Prove it! Beauty Third-Party Verification You Can Trust 

Proof of efficacy has always been the most important factor when making purchasing decisions. But today, the world of sustainability and marketing claims is full of grey areas. Studies show that 91 per cent of beauty buyers say consumer claims on packaging and in advertising influence their purchase decisions. But in reality, the beauty industry is self-regulated and has the autonomy to adhere to standards they care about and even create their own “banned” list—developing a deeper customer relationship by keeping them informed. This is why understanding the certifications you can trust, and why certain ingredients are banned, empowers shoppers to make informed choices for a healthy body and a sustainable planet. So, what can you do to avoid greenwashing? To meet the demand for transparency, many major beauty retailers and third-party verifications have begun offering standards and guidelines on how to be more “clean.” Here are Third Party verifications you can trust. —Ana Allen

MADE SAFE® is a program of Nontoxic Certified, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The MADE SAFE® Banned ListSM contains over 6,500 substances compiled from authoritative lists from around the world which are prohibited from use in MADE SAFE® certified products. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but rather a starting point for brands wanting to pursue MADE SAFE certification.

Clean at Sephora means all of our clean brands comply with the criteria, which are focused on transparency in formulation and sourcing and the avoidance of certain ingredients. When you see our Clean seal, you can be assured that the product is formulated without specific ingredients that are known or suspected to be potentially harmful to human health and/or the environment.; It is not the intention of Clean at Sephora to test for trace contaminants or guarantee 100% free-from, but we encourage our brands to engage in thorough contaminant testing of raw materials and final formulas.

EWG VERIFIED™ Ingredient Criteria identify prohibited and restricted chemicals according to their standard. When you see the EGW Verified mark on a product, you can be sure it’s free of chemicals of concern and meets their very strict health criteria.

ChemFORWARD’s SAFER™ program assesses a supplier’s trade name ingredient against rigorous human and environmental impacts using toxicology experts. To be designated as SAFER, all chemicals present at or above 100 ppm have been disclosed and assessed by a qualified toxicology firm against ChemFORWARD’s comprehensive hazard methodology and all chemicals subject to disclosure are well characterized and do not present high hazards. SAFER™ was designed to help suppliers demonstrate human and environmental safety and build trust with their customers based on a rigorous, third-party process. Choosing ingredients with the ChemFORWARD designation ensures that you are starting SAFER.

Carcinogen, Mutagen, Reproductive Toxin (CMR) Free: Ingredients meeting this policy is free of CMR substances. CMR substances are substances that are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to the reproductive system. 

No PEGs: Polyethylene Glycols (PEGs) are petroleum-based ingredients that may be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane impurities. PEG compounds may be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane impurities, which are known carcinogens

Carcinogen, Mutagen, Reproductive Toxin (CMR) Free: Ingredients meeting this policy is free of CMR substances. CMR substances are substances that are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction