More recently non-toxic skincare has become more than just a buzzword, it’s now more of a movement for people. With more and more people putting a magnifying glass to their beloved skincare products and becoming hyper-aware of what they’re putting on their skin, non-toxic is something many people are beginning to search for. But what does it actually mean? With more and more beauty brands increasingly using terms like ‘clean’, “non-toxic’ and ‘natural’, it can be hard to separate genuine transparency from clever marketing - trust us, we know. As a 100% non-toxic, natural and organic brand, it’s not hard for us as experts to suss out what’s a fad and what’s actually good for your skin.
Let’s break it down without all the fancy jargon so you can shop smarter and feel more confident about what you’re putting on your face and body.
First Things First: ‘Non-Toxic’ Isn’t Regulated
It’s important to know that terms like ‘non-toxic’, ‘clean beauty’, and even ‘natural’ aren’t legally defined or consistently regulated in most countries. This means brands can technically use these labels however they choose, regardless of whether the ingredients or formulas meet any particular standard. While these terms can help guide conscious consumers, they’re often used as marketing tools rather than indicators of verified safety or purity.
In the UK, where OhSo originated, these terms are also not regulated. Whilst most cosmetic products sold in the UK must comply with strict safety regulations under the UK Cosmetics Regulation (which mirrors the EU Regulation 1223/2009), these laws focus on ingredient safety and labelling requirements - not on how terms like “non-toxic” or “clean” are used in marketing. As a result, brands are free to describe products this way without needing to meet an official definition, which is why it's always a good idea to look beyond the buzzwords and read the full ingredient list or check for third-party certifications.
This makes it all the more important to read labels, ask questions, and support brands that are open about their ingredients and formulations - like us at OhSo Bare.
So, What Does ‘Non-Toxic’ Skincare Actually Mean?
So, in basic terms, non-toxic skincare and sun protection is about avoiding ingredients that are known, or strongly suspected, to cause harm to your health, skin, or the environment.
Non-toxic typically means formulas that are free from chemical ingredients such as:
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Parabens: synthetic preservatives linked to hormone disruption
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Phthalates: often found in synthetic fragrance, also linked to hormone interference
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Synthetic fragrance: a blanket term that can hide hundreds of unknown chemicals
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Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS): a harsh detergent that can irritate skin
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Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers: known carcinogens still found in some products
Other toxic ingredients often include the ones we speak about in this blog which you can read here.
Instead, non-toxic skincare and suncare brands like OhSo Bare tend to favour ingredients like:
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Cold-pressed plant oils
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Organic butters and waxes
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Natural clays and botanical extracts
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Beef tallow
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Essential oils (though these still require caution and proper formulation)
Why Should You Make The Non-Toxic Switch?
Your skin is your largest organ, and while it doesn’t absorb everything it touches, certain ingredients *can* penetrate into the bloodstream or disrupt the skin’s natural barrier. However, non-toxic skincare aims to work with your body, not against it, by reducing the overall chemical load and prioritising ingredients that are biocompatible, gentle, and effective.
Non-Toxic Doesn’t Mean Less Effective
One common misconception is that natural or non-toxic products don’t work as well as their counterpart products. But many high-performance ingredients (like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and zinc oxide) can absolutely be included in non-toxic formulations. It’s about formulation, not just the ingredient list. For example, at OhSo Bare, we use ingredients like organic grass-fed tallow, cold-pressed oils, botanical infusions, and certified essential oils.
At OhSo Bare, non-toxic is our promise, not a trend. All of our suncare products are created in-house in the heart of Manchester using organic, raw, and natural ingredients that *nourish* the skin without the unnecessary extras.
We don’t include fillers or synthetic fragrances, and we use ingredients like grass-fed tallow, unrefined oils, and essential oils in their purest form. Every product is handmade in small batches to ensure freshness and full control over what goes into it.
Final Thoughts
Non-toxic skincare is about more than a label, it’s about your health, your values, and your skin’s long-term wellbeing. It’s about making empowered choices in a beauty industry that’s finally learning to prioritise safety as much as aesthetics. So next time you see the words non-toxic , look deeper. The real meaning is in the ingredients, not just the branding. Also, be sure to watch for greenwashing; just because a product says “natural” doesn’t mean it’s non-toxic.
