What Are the Differences? Clean/Organic/Natural/Vegan/Certified Beauty?
The terms clean beauty, natural, organic, vegan, and certified organic skincare can be confusing. These days, everyone uses them as if they are nearly interchangeable. But they aren’t. This story can help to define the terms a little better, and I’m suggesting two brands, one organic, and one clean beauty, that you’ll want to try.
Every year or so there is a new ingredient touted as the “it” ingredient that skincare must have. Most of these are proven to be beneficial for the skin. But when it comes to the terms: Clean, Organic, Natural, Vegan, or Certified Beauty it’s a mistake to think that these are trendy terms that are all the same. I’m not including the terms cruelty-free, sustainable, or eco-friendly with this group (that’s for another time). If the following information is important to you when making your choices, read the labels, visit the website, and ask questions! Meanwhile, let’s briefly break down each of these terms:
Cool, it’s Clean Beauty!
The term clean beauty has been around for a while, but it doesn’t just mean washing your face! The main thing is that clean beauty is about the safety of the ingredients. However, synthetic ingredients can be included. Not every product that is all-natural, organic, or vegan is necessarily clean beauty.
So Very Vegan:
goat milk is great for skin, but you won’t find it in vegan skincare products
Vegan beauty products don’t have animal or animal-derived ingredients but that doesn’t mean they are organic, certified organic, natural or clean beauty. Vegan products will not contain anything “Animal” including such ingredients as beeswax, honey, lanolin, and dairy products. This is just a few. If you are vegan, you already know what you won’t accept in your food or beauty products.
Oh! It’s Organic!
Organic and certified organic are similar but not the same. The term “Organic” simply means that the product doesn’t have GM (genetically modified) ingredients, controversial chemicals, parabens or phthalates. Organic products don’t have any synthetic colors, dyes, or fragrances. If you are someone who detests chemicals, organic products are probably the ones you want. However, certified organic products have been registered with an industry body and meet their strict certification standards. The certification process includes registered brand owners and manufacturers that follow and comply with regulations set out by the certification body.
Natural Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Organic
If you see “natural” on your skincare label, it just means that the ingredients were produced by nature. That doesn’t mean that they are also organic. Natural products can contain chemicals while organic ingredients are farmed without pesticides, chemicals, or artificial fertilizers and they are not genetically modified. Do consider that just because ingredients are produced by nature doesn’t mean you want them on your skin. For example, dirt is organic, but most of us won’t be doing a dirt moisturizer any time soon.
#Review: Clean Beauty RENPURE, Rocks!
Bigger isn’t always better. But nothing beats the generously sized 24 oz. pump bottles of hair and body care from RENPURE. This clean beauty company has 100% recyclable packaging and recyclable pump. The scents are off-the-charts delicious and the products are pH-balanced. But the best part? I can’t believe that these quality beauty products are all under $10. And, they should be in your favorite mass market retailers.
These days almost every pitch I get for a beauty product is more interested in telling what isn’t in it, than what is. But RENPURE excludes over 1,600 unnecessary additives. Please don’t make me list them all! Instead, they have proven, plant-based ingredients.
I tried the three products in the photo above: The divinely-scented Pomegranate and Mango Body Wash, and the coco-nutty dreaminess of the Coconut Cream and vitamin E Shampoo and Conditioner. RENPURE does offer other hair care duos. But I like this one because it seals in moisture and helps hair look soft and healthy. Many people truly need extra moisture for their skin and hair after Summer sun, heat, sweat/chlorine/salt, etc. The key ingredients are simple: Coconut Fruit Extract, Coconut Oil, and Vitamin E. That’s reason enough for me to put it in my guest room. But I get to use the swoon-worthy products too!
RENPURE has six body wash types. The one I tried, the Pomegranate & Mango Body Wash, is an exfoliating one. But it’s not gritty and it’s very gentle. It’s just what you need every day to get rid of dead skin cells while enjoying the uplifting aromatherapy scent. I am rapidly becoming a fan of RENPURE and hope to try more of their products to suggest to you.
Meanwhile, you can check them out at https://www.renpure.com/ or if you can’t find them near you, on Amazon (prices vary).
#Review The Organic Skin Company:
I know that many of my readers and followers like organic products. Now you know what that term really means. The Organic Skin Co. uses revolutionary supercritical CO2 extracts throughout its entire range. They want their customers to look good and feel good. The products are vegan and very eco-conscious. Even the aluminum tubes are completely recyclable. When you open the cartons, you see the printed message: “You just planted one tree.”
When I opened my cardboard box of samples, I got the printed message “Welcome to the tribe.” Inside that box were three recyclable cartons containing products.
Vanilla + Amaranth Hydrating Agent Moisturizer
The first container I opened contained a glass jar with a bamboo wood top containing The Organic Skin Company Vanilla + Amaranth Hydrating Agent Moisturizer (plumps and hydrates skin). Amaranth has a sensual, nutty vanilla scent. The cream itself is very thick but extremely hydrating. Therefore, it’s particularly good for dry, dehydrated, tired, or mature skin. The Organic Skin Company suggests you “press” the product into your skin.
Clean Slate Cleanser:
The Clean Slate Cleanser has a bamboo cover over the toothpaste-type screw top tube so it can stand up on your sink or shower shelf. This is so simple and so clever. The cleanser is a gentle, natural AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) face cleanser good for all skin types. To use it, massage it into your damp skin for 30-60 seconds.
Since it’s an AHA, be sure to wear sunblock (you should anyway). They infused this product with antioxidants and five natural AHAs to help brighten your complexion, boost collagen, unclog pores, and protect the skin against environmental saboteurs.
The key ingredients include Amla CO2: which balances and calms. Vitamin C. Neem and CO2: help to smooth fine lines and minimize pores. Pomegranate CO2: Antioxidant; helps promote skin elasticity. Honeysuckle CO2: Age-managing; rich in vitamins and minerals. Rosemary CO2: Helps smooth fine lines and slow signs of aging. However, as someone with sensitive skin, I suggest you do a patch test before you slather this citrusy-scented cleanser on your face.
The Good Oil Face Oil:
The Good Oil Face Oil arrives in a perfume-sized clear bottle with a bamboo top. There is also a plastic stopper on the bottle to keep the sweet and floral-scented golden oil from spilling. The oil is good for all skin types, including sensitive skin. All you need is 2-3 drops, so the 1 fl. oz. bottle will last a long time. Some oils just sit on your skin, but this one absorbs quickly, leaving a honeysuckle scent behind. On a personal note, the strong honeysuckle scent is one fragrance that gives me a headache. Also, I’m not sure that a heavy fragrance near your face is such a good idea. But those who love white flowers will want to bathe in this face oil. I love the skin benefits, but I wish this was unscented since it’s going on my face.
Visit https://theorganicskinco.com/
