beauty products

The Hidden Costs of Beauty: Understanding the Impacts of Toxic Products on Women of Color

February 26, 2025 | By X Braithwaite

Clean Water Action hosted The Hidden Costs of Beauty webinar to uncover the environmental and health impacts of beauty products marketed to Black women and other communities of color. This discussion brought together advocates, researchers, and community members to explore the intersections of beauty, health, and justice—and, more importantly, to chart a path forward.

graphic design for Clean Water Action's Hidden Costs of Beauty webinar

Image of X Braithwaite, Clean Water Action Environmental Justice Organizer

Beauty as Resistance: Where I Find My Strength

January 16, 2025 | By X Braithwaite

As an Environmental Justice Organizer who has worked in social justice spaces for nearly nine years, I am constantly uncovering new layers of how my identity has been shaped by systemic inequities. These discoveries are both painful and empowering, revealing the depth of the systems we are working to dismantle.

Beauty Products and Environmental Justice: Why Safer Alternatives Matter

December 21, 2024 | By X Braithwaite and Molly Cleary

The intersection of environmental justice and the beauty industry underscores the urgent need for systemic change. From stricter regulations on toxic chemicals to more sustainable non-toxic packaging practices, the path forward requires collaboration between policymakers, communities, and advocates.

Image of Group-of-Different-Ethnicity-Women-Multicultural-Diversity

Cleanwashing in Beauty: How Perceptions of Harm Drive Safer Choices in Hair Products

December 18, 2024 | By X Braithwaite

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.

Beauty Justice: Unequal Exposure and the Path Forward

December 16, 2024 | By X Braithwaite

Chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, and benzophenone are commonly used in these products as preservatives, color enhancers, and fragrance additives. The pervasive use of these harmful substances can raise serious concerns, particularly regarding their disproportionate impact on marginalized communities.

Graphic by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics that says Beauty by the Numbers

Graphic design that says Protecting Women of Color from Toxic Chemicals

The Tea on Toxic Beauty: Disproportionate Impacts of Toxic Chemicals in Beauty Products on Women of Color

November 4, 2024 | By X Braithwaite

In a world where beauty standards often dictate self-worth, it’s time to shed light on the hidden dangers lurking in personal care products, particularly for women of color.