Eco-Friendly Skin Care: What Does ‘Clean’ Really Mean?

By: Caroline Glick, PA-C, MPH

Skin care products can be confusing. Labels such as ‘organic,’ ‘vegan,’ ‘cruelty-free,’ ‘hypoallergenic,’ ‘fragrance-free,’ ‘eco-friendly,’ and ‘clean’ are all common marketing tools. But the lack of standardization within the skin care industry makes it difficult for shoppers to know exactly what they are buying.

There can be discrepancies between marketing claims and the actual ingredients in a product. For example, one study examining the top 100 body moisturizers sold at three major retailers in the United States found that 45% of the moisturizers labeled as ‘fragrance-free’ actually had botanical fragrance ingredients (Wang et al., 2025). Botanical fragrance ingredients can potentially cause an allergic reaction on the skin. ‘Fragrance-free’ and ‘unscented’ are terms often used interchangeably. However, ‘unscented’ products can have fragrance-masking chemicals to neutralize fragrance.

Similarly, the term ‘natural’ may evoke feelings of non-toxicity, but a study showed that 121 cosmetic ingredients marketed as ‘natural’ can actually be associated with possible adverse skin reactions, such as allergic contact dermatitis (Wang et al., 2025).

Another problem is that many of these labels are unregulated marketing terms. There is no official certification for ‘clean’ skin care. ‘Clean’ skin care products are defined by the brand or manufacturer of a skin care product. They choose what products are considered ‘clean’ based on the ingredients used.

Other terms, including ‘organic,’ ‘vegan,’ ‘cruelty-free,’ ‘hypoallergenic,’ and ‘eco-friendly,’ can be similarly confusing.

‘Organic’ skin care products are certified by the USDA or private certifying organizations, but those organizations use different standards and definitions for the term. It is not uniform across the board.

‘Vegan’ skin care is made without animal products. Private organizations certify ‘vegan’ products, but they depend on brands to accurately report the ingredients they use.

‘Cruelty-free’ brands do not participate in animal testing when developing their products. However, definitions of ‘cruelty-free’ vary. For example, a final product may not be tested on animals, but the individual ingredients within the product may potentially have been tested on animals.

‘Hypoallergenic’ is defined as a product that is less likely to cause allergic reactions. However, there is no standard criteria for ‘hypoallergenic.’ In fact, 83% of top-selling products labeled as ‘hypoallergenic’ had at least one known allergen from the standard allergen series of the North American Contact Dermatitis Group (Wang et al., 2025).

‘Eco-friendly’ skin care is supposed to minimize harm to the environment. ‘Eco-friendly’ skin care generally emphasizes reducing waste, supporting ethical sourcing, and creating formulas that are biodegradable and non-toxic. Many ‘eco-friendly’ brands use minimal packaging or recyclable packaging. However, like many of these marketing terms, these ‘eco-friendly’ products are defined by the brand or manufacturer.

The terms ‘vegan,’ ‘organic,’ ‘cruelty-free,’ ‘hypoallergenic,’ ‘fragrance-free,’ ‘eco-friendly,’ and ‘clean’ often evoke images of pure, untainted products with no harmful chemicals or synthetic ingredients. However, the classification of these products can vary significantly between brands and even within the industry itself.

Reliable resources to help shoppers navigate the confusing marketing landscape of skin care products include the Cosmetic Ingredient Review or Contact Dermatitis Institute Allergen Database (Urban et al., 2022). Please schedule an appointment with your board-certified dermatologic provider for any questions you may have. We are able to create a personalized recommendation of products that are best for your specific skin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources

Cabana, E. (2020, September 10). Skincare ingredients: What does “clean” mean? Aesthetic Authority, 1(3). https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/skincare-ingredients-what-does-clean-mean

ElBoghdady, D. (2020, March 11). ‘Clean’ beauty has taken over the cosmetics industry, but that’s about all anyone agrees on. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/clean-beauty-has-taken-over-the-cosmetics-industry-but-thats-about-all-anyone-agrees-on/2020/03/09/2ecfe10e-59b3-11ea-ab68-101ecfec2532_story.html 

Gillette, H. (2025, April 8). The Truth Behind ‘Clean Beauty’ and Skin Health. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/the-truth-behind-clean-beauty-and-skin-health

Rubin, C. B., & Brod, B. (2019). Natural does not mean safe—the dirt on clean beauty products. JAMA Dermatology, 155(12), 1344–1345. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2751513

Urban, K., Giesey, R. L., & Delost, G. R. (2022). A guide to informed skincare: The meaning of clean, natural, organic, vegan, and cruelty-free. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 21(9), 1012. https://jddonline.com/articles/a-guide-to-informed-skincare-the-meaning-of-clean-natural-organic-vegan-and-cruelty-free-S1545961622P1012X

Wang, O. J. (Emilie), Shojaei, D., & Liu, C. (2025, July 14). “Clean Beauty” in Dermatology: A scoping review. Practical Dermatology. https://practicaldermatology.com/issues/july-2025/clean-beauty/36492/