As the beauty industry continues to thrive, consumers are paying closer attention to the chemicals in personal care products (PCPs). A Prosper Insights & Analytics survey revealed that 13.8% of U.S. adults consider ingredients when purchasing skincare and cosmetics. This growing awareness has driven demand for safer, cleaner alternatives.
However, this rising trend has also led to cleanwashing—a practice where companies mislead consumers by branding their products as "clean," "natural," or "non-toxic" without adhering to meaningful safety standards. This deceptive marketing tactic erodes consumer trust and highlights critical gaps in regulation. For instance, the European Union bans nearly 1,800 harmful chemicals from personal care products, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only restricted 11.
This article explores how consumer perceptions of harm shape purchasing behaviors and highlights urgent changes needed to protect all consumers, with a focus on women of color, who often face disproportionate risks from toxic ingredients.
Perceptions of Harm and Safer Beauty Choices
A 2023 study titled “Beauty Beware: Associations between Perceptions of Harm and Safer Hair-Product-Purchasing Behaviors” sheds light on how the perception that certain hair products are harmful is driving consumers to make safer choices. The study surveyed adults on a college campus in the Northeastern U.S., examining their awareness of toxic chemicals in PCPs and whether this knowledge affected their purchasing decisions. With over 40% of the study population identifying as racial or ethnic minorities, the research provides valuable insights into a group often excluded from these discussions.
One key finding is that consumers who strongly perceived hair products as harmful were more likely to engage in “safer” purchasing behaviors, such as reading ingredient labels, using healthy product apps, or seeking out eco-friendly or non-toxic certifications. However, this did not always lead to a decrease in the number of products used, raising questions about the cumulative impact of chemical exposure. Despite their good intentions, many consumers still face significant barriers, such as greenwashing and cleanwashing, to finding truly clean and safe products, which make it difficult to confidently identify truly safe and clean products.
Cleanwashing: A Barrier to Informed Choices
Cleanwashing poses a significant issue for consumers in today’s beauty industry. Many companies capitalize on the demand for cleaner, safer products by branding their offerings as “natural” or “non-toxic” without fully disclosing all the ingredients they contain. This issue is particularly prevalent in practices such as using ambiguous terms like "fragrance" to conceal a variety of undisclosed ingredients, leaving consumers uninformed about what they are truly using.
Under U.S. law, “fragrance” is protected as a trade secret, allowing companies to keep the specific chemicals in their fragrance blends confidential to safeguard proprietary information. The reasoning is that if companies were required to reveal every ingredient, competitors could easily replicate their unique formulations, potentially harming business interests and discouraging innovation.
However, this protection has real downsides for consumers. Because companies aren’t required to disclose each component in a fragrance, they can legally include numerous chemicals—some of which may be potentially harmful—under a single term. This lack of transparency can make it difficult for consumers, especially those with allergies or sensitivities, to identify products that might pose risks. Without clear information, consumers may unknowingly expose themselves to chemicals associated with health concerns.
Cleanwashing undermines consumer trust by creating a misleading perception of safety. Despite growing efforts to avoid toxic ingredients, many consumers still fall prey to misleading claims, as hidden endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and other harmful substances continue to appear in personal care products. This issue is exacerbated by regulatory gaps and weak standards, which hinder consumers’ ability to make informed decisions. While some "clean" products may indeed be free of harmful ingredients, the broader practice of cleanwashing reveals significant flaws in the current regulatory landscape, leaving consumers in the dark. Without greater transparency and stronger regulations, it becomes significantly more challenging to ensure that products marketed as "safe" consistently meet health standards. Enhanced consumer education and more robust safety measures are critical to protecting public health from the risks posed by toxic chemicals.
The Unique Challenges for Women of Color
For women of color, the challenges surrounding clean beauty extend beyond cleanwashing. They face disproportionate barriers to accessing safer products, including limited availability in local stores, higher costs for clean alternatives, and cultural beauty norms that promote the use of specific product types. Clean Beauty for Black Girls, an organization committed to advocating for safer and more inclusive beauty standards, highlights how the beauty industry frequently overlooks the needs of Black women and other women of color. These women are often targeted with products that contain harmful chemicals, such as phthalates, parabens, and formaldehyde, which have been linked to various health issues, including endocrine disruption and reproductive disorders. In particular, the frequent use of hair care products containing toxic ingredients has been shown to increase the risk of conditions like hair loss, scalp irritation, and even cancer for Black women.
The work of beauty justice is especially needed given the higher prevalence of conditions like fibroids, early-onset puberty, and other hormone-related disorders in Black women, which have been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals found in hair care products. Black women may be more likely to experience the harmful effects of these chemicals due to their frequent use of hair relaxers and other hair care products, which have been associated with an increased risk of developing conditions like fibroids, which affect Black women at higher rates than other populations.
Equitable access to safer alternatives is essential to reducing exposure to harmful ingredients and protecting women’s health. By raising awareness and advocating for transparency in beauty standards, the beauty justice movement seeks to ensure that all women—especially those in vulnerable communities—have access to effective, safe, and affordable products.
The Path Forward: Empowering Communities Through Education and Regulation
While cleanwashing undermines consumer empowerment, community-driven efforts are a powerful tool to fight back. By creating spaces where people can learn to critically evaluate the products they use and demand safer alternatives, we can build stronger, more informed communities. Grassroots organizations, local beauty businesses, and educational initiatives are key to ensuring that all consumers—especially those in underrepresented communities—have access to the tools they need to make informed decisions.
Tools like the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep Database are essential resources for consumers who want to make informed decisions about the products they purchase. EWG’s Skin Deep database rates over 80,000 personal care products based on the safety of their ingredients. EWG also provides information about the health effects of individual ingredients, such as their links to allergies, reproductive harm, or skin irritation.
Tools like the YUKA app complement resources like EWG's Skin Deep Database by providing a user-friendly platform to scan product barcodes and instantly receive health and environmental impact ratings. With its straightforward scoring system, YUKA makes it easy for consumers to understand whether a product aligns with their safety and sustainability values, helping them choose healthier options in seconds.
By leveraging this information, consumers can make informed decisions about the products they purchase and advocate for greater transparency and safety from brands. Tools like these not only empower individuals but also drive broader industry accountability, paving the way for a cleaner, more equitable future in beauty.
Building Collective Power for Change
To protect public health in an industry rife with hidden risks, stronger government regulations are not just beneficial—they are indispensable. Despite the importance of education in raising awareness about toxic chemicals in personal care products, it is far from sufficient on its own. Consumers cannot be expected to navigate a market flooded with products that may jeopardize their health without the necessary protections in place. The lack of comprehensive regulation allows harmful ingredients to remain in everyday products, putting vulnerable populations at particular risk. We need collective action that pushes for more robust and enforceable regulations to shield all consumers from the devastating effects of toxic chemicals. At the federal level, the passage of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) in 2022 marked a significant step forward, but the fight is far from over. Advocacy for more stringent laws and increased transparency in labeling is crucial if we are to truly protect public health and ensure that no one is left behind in this critical effort.
Community-led initiatives also play a pivotal role in this fight. Black Women for Wellness (BWWLA), a California-based organization, aims to build and sustain healthy communities and within them, empower other women and girls to improve their own well-being. They host a number of community-centered spaces such as programs for Black Maternal and Infant Health, Diabetes Prevention Program, while also contributing to Environmental Justice. They hold space for a Beauty Justice campaign which provides resources and education around toxic chemicals in personal care products, breast health and advocacy in reducing chemical use in products, and the occupational health of salons workers.
In 2023, BWWLA in partnership with Occidental College and Silent Spring Institute published a community-based research project that aimed to better understand the problem and host Curls & Conversations to hold space to educate about healthy hair.
To gain deeper insight into the ongoing challenges of cleanwashing, I spoke with Marcha Chaudry, attorney and founder of the Equity and Wellness Collaborative (EWC), I wanted to understand her perspective on how cleanwashing continues to affect marginalized communities. As an advocate for sustainability and accountability in personal care products, she has seen firsthand how the lack of transparency in the beauty industry disproportionately harms communities of color.
What do you think are the most critical steps we can take as a community to ensure that consumers, particularly women of color, have access to truly clean and safe beauty products?
Access to safe beauty for women of color requires brands to move beyond promises by conducting rigorous ingredient reviews, ensuring product efficacy, and practicing clear, honest labeling. These steps build trust and empower consumers to make choices that prioritize their health and values.
Call for action to protect vulnerable groups from chemicals in the personal care industry is echoed by leaders like State Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, representing the 29th District of New Jersey. In September 2024, she introduced two critical pieces of legislation: Bill S3643 requires the ingredients of menstrual products to be listed on packaging. Bill S3669 bans regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from menstrual products). This legislation offers a potential model for the personal care industry. By pushing for stricter ingredient transparency and improved product standards, we can protect consumers from harmful chemicals while also promoting innovation and true sustainability across the sector.
Looking ahead, Clean Water Action plans to expand public awareness campaigns, mobilize community advocates, and advocate for broader regulatory reforms that protect consumers from harmful chemicals. These efforts not only address the immediate need for safer products but also set a precedent for innovation and true sustainability across the personal care industry.
In the face of cleanwashing, the power to create change lies within our communities. By raising awareness, educating ourselves and others, and demanding transparency, we can protect ourselves from harmful chemicals in beauty products. Women of color are at the forefront of this movement, fighting for a future where all people—regardless of race, income, or geographic location—have access to safer, healthier alternatives.
As consumers, we must continue to push for accountability in the beauty industry. As community members, we can support organizations like the Equity and Wellness Collaborative and Wellness, a California-based organization on the advisory committee for the Nontoxic Black Beauty Project, which champion sustainability, safety, and equity in personal care products. At the same time, Clean Water Action is working to drive change in New Jersey by addressing harmful chemicals in personal care and menstrual products and building momentum around key legislative efforts like S3643 and S3669.
By joining forces with local groups, supporting Clean Water Action’s initiatives, and connecting with us to take action, we can amplify our collective voice. Together, we can push for systemic change that not only makes safer beauty choices possible for everyone but also sets a new standard for health, wellness, and justice in the industry.
Ultimately, this is not just about individual choices—it’s about building collective power to hold the beauty industry accountable. When we unite as informed consumers, advocates, and community members, we have the power to shift the industry from one rooted in profit-driven deception to one that truly values safety, health, and equity. Visit our website to learn more about how you can support our work and take action in New Jersey. Together, we can make New Jersey a leader in protecting consumers and advancing environmental justice.
