Rant: I think the push for 'clean' beauty is mostly marketing nonsense

Last week, a client in my Portland salon refused a service because my gel polish wasn't from a 'clean' brand. Three years ago, I worked at a high-end spa where we switched our entire retail line to these products, and the prices jumped 40% on average. I've read the ingredient lists side by side, and the 'clean' version often has the same active components, just with a different filler oil and a higher price tag. A month back, I had a regular come in with a rash from a so-called natural clay mask she bought online. The idea that synthetic is automatically bad and natural is automatically good is just not true. I've seen more reactions to essential oils than to standard professional products. Has anyone else had clients get really stubborn about this?

3 comments

3 Comments

paige33110d ago

Tell them you respect their choice but explain your products are chosen for results and safety. I keep a binder with ingredient breakdowns and safety data sheets for everything I use. When someone gets worried, I show them the actual science, not the marketing. It turns a scary "chemical" name into something normal they can understand. Most clients just want to feel heard and safe, so taking that extra minute to educate usually works. Lost one or two hardcore believers, but kept way more reasonable people who just needed some facts.

ray35610d ago

My cousin runs a small salon and she keeps that same kind of binder behind her chair. It's smart because it moves the talk from fear to facts. People get spooked by names they can't pronounce, but showing them the paper from the company makes it real. You're right that most just want to know someone took their concern seriously. Losing a couple clients over it is just the cost of doing honest business.

mason_lopez10d ago

Yeah, that binder idea is solid. I started doing the same thing after a client got nervous about an ingredient. Pulling out the actual safety sheet shut down the worry way faster than just talking about it.