In the early and mid-2010s, clean beauty was converted from crunchy to cool. Every celebrity, influencer and new-age brand told you that you needed to overhaul your entire routine to make it as “clean” as possible. While marketing claims, advertising strategies, celebrity endorsements and pretty packaging used to be the top priority before, skincare consumers began paying attention to what’s on the inside of their skincare tubes, tubes, bottles and tubs too. 

What is clean beauty?

Clean is a vague term, and its meaning is subjective. In the beauty world, there’s no official definition for clean (or natural or non-toxic). It is usually up to the brand to define what these terms mean for them. Clean beauty usually includes both synthetic and natural formulations. But, it includes a no-list of ingredients that could harm you in any way. The thing is, brands create their own description of what clean means to them since it’s not a regulated term. Most brands will try to formulate products without ingredients that could be harmful to your body. So if an ingredient could cause hormone disruption, disease or irritation, it is usually nixed. But this can be relative.

Take polyethylene glycol (PEG), which is an absolute no-no for some clean beauty purveyors because its byproducts can be carcinogenic. It is considered safe (and clean) by others because it is used in minimal amounts and can serve as a great emulsifier and emollient. Essential oils too! Some brands will consider them the crux of their clean skincare and a great alternative to synthetic fragrances (“it’s been around for ages!,” they’ll say) while others will say that it is highly sensitising and irritating to most skin.

Silicone is another ingredient that garners great controversy. Some say that its slip and emollience makes it an ideal ingredient to improve texture. Others say that it can’t be clean because it is harmful to the environment. Retinol is a synthetic ingredient that is rumored to have carcinogenic properties when exposed to sunlight. But in reality, it is an anti-ageing powerhouse that has gone through rigorous testing and proven safe for use. Elsewhere, hyaluronic acid, for example, is perceived as natural when it is derived from the umbilical cords of cow. However, a lab-made version is just as biocompatible and effective without harming any wildlife. 

Are natural skincare products clean?

Natural skincare refers to ingredients that are products of nature (like water, coconut oil or green tea). Greenwashing in the mid-2000s made people believe that because it came from the earth, it was the best for you. Chemicals were the reason everyone was falling sick. If it came from nature (like your food does), it had to be safe. But now research is proving that if something is natural, it doesn’t mean that it is safe, superior or better for you. Natural ingredients can be difficult to work with in a formulation. Their efficacy and safety cannot always be guaranteed, because you’re contending with changes in weather, water, soil and seasons. Since you can’t get the same results every time, you can’t be sure you’re getting the best possible product.

On the other hand, since synthetic ingredients are made in a lab, they can be tested (and then re-tested) to ensure that they work, are safe and won’t cause any harmful reactions. There’s a caveat—this doesn’t mean that some natural ingredients (like honey or green tea) aren’t great. It’s extremely important to read labels. More so, to shop from brands that carry out clinical testing to demonstrate high levels of purity and consistency. 

What is greenwashing and why is it so prevalent?

In the beauty industry—where the competition is strong and the formulations can be similar, the biggest thing brands can do to set themselves apart is marketing.

Do you think products housed in green bottles, with no fragrance and as few ingredients as possible are the safest for you? You might be victim to greenwashing. Thank the fear-based marketing that is telling you traditional beauty products are bad for you, and that you’ll want to choose ones that don’t have chemicals instead. It’s all in the word play: If you say a certain product is clean, that implies that others are dirty. This could have been legitimate if brands were really always telling the truth. But the term ‘organic’ can be slapped on a label even if only certain ingredients really are. Without oversight, it doesn’t actually mean much of anything. 

There might be some upside to this. The pressure forces beauty brands and chemical formulators to come up with safer, more effective products that are non-sensitising to larger swathes of the audience. Transparency is the name of the game.

What should you pick?

When thinking of clean, we are thinking of a mixture of synthetic and natural ingredients which are clinically tested and shelf-stable. So they really work. So when it comes to picking, if you have an ingredient that really works for your skin, don’t lose it. The good news is that there are many beauty brands leading the charge and creating skincare products with ingredients that they can prove are worthy and won’t harm you. You may just have to do your own research, and decide which path you want to stake your claim to. 

Exfoliating is the breakthrough step that your routine needs. It doesn’t need to be scary, but in order to exfoliate, you may need to do a little trial and error to settle on the formula, method and routine you like

A lit-from-within complexion is the most universal beauty goal, and smooth, exfoliated skin is the easiest way to get there. But the rules of exfoliation aren’t that cut and dry—how do you know if you’re scrubbing too much? Could you be doing too much, too fast? What is the best way to exfoliate if you’ve never done it before? We investigate, so you don’t have to get it too wrong again.

Why you need to exfoliate, and why you shouldn’t be nervous to do it

Skin cells are constantly regenerating. Exfoliating ensures that the skin cells that have built up on the surface are removed. Jagged edges and build-up don’t reflect light, so when you’ve gotten rid of it, the skin looks brighter almost immediately. It’s easy to make mistakes with exfoliation though. If you use too strong an acid, you could burn your skin and have it feel red, inflamed and itchy. If you scrub a little too hard with texture that’s too grainy, your skin can peel, and you could cause micro-tears in your skin. This can ruin with your skin’s moisture barrier. If you take it slow, give your skin a break and phase products in, you could brighten your skin, rev up cell turnover, increase collagen production and improve overall skin health.

Picking the right product for you is key. If you have peeling or dry patches on the skin, a little manual exfoliation can help. You’d use a product that contains seeds, nuts, beads or crystals to slough off the top layer, and rinse it off. But when you scrub too hard, you could cause those dreaded micro-tears. Enter chemical exfoliation, in which you use an acid or a retinoid to break the bonds between dead skin cells and sweep them away.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids like lactic, glycolic and malic acid dissolve the intercellular glue that makes damaged, old skin cells stick to the epidermis. Once they work their magic, the brighter, more active cells can take their place. Poly Hydroxy Acids work similarly. Their large molecules exfoliate on the surface, so they’re able to brighten without disturbing the deeper layers and causing irritation. They also fight glycation, therefore boosting collagen production as well. Retinoids too—they break down bonds and improve cell turnover. Beta Hydroxy Acids are oil soluble, so they can get deep in the pores and clear them out. This prevents sebum and dead skin cells from getting inflamed.

The exfoliator you can use based on your skin issue

If you have dry skin and prefer physical exfoliation, a finely milled scrub can help slough off any particularly dry bits. So your creams and oils can get to work where they need to. When it comes to chemical exfoliation, the mild strength and moisturizing properties of lactic acid make it a safe choice.

If you have blackheads, whiteheads and clogged pores, you’ll want to exfoliate with salicylic acid or a retinoid. The former is able to regulate oil production, while the latter works on a cellular level to help kickstart your cell turnover rate and prevent clogging. If you have pigmentation left over from acne, you’ll want to use glycolic acid. It has super small molecules, so it penetrates the skin deeply and quickly to dissolve the bonds between the pigmented cells, allowing the newer cells to take their place.

If you have sensitive skin, reach for PHAs. They penetrate the skin slower than the other acids, thus creating less irritation or redness. Plus, they have humectant properties, so they can draw in moisture and eliminate dryness.

How should you exfoliate, and how often?

Some pros like using a chemical exfoliator to loosen things up, and then a manual scrub to sweep it all off. For the first, apply your exfoliant after the cleanser and toner steps in your routine. If it’s a liquid, apply it with a cotton pad; if a lotion, cream or gel, apply it with your fingers. Wait a few minutes to soak in and then continue with your routine. To start with, these are best used once or twice a week, after which you can build up a tolerance to thrice or 4x. For physical exfoliation, you can make small, circular motions using your fingers to apply a scrub. Alternatively, use a tool or washcloth. Make short, light strokes and then rinse off with lukewarm or cool water. Then, make sure to moisturise extra well to prevent transepidermal moisture loss.

How do you know your exfoliator is working?

Is your makeup pilling on your skin? Do you feel like your multiple steps skincare routine isn’t getting you anywhere? Is acne getting you down? You might need to exfoliate. But if your skin is feeling itchy, inflamed, red or patchy, you might actually be overdoing it. If your face stings after (anything more than a pleasant it’s-working tingling sensation is counted), you might be going too hard, too fast. If you feel like that’s happening, stop all your skincare products and stick to the basics: cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen and nothing else, till your skin barrier repairs and rejuvenates. Then, try again!

We are happy to discuss how you can add exfoliators to your routine in the safest way! Chat with us through WhatsApp for all your questions regarding exfoliation and more!

There’s never a time I don’t leave a blob or smudge that I have to clean up, but I’ve come to terms with it.

For stylist, designer and creative director Anaita Shroff Adajania, self-care isn’t all high-tech tools, jade rollers and expensive creams. Instead, it’s a spritz of fragrance inside her mask (“it makes me happy all day!”) or taking the time to stretch and breathe in the AM. “Beauty doesn’t always need effort, but looking after your skin and body is important. It comes from the inside out—by being healthy, by doing yoga, by thinking happy things. And combining this with the best moisturiser that works for you,” she says. “For me, beauty is about realness and uniqueness. But on the other hand, I’m a big fan of editorial beauty, and especially of makeup and hair artists that can transform a face,” she says. Anaita spoke to Foxtale about the beauty product she wishes she could create, her quick and dirty makeup routine and the advice she wished she had heeded earlier.

I think about __ a lot.

Positivity. I want to really make my environment more happy, more positive and more open for growth for people. I like to help people find their joy, whether personally or in the work space. I think about exercise a lot, but it ends there. I think about it, but don’t really do it. I discovered yoga in lockdown and it was a game-changer, but it takes a bit of a backseat now that I have a full day of work. I am working on finding that balance.

What is your AM skincare routine?

When I wake up, I lay in bed and breathe a little so I can wake up slowly before picking up my phone. It is not ideal, but in my work, you have to keep checking up on last minute details—will the model come on time? Is someone sick or is the shoot time pushed back?

I drink hot water through the day—I have given up caffeine and it’s been better for my skin and sleep and I feel more balanced. I wish I could say I use a jade roller every morning, but I don’t do that. After washing my face with water, I use the Sunday Riley CEO serum, which makes my skin feel amazing. I apply the Dermaceutic Nourishing Hydrating Cream to the parts of my skin that are feeling dry, and then I use the Heliocare 360 Sunscreen, which is slightly pigmented and translucent, when I know I am going to be out in the sun.

What makeup are you wearing before you head out for the day?

My makeup is very basic. I like the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick for coverage anywhere I need it. If it’s a long day out, I like to use a strobe cream under that. Then, I use the MUD eyeshadow palette—I just use the shades I like and apply it to my lids with my fingers without even looking in the mirror. I’ll use a soft brown eye pencil—like the Estee Lauder Stay in Place Eye Pencil in Coffee or the Kiko Milano Kajal—and then, aftering curling my lashes, I use a brown mascara on my lashes.

My favourite product is the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow, which I use to sculpt my jawline, cheekbones and sides of the nose. But I am haphazard. It takes 2 mins to do this whole thing. With mascara, there’s never a time I don’t leave a blob or smudge that I have to clean up, but I’ve come to terms with it and it’s a part of it.

What part of your beauty routine makes you happy?

Before I leave home, I use a fragrance spray on my mask. Right now I am loving the Skin Pantry Lavender Spray as well as the Tiger Shoes Mask Spray. The perfume I am loving right now Jo Malone Jasmine Sambac & Marigold Cologne Intense. It makes me feel happy. Fragrance is so important to me.

Instagram is a treasure trove for the newest products and trends. What are you obsessing over right now?

Fun manicures. I like neons, where every tip is a different colour. But my beauty inspiration comes from the people I work with—I am so fortunate to work with the best makeup artists and hairstylists in the world. I see them do a bold eye, and I try it. I know everything won’t suit me, but I’m happy to try it anyway.

If you had to create a beauty product (that doesn’t exist yet!) what would it be?

I hate touching up my roots, so I would love a shampoo or a product that just makes your hair all even after one wash, and makes it so that your hair dries naturally into a bouncy blow dry. Good hair is such a mood lifter—it just makes me feel better.

What is the skincare advice you wish you had listened to?

I used to never take my makeup off as a teenager and just sleep with my mascara, eyeliner and just work that into my look the morning after. And when I did take off my makeup, I was really harsh—scrubbing or using a random moisturiser to take it all off, which messed up the thin skin under my eyes. I’d definitely change that if I could. Plus, don’t try everything you see. Have skin heroes, and take their advice. Reach out to dermatologists and find the routine that really works for you.

Want to know more about the products Anaita uses and how you can incorporate them into your routine? Click on the WhatsApp icon to contact us!