What "Clean Beauty" Actually Means, and What It Does Not

"Clean beauty" sounds like it should be a pretty straightforward category.

You picture a neat little label. A product with good ingredients. Maybe a woman in a white linen shirt standing in a field for some reason.

But the truth is, clean beauty is not a single standard.

It is a word that gets used a lot, and it can mean different things depending on who is using it.

One retailer may have a list of ingredients they do not allow. Another retailer may have a completely different list. One brand may use "clean" to mean plant-based. Another may use it to mean fragrance-free. Someone else may use it to mean their packaging looks nice on a beige shelf.

The word is not useless. It is just not the whole story.

Most people are asking a very reasonable question when they look for clean beauty: what am I putting on my skin, and do I feel good about it?

Fair question. Honestly, more brands should make it easier to answer.

The problem is that "clean" can make us focus on what is not in a product while skipping over what is.

No parabens. No sulfates. No this. No that. No ingredient with a name longer than six letters, apparently.

But a long list of "no's" does not tell you much about the product sitting in front of you. It does not tell you what the main ingredient is. It does not tell you where it came from. It does not tell you whether the product feels good to use or works for your routine.

For me, "clean" is less helpful than "clear."

Can I understand what is in the product?

Can I tell what the main ingredients are there to do?

Can the brand explain where the important ingredients come from?

Can I use it without turning my bathroom counter into a project?

Those are the questions I come back to.

"Natural" is another blanket word. It can be technically true and still tell you almost nothing about how an ingredient was grown, raised, processed, or handled. A short ingredient list is not automatically better, either. A beautiful story definitely is not proof.

But when a brand is clear about what it makes and why, you have something useful to work with.

That is what we try to do at Bare.

Our products are intentionally simple because that is how we prefer them. Not because we think every product needs to be simple to be good, and not because we are interested in making you feel bad about the products you already own.

We just like knowing what is in the jar.

We like being able to tell you where our tallow comes from. We like making products that feel good to use and are uncomplicated enough to become part of real life, not another thing you bought with excellent intentions at 11:30 PM.

That is our version of clear.

If you want a practical place to start when you are shopping for skincare, read the ingredient list. Look at the first few ingredients. Ask what the product is actually meant to do. Pay attention to whether the brand answers simple questions directly.

And then use your own experience. Does it fit into your routine? Do you reach for it?

Clean is a word.

Clear is better.

Jaimie Rae, Founder
Bare Tallow Co.