August 13, 2025

Is Your Clean Skincare Brand Really Clean? Key Ingredients and Greenwashing Tactics Therapists Need to Know

For skincare professionals who care about integrity, results, and their clients’ long-term health, this blog is your essential guide to what’s really in your products.

In an industry filled with marketing spin, the words clean, natural, and non-toxic are thrown around too easily — often without real substance behind them. Many salons and therapists have stocked brands that looked promising on the surface, only to find the formulations don’t deliver results, or worse, contain ingredients that contradict the brand’s own claims.

So how do you know if your skincare brand is as clean as it says it is?

Below, we highlight the common red-flag ingredients, greenwashing tactics, and the truth about 'angel dusting', so you can make more informed decisions for your clients and your business.

1. The Hidden Cost of Petroleum-Derived Ingredients

Keywords: petroleum-based skincare, mineral oil in skincare, clean beauty UK

Many skincare brands claiming to be natural or clean still use petroleum-derived ingredients such as mineral oil, paraffin, and petrolatum. These ingredients form an occlusive layer over the skin but do nothing to actively nourish or improve skin health.

Beyond the formulation issues, there are growing environmental and ethical concerns around petroleum use in cosmetics. These ingredients are often a by-product of fossil fuel refinement — not exactly the image of ‘clean beauty’ your clients expect.

Watch out for these names on labels:

  • Mineral oil (Paraffinum Liquidum)

  • Petrolatum

  • Paraffin wax

  • Ceresin / Ozokerite

  • Synthetic wax

⚠️ Pro tip: Many of these are included in “gentle” or “sensitive skin” lines, which makes them even more misleading.

2. Endocrine Disruptors and Fertility Risks

Keywords: endocrine disruptors skincare, hormone disrupting beauty products, fertility and skincare ingredients

More and more therapists are working with clients who are pregnant, undergoing IVF, or struggling with hormonal imbalances. Yet many products — even those positioned as ‘clean’ — still contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).

These substances can mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones, potentially affecting fertility, reproductive health, and even mood regulation.

Common offenders include:

  • Parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, propyl-)

  • Phthalates (often hidden in synthetic “fragrance” or “parfum”)

  • Oxybenzone and octinoxate (common in chemical sunscreens)

  • Triclosan and triclocarban

  • Benzophenone-3

❗Fragrance loophole: The word fragrance can legally mask dozens of chemicals, including phthalates. Always check if the brand discloses its full fragrance breakdown.

3. Angel Dusting: When Actives Are Just for Show

Keywords: angel dusting skincare, fake skincare claims, professional skincare UK

“Infused with hyaluronic acid.”
“Now with retinol and vitamin C.”
“Packed with peptides and plant stem cells.”

It all sounds fantastic — until you realise the brand is angel dusting.

This is the marketing trick of adding a trace amount of a trendy ingredient (far too little to have any measurable effect) just so the brand can list it on the label or make flashy claims.

Clients see no results, therapists lose credibility, and brands still charge premium prices.

What to ask suppliers:

  • What percentage of each active ingredient is used?

  • Is there clinical data on the efficacy of the formula?

  • Do they use independent lab testing or just marketing speak?

📌 If they won’t tell you the concentration — it’s probably angel dusting.

4. The Greenwashing Gloss: Buzzwords With No Regulation

Keywords: clean skincare UK, greenwashing skincare, natural beauty brands UK

Many skincare brands have mastered the art of green aesthetics — earthy packaging, botanical imagery, and words like “natural”, “organic”, or “eco” sprinkled across their marketing. But in the UK, these terms aren’t strictly regulated. A product with 1% organic lavender oil can be called “organic”. A formula can contain harmful synthetics and still claim to be “natural”.

Greenwashing warning signs:

  • No third-party certification

  • Vague claims without ingredient percentages

  • Misleading “free from” lists (e.g. “free from SLS” but uses similar sulphates)

  • Lack of transparency about ingredient sourcing or sustainability

5. What Should Therapists Look for in Truly Clean Skincare?

Keywords: professional clean skincare brands UK, toxin-free skincare, honest skincare for therapists

If you want to protect your professional reputation and provide genuinely clean, safe, and effective products for your clients, here’s what to look for:

✅ Full transparency — every ingredient listed, including fragrance allergens
✅ Therapeutic concentrations — actives that deliver results, not marketing fluff
✅ Third-party certification — COSMOS Organic, Ecocert, or other recognised standards
✅ No petroleum, silicones, parabens, or known hormone disruptors
✅ Sustainability — responsible sourcing, biodegradable packaging, refill options

Ready to Work With Brands That Share Your Values?

At Luxury Skincare Brands, we’ve done the homework for you. We handpick clean, high-performance brands that are:

  • Ethically formulated

  • Backed by science

  • Free from toxins, fillers, and misleading claims

Whether you're a new therapist or a seasoned professional who’s had enough of fake promises, we’re here to support you with retail and treatment-led ranges that deliver real results — with integrity.

🔗 Explore our brand portfolio now
📞 Book a consultation with our team

Written by Misia Smith