ARE YOUR PRODUCTS ORGANIC?

Beautycounter uses organic products when we can. Organic products are marked with an asterisk (*) in the ingredient list provided for each and every ingredient.

 

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS ‘NATURAL’?

Beautycounter uses many ingredients that are certified natural, organic, and naturally derived. We even use some of the safer synthetic ingredients as well.  With Beautycounter, we like to inform clients  and potential clients of the fact that “organic” and “natural” do not have legal definitions in the cosmetic industry; companies are allowed to claim a product is organic even when it has no certified organic ingredients, or only a couple. A lot of products in the beauty aisle also make claims about health: “hypoallergenic,” “natural,” or “doctor-approved” may come to mind. Unfortunately, a lot of these terms are meaningless.

 

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS GLUTEN FREE?

The Plumping Facial Mask and Plumping Facial Mist in our Beautycounter+ Plumping Collection contain Rye Seed Extract, which contains gluten.

Other than that, the remainder of our products do not contain gluten, However, none of our products are certified gluten-free, because our manufacturing partners are not certified gluten-free.

 

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS HYPOALLERGENIC?

Beautycounter products have been designed and formulated to not clog pores or irritate the skin but still be effective on the most sensitive skin. We have all our products thoroughly tested by third-party companies to ensure that they pass the industry standards for skin/eye irritation and sensitization potential. The Beautycounter package will not state “hypoallergenic” due to the fact that “hypoallergenicity” is an unregulated marketing claim designed by certain large mass brands. According to the FDA, there are no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term “hypoallergenic,” and manufacturers of cosmetics labeled as such are not required to submit substantiation of their hypoallergenicity claims to the FDA.

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS SAFE TO USE DURING PREGNANCY AND NURSING?

Yes!! All of Beautycounter’s products are safe to use during pregnancy and nursing. We screen all of our ingredients for safety, keeping those especially vulnerable in mind- such as pregnant women and babies.

 

DO YOU TEST YOUR PRODUCTS ON ANIMALS?

Never

 

WHY DOES BEAUTYCOUNTER TALK SO MUCH ABOUT SAFETY?

Chemicals that can cause cancer, reproductive harm, and other serious health issues are not banned in the United States from the skin care and color cosmetic products that people use every day, and companies are free to make their own judgments about safety. Cosmetics  and other self care products are just one route of exposure to toxic chemicals, but it is one that Beautycounter can do something about. Our team researches the safety of each potential ingredient to ensure that we’re making the safest high-performing products that we can.

 

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT LAWS REGARDING SAFETY IN OUR COUNTRY?

Right now, few chemicals are banned in the United States, and it’s up to companies to screen their own ingredients for safety. Currently, the US has only 30 ingredients banned, while in the European Union over 1400 ingredients are banned in the industry.

 

WHAT IS BEAUTYCOUNTER’S INGREDIENT SELECTION PROCESS?

1. Ban Intentionally: our “Never List” is made up of over 1500 ingredients that Beautycounter refuses to use in any of their products due to their health and safety hazard
2. Screen Rigorously: every ingredient is screened for safety including information on specific hazards, like cancer, developmental toxicity, and hormone disruption.
3. Learn Constantly: there are large data gaps on many cosmetic ingredients. Companies are allowed to use harmful ingredients and make their own judgements about safety. We review emerging data regularly and commission our own studies when we aren’t able to turn up enough information.
4. Source Responsibly: We strive to choose the best available ingredient options. Over 80% of our ingredients are natural or plant-derived. We work to source our ingredients from sustainable, non-GMO sources, many of which are organic.
5. Share Transparently Our product labels list every single ingredients used, including known components of fragrances, flavors, and intentionally added preservatives

 

WHY DO YOU TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND INGREDIENT DISCLOSURE?

Cosmetic products are often not labeled accurately. We believe you have the right to know, and we make our labels easy to read.

WHERE ARE YOUR PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED?

The majority of our products are manufactured in the United States and Italy.

 

WHY DO YOU USE TALC?

Talc (certified asbestos-free) serves as one of the base ingredients in our eyeshadow and blush powders and contributes to the high performance of our products while ensuring that we meet our stringent heavy metal limits. All heavy metals, even those that are known to be harmful or toxic to humans, are naturally occurring elements that can find their way into all kinds of cosmetics. We have worked hard to find other mineral-based options for our powder formulations, but these mineral-based formulas always failed to meet our strict heavy metal limits. Talc was our safest alternative, because it keeps our products safe from heavy metals and provides a beautiful and efficacious result.

 

DOES THE USE OF TALC IN COSMETICS POSE A HEALTH CONCERN?

Years ago there was concern that talc, which is sourced from the mineral magnesium silicate, may be located near asbestos underground and therefore may be contaminated with asbestos fibers. Most talc manufacturers took steps to reduce or eliminate this concern, starting in the 1970s. A 2010 US FDA survey of talc-containing products did not find asbestos, and our independent research has confirmed that this is no longer a concern. We have also obtained certificates of purity from our talc supplier, which assures us that there is no detectable asbestos in the talc used in our powders, and we have also independently tested our powders and found no trace of asbestos.

 

WHAT ABOUT THE USE OF FRAGRANCES AND DYES?

If we don’t need it, we don’t put it in. Every ingredient in our products has a function; nothing is used without careful consideration of its efficacy and performance. We do not dye skin care or shower products, for example—we only use colorants in our color cosmetics. We do not use masking fragrances—only natural scents made from essential oils disclosed on ingredient labels. No mysteries—just safer and cleaner ingredients with purpose.