Clean has no single meaning
Every brand sets its own standard, and no two match. Check the brand's page for its definition and read the ingredient list for yourself.
Clean beauty brands in Canada
Clean is a marketing word, so every brand defines it differently. This guide shows how to read a label for yourself, then points you to Canadian brands, from small-batch makers to science-led labs, and the clean skincare you can shop now.
By the Shop Canadian Beauty team · Updated
Clean beauty, decoded
Four things worth knowing before you buy.
Natural and safe are different words
A plant ingredient can still irritate, and a lab-made one can be gentle. Judge each ingredient instead of the label on the front.
Ingredient lists
Ingredients are listed from most to least, so the first five tell you most of what a product is. Short lists make it easier to spot what bothers you.
Certifications
Third-party marks such as ECOCERT COSMOS ORGANIC mean an outside body checks a published standard. Look up what each one covers.
Shop clean Canadian skincare
Cleanse
Look for a short ingredient list and no added fragrance.
Treat
One serum, oil or mist. Add one product at a time.
Moisturise
A cream or balm made of ingredients you recognize.
Starter sets
A set is an easy way to try one brand's whole approach.
Clean staples, explained
Six ingredients you will see on many clean ingredient lists, and what they do.
SqualaneA weightless oil that mirrors one of skin’s own lipids, so it sinks in without a trace.
Hyaluronic AcidA moisture magnet that holds many times its weight in water.
Camellia Seed OilA silky seed oil from a cousin of the tea plant, light enough to disappear into skin.
Shea ButterA rich, plant-based butter that has softened and protected dry skin for generations.
NiacinamideThe quiet all-rounder: a form of vitamin B3 that strengthens skin and plays well with everything else.
Red Algae and Bull KelpCold-water seaweed from off Vancouver Island, rich in sugars that hold water.Clean Canadian brands to know
From our directory, not yet in the shop.
Questions
What is clean beauty?
Clean beauty usually means skincare made with shorter ingredient lists and without ingredients a brand chooses to avoid. There is no single definition, so brands set their own. The brand's page and the ingredient list tell you more than the word does.
Is clean beauty the same as natural or non-toxic?
No. Natural describes where an ingredient comes from. Non-toxic is a broad claim with no agreed standard for skincare. A product can be natural and still bother your skin, so read the list and patch test.
How do I read a skincare ingredient list?
Ingredients are listed from the highest amount to the lowest, so the first few make up most of the product. Names are often in Latin or chemical form. Search any name you do not know, and watch for ones that have bothered your skin before.
What does Health Canada say about cosmetic ingredients?
Health Canada keeps a Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist of ingredients that are prohibited or restricted in cosmetics sold in Canada. It applies to every brand, clean or not.
What do organic certifications such as ECOCERT COSMOS mean?
They mean an independent body checks a product against a published standard for natural and organic cosmetics. Each certification covers different things, so look up the standard before relying on it.
Keep reading
Clean BeautyCanada's Clean Beauty Skincare Revolution: Top Non-Toxic Beauty Brands You Need to Try
DiscoveryWest Coast Glow: Clean Beauty Brands from British Columbia
Clean BeautyTransition to Clean Beauty for Cooler Weather with Canadian Beauty Brands
SkincareWinter Skin Rescue: Canadian Clean Beauty for Dry, Dehydrated Skin
Clean BeautyThe Rise of Waterless Beauty: A Sustainable Beauty Revolution
How we use the word clean. We don't treat it as a safety grade, because it has no legal definition in Canada. Every cosmetic sold here has to meet Health Canada's Cosmetic Regulations, including the Hotlist of prohibited and restricted ingredients, whether or not the label says clean. What you can check yourself is the ingredient list: it uses standard INCI names and runs from the largest amount to the smallest. Certifications such as COSMOS are a useful extra signal for a specific brand, but each one covers different things, so read what it actually certifies.
Related guides: Everyday makeup, Mature skin, Teen skin.