Sustainability in skincare

What is clean beauty?

Terms like ‘clean’ can be vague as there is almost no clear definition of what clean beauty is. Brands may label products as natural or organic, but that just means certain ingredients used are organic, not the product as a whole. In the world of skincare and beauty, there is no set universal code on what is considered to be “clean”. Chemicals are often misinterpreted to be dangerous when in reality all substances are chemicals. If products are to be labelled completely ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ this would indicate a lack of preservatives in the formula, which results in the product having a shorter shelf life.

MZ Skin focuses more on consciously clean beauty, with high-performance products consisting of key active ingredients that solely work to support and offer long-term benefits to the skin. Effective ingredients are prioritized, with less focus being placed upon whether ingredients are natural or synthetic. The MZ Skin collection is formulated with complete safety and transparency. Ingredients are clearly labelled, and there is consistent communication with the consumer over the functionality of products alongside directions of use.

What ingredients should not be added to skincare products? 

Any ingredient that has no contribution to a product’s efficacy should always be set aside. Moreover, ingredients that offer more harm than good in products must also always be avoided. The following ingredients are excluded from the entire MZ Skin collection as each has properties that negatively affect the skin:

Parabens

Parabens were once commonly used in the skincare and beauty industry as preservatives to increase the shelf-life of products. However, these ingredients can penetrate the skin and remain within skin tissue. Parabens have also been negatively associated with breast cancer.

Silicones

These almost work like occlusives by creating a barrier-like coating on the skin. However, unlike occlusives, silicones create a barrier that is resistant to water and air and end up clogging the skin.

GM ingredients

These ingredients are genetically modified to alter the offered benefits to the skin.

Sodium lauryl Sulphate (SLS)

SLS ingredients can be highly irritating to the skin. This ingredient affects those with dry or sensitive skin more than others.

Phthalates 

Phthalates are toxic for the skin and have been linked to several diseases including cancer.

How can skincare be sustainable? 

Sustainability has been a rising trend in recent years, with more and more brands making conscious efforts to protect the environment. Clean beauty does not stop just at product formulation, it also includes product packaging and shipping materials. Priorities must be placed on creating products that do not harm the skin or the environment. Eco-friendly packaging that reduces the environmental footprint has now become a necessity for brands. Using unnecessary plastic and cello wrapping in products is being left in the past, with the growing emphasis being placed on recyclability and reusability of packaging.

At MZ Skin, products are packaged into recyclable materials, and there is minimal use of plastic. There are still more sustainable choices to be made, and options on how to incorporate this into the brand’s packaging are being actively researched.