48. The Clean Beauty Industry: What You Need to Know, with Jennifer Novakovich

Motherhood Meets Medicine

One topic I didn’t know much about and wanted to educate myself on more was the “clean beauty” concept. Much like the food industry, the cosmetic industry is constantly marketing products based on their excluded ingredients. I’m sure you’ve heard “sulfate-free” and “paraben-free” before, but I wanted to know what that truly meant. Jennifer Novakovich joined me on this episode to debunk some beauty myths and enlighten us about what we really need to know about product safety.

Jennifer is a Canadian cosmetic chemist, science communicator, and podcaster at The Eco Well. For the first few years of her career, she worked as a science writer in the wellness and cosmetic space, and as a biochemistry tutor before she went back to school to study cosmetic chemistry. She has been working as a cosmetic formulator and consultant since 2016, where she helps brands develop formulations, navigate North American regulations, with fact checking for content and in developing science communication strategies.

In this episode we discuss:

• What “clean beauty” really means and how it can be unethical
• Facts behind the safety of commonly known cosmetic ingredients
• The difference between cosmetic safety standards in the EU and US
• How to know which companies or products you can trust
• The affect consumers have on the cosmetic industry

Resources:

• Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
  
• Read Jennifer’s blog post on A Case Against the EWG
  
• The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe
  
• The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Podcast
  

Connect with Jennifer:

• Twitter: @jennifernovako3
• Facebook: @theecowell
• Podcast: The Eco Well Podcast
• Website: The Eco Well
• Blog: The Eco Well Blog

SHOW NOTES: lynzyandco.com

Connect with me on Instagram @motherhoodmeetsmedicine. For full show notes, head to lynzyandco.com/motherhood-meets-medicine-the-podcast/

Join the Motherhood Meets Medicine community at patreon.com/motherhoodmeetsmedicine. Disclaimer: This podcast does not provide medical advice. The information on this podcast is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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