CLEAN BEAUTY IS OUR M.O. HERE AT MARGOT, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM, HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
Whether you’ve been a fan of MARGOT since we launched or you’re new around here (welcome!) you may or may not be aware that we’re all about clean and sustainable beauty. We’re talking safe, non-toxic skincare, makeup, supplements and products for the home that are either all natural or blend the best of nature and safe scientific formulations.
That’s right, you can trust that everything available at margot.co.nz has passed our stringent clean beauty test. We’ll admit that the term ‘clean beauty’ is a little bit of a vague one though, so if you’re still not sure about exactly what it means, let’s break it down.
INGREDIENT GUIDELINES
In the USA, there are currently 11 cosmetic ingredients that have been banned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Compare that to 1300 in the European Union (EU) and you’ll see that there really is no global standard for what can and can’t be used in cosmetics and toiletries. Here in New Zealand, our rules came into force in 2006 and are based on the EU regulations. Manufacturers and importers have a responsibility to ensure the products they sell in New Zealand meet the standards that have been set.
This doesn’t mean that all products you can buy in New Zealand are ‘clean’ though. Merely that they don’t contain the ingredients that have been determined to be hazardous to human health under the EU (and our own) guidelines.
While it’s certainly a grey area, a product is generally determined to be clean if it doesn’t contain any of the following ingredients:
- Artificial colours or fragrances
- Parabens
- Petrochemicals
- Paraffin
- Phthalates
- Propylene glycol
- Hydroquinone
- Formaldehydes
- Mineral oil
- Sulphates: SLS, SLES
- Silicones
- Triclosan
- Toluene
- Nanoparticles
- Neurotoxins
- MEA
- DEA
- PEG
BHA, BHT
Many of these may be completely foreign to you, and some, like formaldehyde (commonly found in nail polish), sulphates (such as sodium lauryl sulphate which helps oil and water bind together in shampoo, toothpaste etc), parabens (preservatives that keep products shelf stable), and artificial colours and fragrances (those pretty hues and delicious scents), will be more familiar and easy to spot.
BE AWARE OF GREENWASHING
Remain with your sit bones on your heels. The knees can be together or apart. Fold forwards and take the arms out in front, or back alongside the body, with your forehead resting on your hands. Stay for at least 10-15 breaths or more if you can. This is one of the ultimate postures for quieting the mind and body for sleep.
At the same time, just because an ingredient is naturally derived, it can still be toxic or unsafe. Poison ivy anybody? And on the flipside, ingredients formulated by scientists in a lab are not always the bad guys either. Remember, EVERYTHING is a chemical, including water. So don’t automatically assume the worst when you hear that word used in the cosmetics world.
DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH
If you’re still feeling confused (we don’t blame you!) then do your own research before you buy a product. Jump onto Instagram and send the company a DM and ask the question if you’re unsure about anything. Most local brands are great at getting back to consumers, so it’s certainly worth asking.
Always buy from brands and websites that you trust, with labels and content written in English. In New Zealand, all product labels must be written in English and have their ingredients listed from the highest concentration to the lowest, with safety information clearly visible. If the label is particularly small, the information must be available instead at the point of sale.
Lastly, remember that we’ve done a lot of the hard work and investigation for you, so you can be assured that all the products we sell on margot.co.nz meet our strict clean beauty standards. Our Instagram DMs and email are always open, so please feel free to get in touch with your questions at [email protected]!
