Earlier last month, we were lucky enough to chat to Caitlin Clarke of Paper City about the clean movement in skincare and how all is not what it seems!
The Dallas Derm on a Mission to Redefine Clean Beauty
“The problem is not chemicals. The solution is not plants. It’s much more nuanced: It’s how every single chemical reacts to the skin.”
This extract is taken from the original article, which you can read, in full on the Paper City website.
We live in a post-Goop world. Today, we’re taking a closer look than ever at what we’re putting on our skin — an objectively good thing. The clean beauty movement has boomed, promising formulas free from irritants, allergens, and endocrine disruptors. But since an industry-recognized definition of “clean” is still lacking (as is much FDA regulation for brands that claim to be “green” or “medical-grade”), the world of non-toxic skincare is, ironically, quite murky.
“People who are mindful about skincare tend to gravitate towards the clean beauty movement, which from our perspective as dermatologists, can be a somewhat misguided movement,” Dr. Carina Woodruff, a board-certified derm based in Dallas, tells PaperCity. “The problem is not chemicals. The solution is not plants. It’s much more nuanced: It’s how every single chemical reacts to the skin.”
An industry-recognized definition of “clean” is still lacking (as is much FDA regulation for brands that claim to be “green” or “medical-grade”), and so, the world of non-toxic skincare is, ironically, quite murky.
In addition to her training at Yale’s School of Medicine, Dr. Woodruff specializes in patch testing and contact dermatitis, making her uniquely attuned to potential allergens lurking in our beauty routines.
“Brands are popping up all over the place and there’s been a really large increase in allergic reactions over the last decade,” Dr. Woodruff notes. “Consumers are still imbibing the clean beauty thing and going from brand to brand to brand to find a solution.”
Vetted Dermlab, which launched in September of 2023, is a thoughtfully edited, fragrance-free collection with everything you need — save for sunscreen.
There’s a gentle cleanser with niacinamide, a highly stable vitamin C serum, a non-irritating retinoid serum, and a ceramide-packed moisturizer that comes in a “light” and “rich” formula. Every product features active, hypoallergenic ingredients, and is packaged in simple, recyclable glass bottles.
In addition to redefining “clean beauty,” Vetted’s co-founders are on a mission to educate. The Vetted Instagram is filled with myth-busting videos from its knowledgeable founders — Is Botox safe for sensitive skin? Probably! Is my skin too sensitive for retinoids? No! Are my pets causing contact dermatitis? Definitely not! — along with insights into the ingredients that should be on labels.
