trends materialize in a shift in consumer demands, the lack of regulation and the use of “clean beauty” as an umbrella term have raised suspicion around the movement. In this context, questions are raised around what clean beauty really is and whether brands are really meeting consumer demands with product innovation or just reinventing their marketing efforts. 

This is precisely where it’s important for beauty brands to tread carefully, making the right choices that ensure “clean beauty” claims are met with real-world transformations across their supply chain and design choices.

What does the clean lifestyle imply?

Asides from its implications for the cosmetic industry, it’s first important to conceptualize what a clean lifestyle looks like and the types of choices consumers are making to embrace a more clean living. While the “clean lifestyle” concept is broad and flexible, some key choices include:

• Healthy food habits: a clean lifestyle implies a preference for fresh and nutritious food, leaving aside certain choices such as processed or refined food options, as well as sugar or saturated fat. In this regard, 55% of consumers agree that your diet has an important link to the appearance of your complexion (Mintel, 2020).
• Regular exercise: a clean lifestyle also shows preference for daily sport routines, which are typically sustainable and pleasant, and which match each individual’s needs and potential. 
• Use or natural products: going beyond food, a clean lifestyle also means consumers prefer natural ingredients or products in everything they develop. This has implications in a wide variety of shopping habits, from their personal care and beauty products to the products they choose for cleaning homes or dressing. 
• Attention to emotional and mental wellbeing: a clean lifestyle also translates into achieving a healthy emotional and mental balance through a series of daily practices (like yoga or meditation), as well as the elimination of taboo around therapy. This sometimes intersects with knowing more about traditional cultures and medicine, such as the embracing of ayurveda. 

A clean lifestyle thus seeks to achieve a holistic understanding of emotional, physical and mental health which leads to a better outlook on life that is based on gratitude and connection to others.

The impact of the clean beauty movement, in figures

The clean lifestyle has undoubtedly had a crucial influence in the beauty industry in the last decade. Mentions of ‘clean beauty’ and viral trends on social media continue rising. Meanwhile, the ‘US Clean and Conscious Beauty Market Report 2023’ by Mintel found out 93% of US consumers have used “clean” personal care products in the past 12 months.

However, consumers are divided over the meaning of clean beauty. There are lots of definitions popping up and most can encompass the following concepts: 

• Green, plant-based beauty
• Cruelty-free products
• Organic ingredients, which should preferably certified as organic

The choice of safe and natural ingredients seems to be at the heart of the clean beauty movement, based on the idea that if they wouldn’t eat it, it’s unlikely to be safe to apply to their skin.

Thus, clean means natural, natural means safe, and safe is what consumers – particularly young consumers – seek in today’s beauty and skin care products. On top of these preoccupations, preferences for sustainable products add another layer to the clean beauty movement. As such, the Clean Beauty Survey 2023 by CleanHub found 63% of respondents look for products with natural ingredients that are good for their skin and the planet.

Key clean beauty movement trends: how can brands genuinely be part of the movement

To attract consumers, brands should escalate their efforts in at least two areas: transparency and sustainability. As such, building trust and joining the clean beauty movement has several implications for brands: 

• A push for natural or organic ingredients
• Transparency regarding where ingredients are sourced 
• A focus on ingredient efficacy, targeting wellness from a holistic perspective that includes mental, emotional and physical well being
• Obtain certifications that verify these claims 

The claim for sustainability and the alignment with clean lifestyles mustn’t be superficial: in order to be successful, brands must ensure these concepts permeate their whole narratives and strategies, including the building of a sustainable and ethical supply chain.

At the same time, promoting an eco-conscious message means that brands need to look beyond “free-from” ingredient claims so that they can stand out among an increasingly crowded clean beauty market. A commitment to a set of eco-ethical actions through strategic alliances will resonate with an increasing number of consumers and differentiate brands against competitors. 

From our position at the forefront of plant-based cosmetic innovation, at Provital we’re in a position to help companies be part of the natural beauty movement by helping them responsibly harness natural ingredients.

Xeradin™ represents a key candidate for formulations aiming at joining the clean beauty movement. Certified natural and sustainable by Ecocert, it is a plant-based source of 24-hour hydration based on the adaptogenic mechanism of xerophyte plants.

Frequently asked questions about the clean beauty movement

What are clean beauty standards?

Clean beauty is a term used to describe personal care and cosmetic products that are made with natural, non-toxic ingredients and free from harmful chemicals. As a relatively new and still “unofficial” concept, there are no standards or certifications that can officially confirm what clean beauty is. 

However, there are a number of organizations that can provide third-party confirmation of a brand doing their job at providing guarantees within the clean beauty movement. These include the Environmental Working Group, and the Clean Beauty Alliance.

Is clean beauty just marketing?

While the term clean beauty can be used as a marketing narrative, brands that position themselves within this niche can confirm their commitment through submitting to the guarantees provided by the two organizations we’ve cited above. There are other third-party players that will verify a brand’s products don’t contain toxic or harmful chemicals, including the European Union.

Is clean beauty greenwashing?

Greenwashing can be defined as the marketing strategy that aims at making a company’s products or services appear more environmentally friendly than they actually are. Again, brands that are serious about clean beauty will not participate in mindless narratives, but will certify their products by third-party organizations in order to guarantee their claims’ accuracy.