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For decades, eye makeup followed a familiar script: a wash of light shadow across the lid, a deeper shade pressed into the crease, liner for definition, and a final sweep of highlight. Blues, purples, browns, and grays dominated palettes in the 1980s, each step carefully layered to create a “finished” look. But beauty is never …
Image courtesy of Skin at Peace / PR Newswire. Used for editorial purposes only.
Logo by B Lab, via Wikimedia Commons If you’ve seen the little “B” logo stamped on beauty brands like Weleda, Sunday Riley, L’Occitane or Clarins, it isn’t just a marketing badge, it’s a certification. A B Corporation (or B Corp) is a company that’s been certified by the nonprofit B Lab for meeting high standards …
At the moment, all tubing mascaras rely on synthetic polymers(acrylates, polyvinyls, polyamides, etc.) to form the flexible “tubes” around lashes.That’s the entire mechanism behind the tubing effect: a plastic-like film former that resists oil,tears, and smudging, then dissolves or slides off with warm water. Keep in mind, clean beauty isn’t about avoiding synthetic ingredients—it’s about …
Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) has long been a staple in beauty formulations, valued for its brightening power and UV protection. In lipsticks, balms, or glosses, it usually appears on ingredient labels as CI 77891. But lip products are unique. Unlike powders or serums, they don’t just sit on skin. They’re worn on the mouth, reapplied often, …
If you’ve ever read a Prop 65 warning on your sunscreen or makeup, you might have noticed a line about titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and cancer risk. For many clean beauty brands—especially those based in California—this warning has been a source of confusion and concern. On August 12, 2025, a federal court in California ruled that …
Sealed with Care: Why Thoughtful Packaging Matters in Clean Beauty One of the ongoing conversations in the clean beauty community revolves around product hygiene and consumer trust. Concerns frequently surface in online spaces — including Reddit threads — about contamination risks and even the possibility of retailers reselling returned products that appear unopened. While these …
Tromethamine in Cosmetics: Safety, Nitrosamine Concerns, and Why Transparency Matters In a recent post we examined tromethamine in bronzer. The issue, however, isn’t limited to bronzers — tromethamine (also called tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane or THAM) is a common buffer and pH adjuster used across skincare and makeup. While independent reviews consider it safe at typical use levels, …
How Clean Are Your Clean Beauty Products? Clean beauty promises transparency, safer ingredients, and formulations free from some of the harsh preservatives found in conventional products. But what about the hidden side of “clean”? Without preservatives like parabens, products can sometimes be more vulnerable to contamination — especially once opened, shared, or applied with damp …
In our last post, we featured e.l.f. Bronzing Drops, and it’s worth taking a closer look at one ingredient that often raises questions in the clean beauty community: tromethamine. Clean beauty enthusiasts are right to examine ingredients closely, and understanding the role of each one can help make informed choices. What Tromethamine Does Tromethamine is …
What are Retinoids? Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives that are widely used in skincare for their ability to reduce fine lines, even skin tone, and boost collagen. Common forms include retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl palmitate, and tretinoin. What is Bakuchiol? Bakuchiol is a plant-derived extract from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia (aka “babchi”), a plant traditionally …
Copper peptides have become one of the most powerful tools in clean skincare, offering a minimalist approach to visible skin repair, firming, and hydration. Naturally occurring in the body, these short-chain amino acids bonded with copper (often listed as GHK-Cu or Copper Tripeptide-1) support tissue regeneration and collagen synthesis, making them an ingredient for both …