Over the last few years, we have been noticing the ever-growing clean beauty movement. We are used to reading and hearing expressions related to clean cosmetics: natural, organic, biodegradable, sustainable ... a multitude of concepts that we recognize as positive without knowing exactly what they mean. So let's dive in more! What does Clean stand for? By now, we are used to reading 'natural' and 'organic' on many care and cosmetic packagings, but on many occasions, these labels are misused leading to confusion. Clean Beauty is defined by-products that are mindfully created and produced without any proven or suspected toxic ingredients. These products include ingredients ethically sourced and are made with the health of our bodies and the environment in mind. So ...is natural beneficial? The logical part of our brain is probably going to think that the more natural the better. It just sounds right, doesn't it? In reality, that is not often the case. Although some natural ingredients are truly good for you, some on the other hand can cause significant skin sensitivities that can build up over time. In both cases, some ingredients, be it natural or synthetic, can be skin-aggravating, causing all aspects of skin to break down and fall apart. "Obviously, when it comes to the selection of ingredients, the natural ones are prioritized. When it comes to using ingredients, we make sure they don't compromise the skin or the environment. Clean beauty must have a high percentage of naturalness because it is understood that natural ingredients are more similar to our biological structures." - Mar Jal, technical director at HAAN. So, both synthetic and natural can be good for the health of my skin? That is correct. We associate naturalness with safety and chemical ingredients with toxicity, but in fact both kinds can perform wonders in the health of your skin. It mostly depends on the ingredient itself.
What does Clean mean at HAAN?
We have created 4 fundamental principles which we follow in everything we do and everything that defines us as a brand.
Simplicity: the "less is more" philosophy. The reduction of ingredients makes the interaction between the ingredients and the skin, much more gentle.
Careful selection of ingredients: even though our assets are at the forefront of care and cosmetics, we avoid all those ingredients that have any negative connotations or that are questioned for some reason, to ensure that the ones we use are 100% reliable (as in safe and effective).
Respect for the environment: clean products should be as sustainable as possible, both from the point of view of the finished cosmetic and its components.
The ultimate goal for us would be fit into a circular economy - when waste materials can be raw materials for other products.
Transparency: we are honest with our claims, our actions, the process, the ingredients we use and altogether what we are like as a brand.
"It includes all the principles that we consider positive for man and the environment." - Mar Jal, product development advisor at HAAN
At HAAN, we are committed to maximum naturalness, since we consider that natural ingredients are more similar to our biological structures and that they go hand in hand with biodegradability. But we do not renounce the beneficial properties that chemical synthesis cosmetics can provide us, which is capable of generating highly effective ingredients on demand, in the laboratory. Naturalness is also chemical!
In the end, no one is fully perfect and neither are we but we can always strive for more improvements.