Why Clean Skincare Matters Now More than Ever
Clean skincare is hot. The $5.4 Billion global clean beauty market is expected to grow by more than 10 percent year-over-year for the next five years, and clean skincare accounts for more than a quarter of that sector.1 Dermatologists are the leading influencers of patients’ skincare selection,2 and a recent survey* of practicing dermatologists shows that about two-thirds of skincare experts would recommend clean skincare products to interested patients. The problem? A number of them inaccurately identified conventional brands as “clean.”
The same survey found that more than six out of 10 dermatologists have fielded questions about clean skincare in the past three months. If you are one of the nine out of 10 dermatologists with some interest in learning more about clean skincare, read on for a closer look at the clean trend and its implications for skin health specialists.
Clean: Beyond Marketing
Dermatologists can’t help patients navigate clean skincare claims if they aren’t familiar with the space. Among brands dermatologists say they recommend to patients as clean, more than two-thirds were not clean. For example, clean skincare prohibits use of oxybenzone and octinoxate. Yet, the top three sunscreen brands dermatologists recommend to patients include these very ingredients in many of their sunscreen formulations. Interestingly, some of these manufacturers have introduced formulations without oxybenzone and/or octinoxate, and they emphasize these exclusions when they market those specific products.
Confusion is not limited to the sunscreen category. With growing consumer interest in clean beauty, some brands have adopted clean-sounding terminology and positioned their moisturizers, cleansers, and other daily skincare products adjacent to the clean space without actually committing to clean product formulation.
Marketing strategies do not make brands clean.
Truly clean brands formulate without ingredients that can harm our bodies (think hormone disruptors and carcinogens!), sensitize the skin, and negatively impact the environment, such as certains silicones and microplastics. Versed, an accessibly-priced, results-driven skincare brand, does that and more—avoiding pore-clogging ingredients, employing dermatologist testing, and being transparent about their carbon footprint and ethical practices.
Your Peers Are Getting Clean. Are You?
Sales of clean skincare grew by 39 percent in 2019.3 In one survey, 80 percent of female teens said they were willing to spend more for “clean” beauty.4 More than six of 10 dermatologists have or are currently using clean skincare products, and more than half of surveyed dermatologists say they like or recommend clean skincare products.
What is Clean?
“Clean” is not a regulated term, and there is confusion about terms that may be associated with clean product development. That may explain why one in four dermatologists say they don’t know enough about the category to make skincare recommendations or why 35 percent worry that clean brands take advantage of confusion in the marketplace to sell products.
That concern may be valid. With a lack of regulatory standards, the clean beauty space could become the Wild West of skincare, particularly in the US. The European Union (EU) has cosmetic safety standards that ban 1,328 ingredients, whereas the US bans just 30 ingredients.
Clean skincare products contain ingredients well-known to and recommended by dermatologists (like vitamin C, retinol, hyaluronic acid). What sets apart clean formulations from conventional ones is what they leave out: ingredients that pose potential threats to health, such as acrylates, formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing agents, parabens, and phthalates. And they are transparent, sharing what’s in their products as well as what isn’t.
Only half of dermatologists surveyed properly identified clean skincare as being formulated “Free From” a list of “no-list” ingredients. Just as many improperly said clean means “natural” or “chemical-free.”
Partner with patients
More than half of dermatologists agree that producs from clean skincare brands can be as efficacious as those from other brands. As the large clean beauty market continues to grow, dermatologists can partner with patients to identify brands that deliver on the promise of clean formulation and of healthier skin!
Be Ready to Recommend a Truly Clean Brand
Versed is a science-based, industry-leading, clean skincare brand setting the standard for highly-accessible, vegan, cruelty-free products. The brand’s passion for effective skincare is paired with a desire to educate and innovate, helping dermatologists and their patients understand the sometimes confusing and evolving market.
*Reported survey data taken from a survey of practicing dermatologists fielded by Practical Dermatology® magazine on behalf of Versed Skin.
1. https://brandessenceresearch.com/consumer-goods/clean-beauty-market-size
2. https://www.asds.net/skin-experts/news-room/press-releases/asds-survey-dermatologists-no-1-influencer-for-cosmetic-procedures-and-skin-care-decisions
3. ‘Clean’ beauty has taken over the cosmetics industry, but that’s about all anyone agrees on. Washington Post
4. https://www.cbinsights.com/research/report/beauty-trends-2021/
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