What is meant by “clean” skin care?

Market research has shown that 47% of women pay more attention to the ingredients used in their beauty products than they did a year ago1. It has also been found that 49% of US adults ages 18-24 look for clean beauty products. But what exactly is “clean” skin care? Clean skin care, or clean beauty, is a movement within the personal care industry that focuses on a specific product philosophy. Some mistake clean skin care with natural skin care, but these are not the same. “Clean” focuses on benefits from both natural and synthetic ingredients. Yet it scrutinizes ingredient selections a bit beyond normal regulations to omit or limit the use of certain ingredients deemed personally worrisome. While there is no set list of clean ingredients, many products have similar standards. These common standards often limit preservatives (like parabens), triclocarban/triclosan, and formaldehyde, along with mineral oil and phthalates to name a few.

Nu Skin was built upon scrutinizing ingredients and only using the best the industry had to offer. Opting away from inexpensive fillers and using skin beneficial ingredients in their place, we have also been grounded in science. We look at the research as a whole—how the ingredients are used or applied, how they affect the target area, etc. Noting further, that each of our formulas are acceptable in every market in which we do business, including those known for having more stringent ingredient inclusions and exclusions. We are proud to say that the company started “clean” and remains clean.

Pros and cons of clean skin care

Yet, there are some individuals who prefer to avoid additional ingredients. While these ingredients can be deemed safe by the industry, some consumers are looking for products that exclude them. Their reasoning could be that they are allergic to these ingredients or are trying to live a specific lifestyle. Whatever the reason, we are continually looking for ways to improve our products and satisfy consumers. Unfortunately, there are some compromises to omitting certain ingredients. From the perspective of a product formulator, removing some of these ingredients can limit the product. Some of these limitations include efficacy or performance, product aesthetics, and/or stabilization. While it is possible to create effective formulas that meet the desires of most consumers, it is no small task to find the exact formulation.

Since “clean” is open for personal interpretation, it is commonly linked to transparency. Consumers are looking for what they deem a clean formula, thus they need to know what ingredients are in the product and what ingredients are not. These ingredient conscious consumers are educated on what they want in their products and don’t want the hassle of market tricks to get it. They want straight facts and are familiar with the different ingredient dictionaries. They look tirelessly at ingredient labels for anything that might be concerning. There is a natural gravitation of these consumers to product lines that openly state their ingredient philosophy which includes lists of ingredients that were left out.

Yet, clean ingredients aren’t selfish and only about “me.” It is strongly tied to environmentally conscious packaging. The beauty industry has come a long way, and there are many options available to ensure your packaging is recyclable and/or recycled materials are used in the packaging. These consumers want to be assured that their ingredient sourcing is not causing harm or damage to the environment or animal habitats.

Nu Skin’s commitment to you

Nu Skin recognizes that we have a variety of consumers and strive to meet these varied needs. We even have different sub-brands to reach different target areas. Nutricentials Bioadaptive Skin Care^™ meets the needs of the those seeking “clean” products. We have specifically formulated this fun and experiential product line to exclude ingredients that some individuals prefer to avoid. See our Nutricentials Worry-Free ingredients list which provides ingredients you won’t find in the product. Each of the Nutricentials products were formulated to avoid or omit these ingredients, making it super easy to find a product that does NOT contain these popular, undesired ingredients.

Nutricentials Worry-Free List

*except in sunscreens where it is needed for stability and texture

In our effort to be transparent, Nu Skin is launching its own online ingredient dictionary! It will be a source of ingredient information. When consumers question what an ingredient is or why it is in a product’s formulation, it will aid in that understanding. It will be available this Spring. At this time, it won’t yet be an exhaustive list of our ingredients, but it will cover some key product lines and will continue to expand with time.

Nutricentials Bioadaptive Skin Care also features responsible packaging. The bottles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, while the tubes feature approximately 35% post-consumer recycled plastic. Nu Skin encourages recycling when and wherever possible. You can find Nu Skin’s sustainability efforts online at nuskin.com for more insights. Plus, more than 90% of these palm ingredients are sourced following Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (or RSPO) guidelines.

Clean beauty is another way that Nu Skin meets the needs of our customers and the sales leaders. With Nutricentials Bioadaptive Skin Care’s clean formulas based on its Worry-Free List, consumers can easily identify ingredients they are looking to avoid. It allows consumers to take care of themselves and empowers them to be kind to the world.