Clean Beauty: What is it, and how do you develop "green" cosmetics?

Although its definition remains unclear, the concept of clean beauty has taken hold in the cosmetics industry and continues to gain momentum in the minds of consumers each year. Sometimes associated with the terms "natural" or "organic," Clean Beauty refers to cosmetic products formulated without controversial ingredients in a transparent and safe approach to health and the environment. This approach emphasizes products that respect both the consumer and the planet.

Clean beauty is also a response to consumer demand for safer, more sustainable products. To attract them, brands need to align themselves with this trend!

So, how can we clearly define what clean beauty is? And what strategies should we adopt to respond to these new expectations effectively?

What is clean beauty?

While there is no universally accepted definition of clean beauty in the cosmetics industry, it is based on a simple idea: do better for skin, health, and the environment.


While the cosmetics industry has long focused on product efficacy and performance, the growing demand for safer, more natural products has led laboratories to develop "greener" formulations. Today's more informed and health-conscious consumers are looking for cosmetics that are free of substances that are potentially toxic, aggressive, or may cause adverse effects.

More ethical and ecological expectations

The Clean Beauty approach was born from a growing awareness of ethical and environmental issues. It's a commitment to formulate more respectful products by combining key concepts such as eco-responsibility, transparency, product naturalness, etc.

Cosmetics categorized as "clean beauty" are formulated without toxic or harmful substances or ingredients that may cause undesirable effects. For example, petrochemicals are avoided.

Respect for animal welfare has also become an essential criterion, hence the rise of "cruelty-free" cosmetics, which guarantee the total absence of animal testing for ingredients and finished products.

Note: Responsible choices are also expected in packaging design to minimize environmental impact.

Beware of greenwashing

Although clean beauty is on everyone's lips, no official regulations define the term. This leaves the door open for greenwashing, a marketing practice that promotes a brand's image by misleadingly emphasizing environmental arguments without making a real commitment.

Green packaging or mentioning "natural" products does not guarantee that the product is truly environmentally friendly. Consumers must, therefore, be vigilant and wary of brands that are not transparent about the composition of their products.

Certifications for greater clarity

While "clean beauty" is not a true label due to its lack of regulation or universal definition, other official and recognized certifications provide a clearer picture by meeting strict conditions. For example, the Cosmos certification, which predates clean beauty, guarantees that cosmetic products are formulated with at least 95% natural ingredients, exclude controversial substances such as parabens and GMOs, use environmentally friendly processes, use eco-friendly packaging, and are subject to external audits to ensure transparency and sustainability.

What's the difference between "organic," "natural products," and "clean beauty"?

It's important to distinguish between these three terms. Organic" products are certified to strict standards that guarantee that most ingredients are organically grown, without chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. They are also subject to external inspection to ensure compliance.

Natural" products, on the other hand, contain ingredients of natural origin but are not required to be certified or to include a minimum percentage of natural ingredients.

Finally, clean beauty focuses on the safety and transparency of ingredients. Clean beauty products can be organic or natural. Still, the essential criterion is the absence of controversial or potentially harmful ingredients to health and the environment, even if they are not necessarily organic.

The benefits of clean beauty cosmetics

Health benefits for consumers

By excluding potentially harmful ingredients, clean beauty formulations reduce the risk of irritation, allergies, and other undesirable long-term effects. These products are often gentler on the skin, especially for allergy sufferers and those with sensitive skin. Moreover, natural ingredients often favored in clean beauty provide nourishing and protective benefits, such as antioxidants, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. In this way, clean beauty ensures greater health safety while offering effective alternatives.

An environmentally friendly approach

Clean beauty products also help protect the environment. They favor natural, sustainable raw materials. These practices support farming methods that respect ecosystems. Moreover, eco-friendly packaging helps limit the production of plastic waste, an important issue for the cosmetics industry. Clean Beauty encourages brands to adopt more responsible practices that conserve natural resources and promote biodiversity.

In addition, the cosmetics industry has no choice but to invest in environmentally friendly methods considering the European Green Pact regulations for 2050.

This presents an opportunity for companies in the cosmetics sector to lead the way in sustainability and invest in innovation. Dedicated initiatives have already been launched, such as the EcoBeautyScore consortium, which brings together international brands. It aims to develop a standard system for assessing the environmental impact of cosmetic products to help consumers make the right choices.

Aligning companies with consumer expectations

Today's consumers are increasingly looking for products that respect the environment and their health. Ethical production methods and product sustainability have become important decision-making criteria. By offering products that meet these requirements, cosmetics brands can strengthen their brand image and build a relationship of trust with their customers.

Building trust

Brands can build honesty and trust by providing clear and accurate information about their formulas. This allows consumers to choose their products with a better understanding of what they are putting on their skin.

Incentives for innovation

Changing expectations about product sustainability drives brands to innovate and constantly find effective alternatives without harmful ingredients. This approach creates new formulas that meet environmental and health standards and provide real added value. 

How do you guarantee clean beauty products?

Formulation at the heart of clean beauty

The challenge for cosmetic laboratories is to meet the demands of clean beauty in their formulations. This means eliminating ingredients that are potentially harmful to health and the planet. These include parabens, silicones, phthalates, and sulfates.

Cosmetic regulations vary from region to region, and substances banned in France are not necessarily prohibited in the United States, making it difficult for formulators to adapt to the different requirements of different markets. In addition to Clean Beauty criteria, brands must be able to adjust to these different standards while ensuring the efficacy of their formulas.

R&D: a decisive role

To ensure products that meet consumer expectations, R&D teams are constantly under increasing pressure to innovate. The goal is to replace potentially harmful elements and find more effective and pleasant alternatives.

To meet these challenges, various departments can use software solutions to collaborate, track the necessary tests, and ensure total transparency. This includes efficient data management, selection of sustainable ingredients, and non-conformance alerts for each region so that formulas can be adjusted accordingly.

Packaging: a sustainability issue not to be overlooked

Beyond formulation, clean beauty is also reflected in product packaging to minimize environmental impact. Therefore, companies must offer more sustainable packaging, opting for recyclable and biodegradable materials.

PLM software for clean beauty

Digitalization is revolutionizing practices in the cosmetics industry. Thanks to digital tools, brands can now respond more effectively to consumer demands for transparency, sustainability, and safety. Product lifecycle management (PLM) software plays a fundamental role in helping companies meet clean beauty standards while optimizing their processes.

Greater transparency and traceability

Digitization enables brands to manage complex raw material databases and ensure complete product traceability. Digital tools allow companies to track every production stage, from sourcing ingredients to bringing them to market. This transparency is even more critical in clean beauty, where formulations must be free of controversial and potentially dangerous substances.

Optimizing formulation processes

Formulation management through PLM tools is important for brands seeking to market clean beauty cosmetics. These software packages provide a single platform for centralizing all information on raw materials, formulas, and international regulations. They facilitate the selection of ingredients that meet clean beauty criteria, such as the absence of parabens, sulfates, or phthalates while ensuring regulatory compliance in different markets.

Promoting environmentally friendly practices

Beyond formulation, digitalization enables companies to produce more environmentally friendly products, a key pillar of Clean Beauty. PLM software helps companies make more sustainable choices in formulation, by blacklisting products that are harmful to the environment, and in packaging, by favoring recyclable or biodegradable materials. In this way, these tools promote a more responsible approach at every stage of the product lifecycle, from design to distribution.

Coptis, a major ally in accelerating your clean beauty projects

As a PLM software dedicated to cosmetic laboratories, Coptis Lab enables companies to manage their entire product development process, from marketing brief to launch.

Thanks to its comprehensive raw material database and various integrated modules, Coptis Lab helps brands create products that meet the expectations of clean beauty. With features such as international compliance alerts, test tracking, blacklist management, and automatic report generation, Coptis Lab optimizes product development while ensuring total transparency.

Finally, by centralizing data and improving collaboration between different departments, the software helps to increase efficiency and reduce time-to-market.

Contact us to learn more about how Coptis can transform your development projects, or contact us to request a demonstration.