How to: Know What Clean Beauty Really Means for Your Hair

What Does “Clean Beauty” Really Mean? Let’s Break It Down.

“Clean beauty.” You’ve probably seen this buzzword everywhere — it’s practically the Beyoncé of beauty trends. And for curly folks especially, it’s become the gold standard of what we expect from brands. But here’s the thing: what does clean beauty actually mean? Who decides? And why does it matter for your curl routine?

All good questions (👏 we love a curious curly). Let’s unravel this together — without the tangles.

First Things First: The Not-So-Clean Truth

Spoiler alert: it’s messy. “Clean beauty” isn’t a regulated term in the U.S., which means there’s no official rulebook. While countries like Canada and those in the EU have strict standards around what counts as safe vs. toxic, the U.S. only bans 11 cosmetic ingredients (as of Feb 2022). Eleven! For context, the EU bans over 1,000.

So if you’re looking to the FDA for guidance, you might be waiting a while. Here in the States, “clean” is more about perspective than policy. Let’s look at a few of the most common ones.

How Others See “Clean”

👩‍🔬 Cosmetic Scientists
When you think “clean,” you probably picture a big red X over things like sulfates, parabens, silicones, and phthalates, right? But scientists like to remind us that “natural” doesn’t always equal safe (poison ivy is natural… but you don’t want it in your conditioner). And “synthetic” doesn’t always equal harmful.

🌱 Natural
Sounds wholesome, doesn’t it? But in the U.S., “natural” is completely unregulated. It usually just means ingredients came from nature (plants, minerals, animals), but there’s no official standard behind the label.

🍊 Organic
Now, this one is regulated … but only for food, not beauty products. The USDA has strict guidelines for what counts as organic in food, but those rules don’t really apply to your shampoo or curl cream.

🚫 Chemical-Free
Hot take: this term makes scientists roll their eyes. Because here’s the thing — everything is made of chemicals (yes, even water and oxygen). What “chemical-free” usually means in beauty is “free of the scary ones,” like formaldehyde or toluene.

✨ Simple
Another fan-fave word. “Simple” often just means products with shorter ingredient lists and names you can pronounce. It doesn’t necessarily equal safer — but it can feel more transparent and approachable.

The Beauty Industry POV

Since there’s no legal definition of “clean,” many brands create their own. Enter the famous “NO List”— aka ingredients they promise not to use. Some of the big ones:

• Parabens → Preservatives that keep products fresh, but have raised health concerns. Like that one relative who’s helpful, but also… a little problematic.
  
  

• Sulfates → The foam-makers in shampoo that also strip your hair’s natural oils. Stripping your curls bare like it’s tax season.
  
  

• Silicones → Make hair shiny, but can build up and block out moisture.The clingy ex of ingredients—they just won’t leave your strands, causing buildup.
  
  

• Phthalates → Used to make fragrance last longer, but linked to hormone disruption. Hard pass.
  
  

• Artificial Colors → Petroleum-based dyes that can irritate scalp and skin. Pretty in the bottle, not always so pretty on your scalp.

💡 Fun fact: TréLuxe products are proudly free from all of the above!

So … What’s Clean to Us?

At TréLuxe, we like to keep it simple: what goes on your curls should be safe for your body too. That’s why we spent two years researching before we launched a single product — studying everything from ingredient safety to shelf life.

We also hold ourselves to some of the toughest standards in the industry, like the Whole Foods Market Body Care Standards (which bans over 180 ingredients — yep, way more than the FDA). Plus, we keep an eye on the EU and Canadian standards, which are stricter than what’s required here in the U.S.

And just to clear the air: yes, we use fragrance in some products. But you’ll never find phthalates, parabens, or cancer-causing chemicals in them.

The Bottom Line

“Clean beauty” can feel confusing, but here’s the takeaway: it’s not about buzzwords. It’s about transparency, safety, and knowing what you’re putting on your curls.

At the end of the day, “clean beauty” is about finding products that make you feel confident, safe, and — most importantly — in love with your curls. That’s why we are kicking off our Fall blogs: Fall in Love with Your Curls (adjust to Fall Curl Foundations blog series) — a space to learn, share, and celebrate every twist, coil, and wave this season. Because when you understand what’s in your products and learn more about your tresses, you can spend less time worrying and more time loving the crown you were born with.

So, what’s your take? What does clean beauty mean to you? Drop your thoughts—we’d love to hear!