There’s a story behind every beauty label. Words like clean, green, and non‑toxic float across shelves, promising safety and simplicity. They sound reassuring, yet too often they tell only part of the truth. With no shared standard, “clean” can still allow non-aligned synthetics—petrochemical fillers, silicone-based ingredients, undisclosed fragrance blends, and other lab-made additives that don’t advance skin health or reflect our sourcing values.
At Araza, clean has never felt like enough. Beauty, to us, is more than avoiding what harms. It’s choosing what is truly life‑giving. Our philosophy is rooted in something deeper: the raw power of nature, and the integrity of ingredients that nourish, protect, and restore.
WHEN "CLEAN" FALLS SHORT
“Clean beauty” is meant to signal safety and wellness. But without a universal definition, its meaning shifts from brand to brand. A formula may be labeled clean while relying on ingredients that are technically “non‑toxic” yet far from natural.
Common examples that often hide behind a clean claim:
Synthetic preservatives
Like phenoxyethanol. Allowed in tiny amounts, yet linked to allergic reactions and microbiome disruption.
Petroleum-derived ingredients
Like PEGs. They make formulas feel smooth but can carry carcinogenic residues from the manufacturing process.
Artificial fragrances
That conceal hundreds of undisclosed chemical components. For many, they’re a quiet trigger for rashes, irritation, or even hormone disruption.
Lab-made silicones
And polymers that give instant slip, yet coat the skin like plastic wrap—offering feel but not function.
These choices may pass a “non‑toxic” screen in low concentrations but they don’t align with skin that seeks balance, vitality, and long‑term health.
WHAT WE MEAN BY NATURAL: TAPPING INTO THE RAW POWER OF NATURE
For us, natural is not a marketing term—it’s a way of formulating. We trust the skin’s innate intelligence and look to the earth as our most reliable source of beauty.
Our commitment to natural means:
Pure, earth-derived ingredients —
Wild-harvested, certified organic, cold-pressed, and minimally processed to preserve their nutritional potency.
Small-batch extraction —
Superfoods, clays, minerals, and oils prepared in ways that keep them fresh, active, and deeply nourishing.
Functional actives that support health —
Postbiotics for the microbiome, antioxidant-rich wild-picked Araza fruit, natural vitamin E, and cold-pressed oils that melt seamlessly into the skin.
Clear exclusions —
No petrochemicals, artificial fragrance, synthetic dyes, silicones, PEGs, parabens, formaldehyde donors, or “nature-identical” substitutes.
Performance with integrity —
When nature alone cannot provide stability or wearability, we allow a small percentage of naturally derived, COSMOS/Ecocert–approved ingredients, used sparingly and transparently.
In essence, natural at Araza means formulating with the raw power of nature: pure, earth-derived, minimally processed ingredients that nourish, protect, and respect both skin and planet.
CLEAN VS. NATURAL: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Ingredients
Clean Beauty (Industry Standard):
May include synthetics, petrochemicals, and lab-derived compounds deemed “non-toxic”
Araza’s Natural Philosophy:
100% earth-derived wherever possible; only COSMOS/Ecocert–approved naturally derived ingredients when absolutely necessary
Fragrance
Clean Beauty (Industry Standard):
Can include “natural fragrance” (unregulated, may hide hundreds of compounds)
Araza’s Natural Philosophy:
No artificial fragrance; fragrance-free unless beneficial; only essential oils, CO₂ extracts, or hydrosols within dermally safe limits
Colorants
Clean Beauty (Industry Standard):
Often uses FD&C dyes, lakes, or petroleum-derived pigments
Araza’s Natural Philosophy:
Mineral derived pigments (iron oxides, mica, ultramarines); carefully verified for purity to ensure safety and consistent shades
Texture agents
Clean Beauty (Industry Standard):
Silicones, polymers, PEGs, and synthetic emulsifiers
Araza’s Natural Philosophy:
Plant oils, clays, waxes, and butters; plant-based emulsifiers and gums (lecithin, xanthan, sclerotium, olivem, montanov)
Preservation
Clean Beauty (Industry Standard):
Phenoxyethanol, parabens, formaldehyde releasers, isothiazolinones
Araza’s Natural Philosophy:
Ferments, organic acids, multifunctional naturals; COSMOS-approved naturally derived preservatives only when essential
Standards
Clean Beauty (Industry Standard):
Vague, brand-specific, often marketing-led
Araza’s Natural Philosophy:
Transparent, rigorous, ingredient-first; prioritizing safety, sustainability, and performance
Below is a quick side-by-side chart to help compare Industry Standards and Araza's Natural Philosophy at a glance.
WHY IT MATTERS
Your skin is not just a surface—it’s a living, responsive organ. What you apply influences how it looks, and how it feels and functions day after day. Even in clean formulas, certain artificial ingredients can nudge the barrier off balance, clog pores, irritate sensitive conditions, or dull your natural radiance.
We create products that feel good now and do good over time—formulas that melt into the skin, support its natural rhythms, and become part of a daily ritual of self‑respect and care.