Dr. G on What Clean, Green, and Natural Skincare Truly Is

Want to lead a healthier lifestyle, get radiant skin, *and* do both in an eco-conscious manner? If so, pivoting to use clean, green, and/or natural skincare products is likely on your to-do list—or maybe you’ve already made the switch.

With that said, there are a few things Dr. Gary Goldfaden, aka Dr. G, wants you to know. Keep reading to discover the insights he has to share on the topic, informed by 50-plus years of experience as a renowned dermatologist—as well as a leader in naturally derived, clinically backed skincare products with his namesake line.

What’s the difference between clean, green, and natural skincare?

“All of these terms tend to be used interchangeably within the beauty industry, which is confusing and at times misleading for some consumers,” Dr. G begins. Moreover, this confusion proliferates because there’s no federally regulated oversight on using such terms. In other words, there are no mandates or official boards making sure that brands’ claims are true to how they’re marketed, or meet certain standards to be able to use these terms for their products.

At any rate, Dr. G shares what these terms mean to him as a dermatologist and the founder of Goldfaden MD:

• Green: an eco-friendly brand in packing, sourcing, and brand messaging
• Natural: a brand that uses some/mostly natural ingredients and is free of certain ingredients
• Clean: similar to a natural brand, but more likely to avoid formulating with certain “dirty” ingredients (such as PEGS, artificial ingredients, petrochemicals, mineral oil, etc.)

Again, since these terms are often swapped out one for the other, it’s up to you as a consumer to take a closer look at the brand’s DNA, ingredient lists, and the like to determine if the product is suitable for your own wellness goals and lifestyle concerns.

What are the benefits of using clean and/or natural skincare products?

If your beauty products live up to their labels, Dr. G shares that there are many benefits you can anticipate by cleaning up your makeup bag and arsenal of skincare products.

For starters, “Many people are allergic or reactive to chemicals commonly found in conventionally produced products,” Dr. G begins. Conversely, “Natural makeup, skincare products, and body products work with your skin instead of against it.”

He then calls out a few of the (countless) benefits of clean, naturally derived product formulations and how you can witness them for yourself in your complexion. “The integrity and purity in plant and botanically derived ingredients—namely the high level of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, antioxidants, enzymes, natural sugars, and more—provide a vital spectrum of benefits for the skin without being compromised by fillers and inactive ingredients,” he continues. “This allows for the treatment actives to provide the most abundant benefits within topical formulas.”

When these actives work their plant-powered magic, Dr. G says this enables:

• better product penetration
• the skin to be less reactive and irritated
• a clearer complexion
• a reduction of redness, rashes, and milia

What makes Goldfaden MD products clean, green, *and* natural?

Whether you’re a devoted customer of Goldfaden MD’s or are still in the initial stages of finding the best and safest skincare products for your needs, Dr. G wants everyone to understand what makes his namesake brand live up to each of the clean/green/natural terms.

“To begin, we do not formulate with silicones, mineral oils, parabens, petrochemicals, PEGS, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, or alcohol,” he explains. And these are only a short selection of the no-gos when it comes to the full Goldfaden MD line.

Each and every product is formulated to align with Credo’s Clean Standards, which are the most rigorous in the American beauty industry. On top of that, Goldfaden MD abides by the EU’s standards of product safety, so you can rest assured that over 1,300+ confirmed and potentially toxic ingredients have no place in our products. Lastly, in addition to being naturally derived and plant-powered, a commitment to sustainability is integral to the brand’s DNA, which lasts all the way from product development to delivery. This includes but isn’t limited to:

• Repurposing post-consumer waste for packaging
• Using only materials and packaging that are recyclable
• Our partnership with One Tree Planted to promote a greener earth

In sum, what makes Goldfaden MD natural, clean, green (and everything in between!) is the fact that we prioritize a 360-degree approach to safety for your skin, body, and the planet—both in our formulations and beyond.