Have you heard about “clean” products, like beauty, skincare and household goods? There is a growing movement toward safer, better, more sustainable products, often referred to with the shorthand “clean.” Many brands have been formulating with natural ingredients –and without toxic ingredients –since their inception. Clean for them is a company value or guiding principle. (For some other brands “clean” might be a bit more surface.)
Clean matters because exposure to toxic and unsustainable chemicals can add up –for people and the environment. There are potentially harmful and undisclosed chemicals in a myriad of consumer products –we may be exposed to potential carcinogens like glyphosate on lawns and crops, allergens and endocrine disrupting compounds in fragrances (see Stink!), and persistent, bioaccumulative flame retardants in furniture. And unfortunately, much more.
We should not have to be exposed to toxic chemicals in so many forms. The good news? Reducing exposure can have a positive impact on your health. The body can clear itself of many of these potentially harmful ingredients and contaminants when it is given a chance. One especially relevant study from UC Berkeley and Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas found that after only three days of using “clean” personal care products over conventional ones, women’s “body burden” went down: there was a significant drop in levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals in the body.
In beauty retail, a shout out to Credo, where I work part time as Director of Mission. Credo is leading the pack with its Credo Clean Standard, the commitment that every one of its 120+ brands agrees to follow. The Bloomi’s Banned List will now bring forth a similar level of commitment of ‘clean’ to the intimate care industry.
What we eat, breathe and put on our skin matters–and what we put inside of our bodies matters just as much, if not more. While exposure to toxic chemicals through the vagina and other intimate areas are understudied, we know that vaginal tissue can absorb chemicals into the bloodstream within seconds, and that the pH and microbiome is important to maintain and easy to disturb.
From the outset, The Bloomi knew we needed not only a respectful, inclusive community platform, but a definition of “clean” that will positively impact our health and the environment. As an advisor to The Bloomi, I am proud to be setting the clean bar high. Our Banned List is a comprehensive list of ingredients and contaminants that do not meet our clean standards. Each brand we partner with must comply with the Banned List.
