Earlier in 2019, the ‘clean beauty’ movement dominated in the world of health and beauty and continues to strive. The idea is to move away from products branded as ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ which are deceptively harmful to your body and the environment. For example, a product might contain ingredients that are sourced from nature, but this is not to say that these natural substances are entirely safe. Essentially, ‘clean’ can be natural and/or synthetic, as long as the skin and planet can accept and process the substances without damage and disruption.
The trend has been driven by a higher level of consciousness among us to detoxify ourselves and the environment, as well as a genuine rise in skin sensitivity due to an increased exposure to pollution and stress brought on in part by the digital age.
At Czech & Speake, awareness of skin sensitivity and quality of ingredient has always been at the core of the design and production of our products. If you’d like to heighten your awareness and better your consumption, we’ve provided tips of how you can make clean and more sustainable choices:
Be Aware of the Ingredients
It is worth better educating yourself in understanding what certain ingredients are and whether they are ‘clean’. For example mineral oils such as petroleum and petrolatum are cheap by-products from the crude oil industry which as you can imagine are not a natural pairing with the skin and can cause your pores to be blocked. Equally look for positive components; isoamyl cocoate which is derived from coconut oil, uses 60 per cent less CO2 emissions then siloxane (a silicone) as well as being delicate on the skin. Coconut surfactants can be found in our range of body washes, which are gentle enough that they do not strip the skin of natural oils.
Avoid Artificial or Enhanced Colouring
Colouring can be an unnecessary process included for the purpose of cosmetic value in many bath and beauty products. Products without dyes are better for the environment in the sense that less artificial chemicals or enhanced natural substances are added to the formula, as well as removing a water thirsty process from the production. Equally many people will have skin sensitivities to these dyes. The majority of Czech & Speake’s products have been left in the natural colour state, as it is the quality of the product that is most important to us.
Consider the Packaging
Choosing products with less packaging or packaged in sustainable material can make a signifiant difference. Many of our products such as our fragrances and bath oils are niche in the sense that they are contained in glass; a highly recyclable material that can be reused endlessly. Secondary to glass, cardboard is an easily recyclable material, it’s just the plastics that can be problematic. If your favourite product is bottled in plastic, check the label to see if it is recyclable, as some plastics have been developed deriving from natural materials such as corn – a renewable resource as apposed to the more common petroleum taken from crude oil. It is also worth looking out for brands that provide services to benefit the environment. At Czech & Speake we offer an in-store bottle refill service in which you can bring back an old bottle of ours and have it refilled without new cardboard packaging and at a discounted price.
If you’d like to learn more about our in-store refill service, click here. Alternatively, discover our full Fragrance range and Bath & Body range as mentioned in this article.
Sources: Good House Keeping, Vogue, Shape.com.
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