Clean & Green, What does that even mean?

“Clean beauty” and “green beauty” are both dominating the industry – and the experts tell us – they’re here to stay.

What do they mean? Are they the same thing?

The short answer is no, not necessarily. We know that there is no one single definition of “clean beauty”. Part of the reason for this is that many beauty and skincare products are not highly regulated. One resource that we find helpful is “The Dirty Dozen” explained by the David Suzuki Foundation here. This is a list of ingredients (some prohibited for use in cosmetics in Canada) that are toxic and harmful not only to our skin, but to the environment as well.

One ingredient getting a big name for itself is parabens. Parabens are preservatives used very commonly in all sorts of cosmetics. While not prohibited in Canada, parabens are proven to be harmful to our hormone function. Perhaps less familiar to you are BHA and BHT, synthetic antioxidants. They are used often in cosmetics as preservatives despite evidence that they are harmful to human health. BHA for instance is a possible human carcinogen and endocrine disruptor.

You will never find The Dirty Dozen in any of empyri’s products.

We believe that given the proper education and all the facts, consumers can decide for themselves if brands meet their need for clean while aligning or supporting their broader values. So empryi’s promise is full transparency: we’ll tell you all the ingredients in our products, support your learning about some that may be unfamiliar (high botanical roots in skincare are brand new!) and hopefully we’ll make the cut.

Green beauty generally refers to products made from natural/naturally derived, rather than synthetic ingredients and when we talk about values, green beauty takes this picture to a new level. As written in Everyday Health, “The green, or sustainable, beauty trend, also called eco-beauty, is part of a larger life philosophy, an approach to self-care that emphasizes not being so engrossed in the mirror that you kick the earth to the curb”(1).

empyri’s 3-step ritual is 100% green; every ingredient is found in nature. 

Our ingredients are also vegan, sourced ethically and sustainably. Our squalene for instance, is derived entirely from olives. Lots of beauty brand source squalene from shark liver (yikes!) but like all of our raw materials, each shipment of empyri’s squalene comes with a Certificate of Analysis to verify its source.

We want Mother Earth to take care of our skin, so let’s care for her – and all of her creatures – in return.

 

References:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-beauty/the-biggest-skin-care-trends-to-watch-for/

https://davidsuzuki.org/queen-of-green/dirty-dozen-cosmetic-chemicals-avoid/

https://www.flare.com/fashion-beauty/squalane-skincare-shark-liver-oil-plant-based/

Jennifer Grant with Hemp Roots

 

Author Bio: Jennifer is the president and founder of empyri.  Jennifer’s passion for formulation and product development was set ablaze in 2019, when she incorporated the healing power of cannabis roots into her long-standing three-step skin care system. Armed with scientific evidence on the actives in cannabis roots and seeds, a clean and conscious brand was born. Using her masters degree in bio-chemical engineering, Jennifer is forging a path to ...READ FULL BIO