This week we speak with Karima, Diana and Linda, the amazing women behind the clean and green beauty brand SixGldn. They believe in fewer products, less waste, less time behind the mirror and more time for life.
What was once called the clean beauty “movement” is now a booming industry and nearly 50 percent of women are already using clean beauty products.
We talk about their clean beauty journey, daily rituals and how to stay balanced running your own company.
-Why should you choose clean beauty? What difference can you expect clean products to make for your skin and your health?
Women put an average of 60 chemicals on their skin every day. We KNOW that many of them are linked to cancer, infertility, miscarriage, birth defects, obesity and environmental damage. We have to be kinder to our bodies and hold the beauty industry to higher standards. Clean formulas are so good and so effective now there's no reason not to use them. Buying clean is especially important in the US, as our products aren't regulated for long-term safety and we allow toxic chemicals in skincare that are banned in the EU and Canada.
When you switch to clean you'll notice less reactivity, less inflammation, and calmer, resilient, more radiant skin. You're also making a long-term investment in your health and can sleep easy knowing you're doing your bit for the planet too.
-If someone is just starting out switching to clean, what do you think is the most important product swaps to make?
The ones you leave on your skin - serums, moisturizers, fragrance, body lotions and nail polish. Then cleansers, shower gels and hair products. There's lots of information on our website but start by avoiding these ingredients:
- artificial fragrance
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
- phthalates (DEP, DEHP, DBP)
- formaldehyde, (also look for DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea and quaternium-15)
- Methylisothiazolinone
- chemical sunscreen
- hydroquinone
- ethanolamines (triethanolamine, DEA, TEA, MEA)
- PEGS
- parabens
- mineral oils + petrolatum/paraffin
-Have you always been passionate about clean or green beauty? Can you share your clean beauty journey?
No! When I worked on magazines and we had a beauty sale I would always grab the strongest, harshest products. I'd leave them on longer and use them more often than I should and wondered why I always had reactions. A few years ago I cleaned up my nutrition and my skin had never looked healthier. It made me look more closely at skincare and I realised it was an unregulated shit show where companies can use whatever they want. I believed that if I could buy something it must be safe.
-Do the terms “organic beauty”, “non-toxic beauty” and “clean beauty” have the same meaning?
No, organic and clean aren't the same but they overlap. Organic products must contain a minimum percentage of ingredients of organic origin and be certified by a recognized organization like Cosmos. Clean beauty should mean a product is safe for humans and contains no known carcinogens, neurotoxins, hormone disruptors, or irritants but the ingredients may not be organic. Some brands like Six Gldn take clean a step further and exclude anything that damages the environment. Non-toxic is another way of describing clean. But 'non-toxic' and 'clean' are unregulated labels and different brands and retailers have different standards. Credo's clean standard for example is far more rigorous than Sephora's.
-How do you stay balanced running your own company?
I don't! I live and breathe Six Gldn. My family are hoping to have me back soon.
-How is it working with your close friends?
Amazing. We've all known each other for years so we can annoy the shit out of each other, be really honest, get stuff done fast and laugh a lot.
-What’s your typical morning routine?
Up at 6am, Peloton, then coffee. I've just switched from yoga because I need to move my body after being locked up inside for months. I head to Starbucks for my giant coffee with espresso added, then we have our team call every day at 8.30am.
-What’s one product you can’t live without?
Nourishing Face Oil. I use it for everything. Moisturizer, makeup base, glowey highlighter....
-What’s next for Six Gldn?
We have a couple of amazing new products in the pipeline, so watch this space.
