I love a deep spray tan, I love aluminum-based deodorant, and I love a crisp Diet Coke—even if the latter's arguably not doing me any favors. Over the last decade, the beauty world has hammered that I should be scared of anything synthetic. The messaging: aluminum clogs sweat glands and causes cancer; parabens are hormone disruptors; DHA—the active ingredient in fake tanner—may age skin rapidly. Scroll long enough on TikTok or read one too many “free from” claims, and you begin to wonder if every product you’ve ever used is secretly poisoning you.
But contrary to what every non-toxic label might suggest, “cleaner” isn't always synonymous with better. Somewhere along the way, "natural" was equated with safe, and "chemical" became a dirty word. But the truth is that the idea has zero basis in chemistry. Yes, some chemical or synthetic ingredients can be harmful in high doses (you wouldn’t want to use an intense concentration of fragrance or alcohol on your face) but cosmetics go through rigorous testing and safety protocols to ensure that they aren’t dangerous for humans.
