I talk about storymaking vs. storytelling. Here’s the difference: storytelling is what you say about your brand. Storymaking is what people experience through your brand. We're living in a cultural time flooded with content, and trust isn’t built through words alone. It’s built through actions that match the message. The conscious voices newsletter is about helping conscious leaders build brands that both share a message and depict a clear path for conscious consumers to care, commit and take action. Your voice matters, your stories shape culture. You’re here to be a storymaker.
Hello, hello storymaker.
I believe beauty and skincare products have always been cultural mirrors. Long before Sephora hauls, Ancient Egyptians were smudging eyeliner made from lead, and English royalty was brushing on Venetian ceruse (basically lead mixed with vinegar) to look extra pale and “refined.” Can you believe? Like people literally primed their faces with poison (Smithsonian).
Fast-forward to 1933, when a lash dye called Lash Lure blinded several women and killed another. The scandal forced Congress to pass the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, the first real U.S. oversight of cosmetics (FDA history).
Nearly a century later, the laws still haven’t caught up. The FDA bans only 11 ingredients in cosmetics, while the European Union bans over 1,600. The math is not mathing. Which means most of what’s in your shampoo, lotion, or lipstick isn’t pre-approved by regulators at all. (Registrar Corp, EU Annex II, FDA Restricted Ingredients).
One thing is clear, in 2025, the responsibility to scout better-for-you personal care products often falls on you.
In this issue, we’ll explore:
Why personal care is having its “clean” culture moment
How your shower caddy might be working against you
What brands are leading the way in the clean personal care category
The Clean Personal Care Movement
The ‘clean’ label has officially left the crunchy co-op aisle and gone full Sephora. What used to be a wellness flex is now baseline marketing.
It isn’t just a wellness flex anymore; it is becoming a standard for personal care brands. From drugstore shelves to luxury counters, products now promise transparency and “no nasties,” because consumers expect ingredient lists they can actually pronounce.
What used to be a niche wellness slogan is now mainstream marketing. The global natural and organic personal care market is projected to nearly double, from $28.4 billion in 2025 to $54.3 billion by 2032, making ‘non-toxic’ less of a fad and more of the baseline for beauty and skincare (Persistence Market Research).
In short, we’re using more products, earlier in life, with higher stakes. They’re in your lotion, your deodorant, even your toothpaste.
The Toxins You Want To Stay Away From
Let’s talk villains.
All names you’d rather see in a lab report than on your vanity.
Conscious Brands Leading the Way
Thankfully, not every brand is asleep at the wheel. From refillable shampoos to toothpaste tablets, here are the brands proving your bathroom doesn’t have to double as a chemistry experiment. You can find better-for-you alternatives from head to toe, even on Amazon:
UpCircle scrubs and moisturizers made from upcycled, natural ingredients.
Well People plant-based makeup with EWG-verified formulas.
ATTITUDE vegan, fragrance-free options across sunscreen + personal care.
Plaine Products refillable aluminum bottles for hair care.
Bite toothpaste tablets in glass jars — no tube required.
Boka enamel-friendly toothpaste with nano-hydroxyapatite.
Highland clean hair gels that swap crunchy, chemical-heavy formulas for natural hold and simple, non-toxic ingredients.
Things I’m Noticing
The EU effect. A chemical used in thousands of gel nail products has been banned in the EU after regulators deemed it potentially toxic, forcing salons and manufacturers to pull stock and reformulate products (The Times). And more on what that means for consumers in North America on this PBS report.
Fragrance transparency is the next frontier in trust. Brands that disclose more than “fragrance” are earning trust fast; retailers and certifiers are nudging this forward (FDA explainer).
Small swaps add up. Studies show body levels of certain chemicals drop within days when people switch to safer alternatives (Glamour).
What Else Is Brewing?
Regulation is improving, but not comprehensive. Most cosmetics still don’t undergo pre-market safety reviews the way drugs do. For the average consumer, that means label reading, ingredient literacy, and smart swapping are still useful habits.
Exposure and impact aren’t evenly distributed. Research indicates Black women, in particular, may face higher exposure to certain chemicals used in personal care products, reflecting both product marketing and use patterns. Studies have found higher urinary levels of some phthalates and parabens among Black women compared with white women, highlighting a health equity dimension to everyday rituals.
States are stepping in. In addition to MoCRA, several states have passed their own rules. California’s Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (AB 2762) bans 24 ingredients in cosmetics sold in the state, and AB 2771 targets PFAS in cosmetics. Washington has also adopted limits on chemicals like PFAS and formaldehyde in personal care. The patchwork isn’t perfect, but it’s movement.
The bottom line is that regulation is inching forward, but don’t hold your breath while applying the foundation. For now, smart swapping and ingredient literacy are still your best tools.
Reflection on Personal Care Culture Change
While it’s easy to say “just use less,” there’s a privilege baked into that suggestion. For many, these products are about fitting in, being respected, or even being seen as “professional.” Which makes it all the more unjust that the burden of safety falls on you.
Like we said in the secret language of your home, we’re all just doing our best with what we have within reasonable means. And even the attempt to choose better shapes the culture around us.
Your bathroom shelf tells a story. What story do you want yours to tell?
🌀 Till next time,
Camila from Conscious Voices
📣 Know someone building a conscious brand who needs this? Forward away.