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Clean Beauty Standards

Clean Beauty, Defined. 

Our Standards for Cleaner Beauty.

Clean isn’t a trend or a marketing buzzword. At Oh Daisey, it’s an ingredient driven standard designed to make choosing products and salons a little easier. 

Our Definition of Clean Beauty

Clean Beauty means products that are free from toxins but not limited to organic and/or natural. These products have transparent labeling of ingredients, and are safe to use on face or body without disruption of hormone or skin irritants. Any clean beauty product must not contain harmful ingredients for the skin and tested for toxic chemicals such as parabens, carcinogens, or other synthetic chemicals.

skincare-category

Low Toxic

We look beyond marketing claims and evaluate what’s actually inside a formula. 

nailcare-categories

Transparency

Clear ingredient information should make it easier to understand what you’re using. 

sustainability-category

Education

We give you information to make choices that align with your own standards. 

Why Standards matter

Beauty Should Be Easier to Understand

“Clean” “Natural” and “Non-toxic” are used everywhere in beauty, often without a consistent definition. Our standards give those words context.  We aim to

  • Protect client health
  • Eliminate greenwashing
  • Reward salons doing the work
  • Create trust on both sides of the chair
How We Score Products →

What We Do Not Recommend

Our standards are based on the latest research, expert guidance, and a careful review of ingredient safety, exposure, and environmental impact. We’re always learning and our standards evolve as new information becomes available.   

Aluminum Compounds

Aluminum compounds are commonly used in antiperspirants, cosmetics, and some colorants. Oh Daisey looks closely at these ingredients based on their form, route of exposure, and available safety research, particularly when they’re used frequently or in leave-on products.

BHA and BHT are synthetic antioxidants used to help prevent oils and formulas from degrading. We take a more cautious approach to these ingredients because of ongoing research into potential endocrine activity and other health effects associated with certain exposures.

Chemical UV filters absorb UV radiation to help protect skin from the sun. Some filters have raised questions around systemic absorption, endocrine activity, environmental impact, and breakdown products, so we evaluate individual filters rather than treating all sunscreen ingredients the same.

Cyclic silicones such as D4, D5, and D6 are used to give beauty products a smooth, lightweight feel. Certain cyclic silicones have raised concerns related to persistence, bioaccumulation, reproductive toxicity, and environmental impact, which is why we distinguish them from silicones as a whole.

Formaldehyde may be present directly or released over time by certain preservatives used in cosmetics and hair products. Because formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen and can also cause irritation and sensitization, these ingredients are an important part of the Oh Daisey standard.

Parabens are preservatives that help prevent microbial growth and extend a product’s shelf life. Some parabens have demonstrated estrogenic activity, with concerns varying considerably by the specific paraben, exposure level, and available evidence, so we evaluate them individually.

 

PFAS are a large family of highly persistent chemicals sometimes used to improve water resistance, wear, or texture in cosmetics. Often called “forever chemicals,” certain PFAS have been associated with health and environmental concerns, and their extreme persistence makes them a priority within our standards.

 

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in a variety of applications, including as solvents and plasticizers, and some may be associated with fragrance formulations. Certain phthalates have been linked to reproductive and endocrine concerns, which is why ingredient and fragrance transparency matter when evaluating exposure.

 

PEGs and other ethoxylated ingredients are widely used as emulsifiers, surfactants, and conditioning agents. The ingredients themselves vary significantly, but the manufacturing process can introduce contaminants such as 1,4-dioxane and residual ethylene oxide if purification and manufacturing controls are inadequate.

 

Isothiazolinones, including methylisothiazolinone (MI) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI), are preservatives used to prevent microbial growth. They are well-established skin sensitizers, and restrictions on their use – particularly in leave-on cosmetics – reflect concerns about allergic contact dermatitis.

 

Triclosan and triclocarban are antimicrobial ingredients historically used in personal-care products. Concerns surrounding endocrine activity, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental persistence have led to restrictions on certain uses and a significant decline in their use.

 

Synthetic colorants are used to give cosmetics their shade and appearance, and their safety varies considerably by individual colorant and intended use. Oh Daisey looks at regulatory restrictions, potential impurities, exposure route, and available toxicological evidence rather than treating all cosmetic pigments as one category.

 

Hydroquinone and resorcinol are used for different purposes in beauty, including skin-lightening products and hair color formulations. Both warrant closer consideration because of their biological activity and concerns associated with certain forms, concentrations, and exposure patterns.

 

These petroleum-derived ingredients are used as moisturizers, occlusives, and texture-enhancing ingredients. Highly refined cosmetic-grade forms are permitted for use by major regulators, so our concern focuses primarily on refining quality, purity, and potential contamination, rather than assuming all petroleum-derived ingredients have the same risk profile.

 

Nanomaterials are extremely small particles engineered to provide specific cosmetic properties and can include nano-sized mineral UV filters and other ingredients. Their behavior can differ from larger particles of the same substance, so we consider particle size, exposure route, formulation, and the available nano-specific safety data.

 

 

Synthetic musks are fragrance ingredients designed to recreate or enhance musk scents. Certain nitro and polycyclic musks have raised concerns around persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential biological effects, making the specific type of musk particularly important.

 

Surfactants help products cleanse, foam, and remove oils from the skin and hair. Some can be irritating or drying depending on concentration and formulation, while ethoxylated surfactants such as SLES can also carry manufacturing-related contamination considerations.

“Fragrance” or “parfum” can represent a mixture of many individual aroma chemicals without requiring every component to appear separately on a U.S. cosmetic ingredient label. Because some fragrance ingredients are known allergens or may raise other concerns, Oh Daisey favors greater fragrance transparency and evaluates disclosed fragrance components whenever possible.

An ingredient appearing here doesn’t mean every use or exposure carries the same level of concern. Our standards consider the specific ingredient, concentration and exposure when possible, formulation, available evidence, and evolving regulatory guidance.

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