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At this point, “clean beauty” is everywhere—on TikTok, in your group chat, and all over the shelves at your local Target. But for a term that’s slapped on so many labels, it’s surprisingly fuzzy. Is it about sustainability? Health? Just clever marketing?
At SmarterX, we dig through ingredient lists and regulations for a living, so we’re here to give it to you straight.
Clean beauty usually refers to products that are made without ingredients known or suspected to cause harm to human health. But—surprise!—there’s no universally accepted legal definition in the U.S. That means it’s mostly up to retailers, brands, and third-party certifications to set the bar.
Some of the most common clean beauty standards (like “Clean at Sephora” or “Target Clean”) focus on eliminating ingredients linked to cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive harm, or environmental toxicity. But each one has its own list, its own rules—and plenty of gray areas.
While the science evolves and standards vary, here are some ingredient groups that tend to raise red flags:
Want to avoid these? You’re not alone—but good luck pronouncing half of them, let alone spotting them on a tiny label.
You don’t need a total bathroom overhaul. Here are some smarter, doable ways to make the shift:
Focus on replacing the products you use daily and on the largest surface area—like lotion, sunscreen, and foundation. These have the most potential for long-term exposure.
Instead of decoding every ingredient, lean on trusted retailers with clear “clean” criteria (and published no-no lists). Target, Sephora, and Ulta all have their own clean seals, but read the fine print—some are stricter than others.
Tools like EWG’s Skin Deep or Think Dirty can help you screen products—but even those aren’t perfect. That’s why platforms like SmarterX use AI to classify products based on evolving science and retail requirements.
If a product simply says “fragrance,” skip it. Look for ones that use essential oils (if you’re not sensitive) or explicitly list every fragrance component.
Ask your favorite brand about what’s not in their formulas—and why. The more people ask, the more transparency becomes the norm.
Clean beauty isn’t about perfection—it’s about awareness. You don’t need a 12-step clean routine to start making better choices. You just need to know what to look for and how to ask the right questions.
At SmarterX, we help retailers and brands keep up with evolving chemical safety standards. But ultimately, we believe everyone should have access to product information that’s actually useful.
Because “clean” shouldn’t be a mystery. It should be the baseline.