“Clean” Hygiene: What It Means and Why It Matters

Prep U is a collection of all-natural, clean hygiene products for guys. By now, you probably know this much about us. But what exactly do we mean by “clean”? What does any brand mean by that?

If you’ve walked through Target lately or scrolled through Instagram or simply experienced the world in any capacity over the past decade or more, then you’re well versed in words like all-natural, organic, clean and free of when it comes to food, lifestyle products, even fashion. Like any buzzwords, going “natural” or “clean” can often feel more like a marketing agenda than an authentic solution for improved health. We get it. If we weren’t in the biz, we might just feel the same way. But since we are part of that world and do use that language, we thought it only right to break it all down and address why “clean beauty” has become a search-worthy term and what you should look for when you’re seeking a clean hygiene routine.

Clean Hygiene Defined

When we say “clean hygiene” what we’re really saying is using toxin-free hygiene products formulated from clean ingredients. We’re talking easy to pronounce, recognizable, hormone and carcinogen-free ingredient lists that are the recipe for safe, effective skin, hair and body care.

Look Beyond “All-Natural”

For products to be safe and clean, they don’t only have to be deemed as all-natural or organic. Thanks to advancements in science, you can have toxin-free products that use synthetics or preservatives. Like The Good Face Project says, it’s actually important that products do, in fact, use preservatives in their formula to keep the product stable. Keeping it clean just means using safe, man-made preservatives to do so.

Vegetable glycerin, phenoxyethanol and propylene glycol are some safe preservatives you can look for in the ingredients list of your “clean” products. Similarly, you’ll want to avoid any products listing DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea or diazolidinyl urea. You can read more about safe vs. non-safe preservatives at TruSelf Organics.

Look for the Seals of Approval

If you’re a clean product savant or just dipping your toe into these pure waters, there are two reliable sources that can make shopping “clean” a piece of cake: the EWG VERIFIED™ mark and The Good Face Project.

From baby products to cleaning products, EWG VERIFIED™ mark denotes whether a product is safe and healthy to use. If you see it on a product, you’ll know it is as clean as clean gets, meeting a strict standard of chemical-free ingredients that make it a no-brainer in the clean category (shameless plug alert: Prep U Natural Deodorant proudly sports a EWG VERIFIED™ mark). Although this mark makes shopping much easier, it must be said that not ALL safe, “clean” products available to you have been EWG VERIFIED™ simply because there’s a LOT of products out there. So it’s still important that you do a bit of your own legwork. EWG Skin Deep® simplifies your search by identifying a large volume of products that are clean, but don’t wear the mark (try searching Prep U to see what we mean). Bottom line, think of the EWG VERIFIED™ mark as more of your confidence cliff notes than an index of all-things “clean.” 

The Good Face Project Index is also a great tool to check your product’s clean status. Unlike EWG Verified™, they review products strictly across the cosmetics and hygiene products industry, including kid and baby brands. From suncare and self-tanners to hair and men’s grooming, they, too, uphold a high standard of safety regulations to determine if a product is scientifically formulated to be both safe and efficacious. We’re proud to say you can also find several Prep U products among their clean findings.

Though the aisles may be overwhelming, and the buzzwords keep swirling, choosing clean hygiene products doesn’t have to feel like a monumental task. Start with recognizable, easy-to-say ingredients from trusted sources and research the stuff that stumps you. No one should have to be a chemist to consume safe products. Here, at Prep U, we’re proud to be among the clean hygiene shapeshifters and will continue to do our part to take the guesswork out of your health.