In our last blog, Why You Should Consider Clean Beauty & Products We Love, we learned that “chemical” doesn’t always mean bad, and “natural” doesn’t always mean good.

There are a handful of ingredients proven to be harmful to our physical and environmental health that Allure Lab’s R&D chemists steer clear of when formulating custom blends clients offer to their consumers. Since cosmetic products aren’t regulated by the FDA, custom contract manufacturers such as Allure take responsibility to create and adhere to refined industry standards and best practices that ensure end-user safety. As seasoned experts in our field, we feel it is our duty to arm our audience with the knowledge and language needed to make informed decisions about how they position themselves competitively in the market.

Sales and growth aren’t possible without loyal customers who feel seen and confident in their investment. Brands must not only deliver on the promises they make via marketing but also stay up-to-date on scientific code. It’s no longer enough to have a product that works; consumers today want to know they’re putting their money where their mouths are, supporting brands with similar values and missions they feel good about contributing to. To build this trust, companies are strategically adjusting their approach to align with their target market’s rising concerns and demands.

While we can incorporate these ingredients into custom blends upon special request, here are the ingredients our chemists advise avoiding:

Avoid these ingredients:

Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde releasers

Mineral oil

Fragrances

In the beauty industry, “fragrance” is a broadly unregulated term and is used to loosely describe hundreds of chemicals that can be extremely irritating to the skin.

PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances)

Sulfates

Toluene

Triclosan

Ethanolamines

By providing guidance and visibility, Allure hopes to usher these ingredients out of product manufacturers’ “norms” when concocting skincare formulations. While we work with an array of manufacturing capabilities, we support the clean beauty movement and aim to play our part in evolving it from a trending topic into a timeless staple standard for all. 

This article is authored and approved by Sam Dhatt.