BEYOND CLEAN:
The earth is facing an environmental crisis. We must all do better to be more sustainable - and the beauty industry is no exception. That's why we're thrilled to introduce the next wave of Clean at Sephora: Clean + Planet Positive. Meet the most ambitious clean brands on a mission to change the beauty landscape, and the earth, for the better.
HERE’S WHAT IT MEANS WHEN YOU SEE OUR CLEAN + PLANET POSITIVE SEAL:
CLEAN INGREDIENTS
Clean at Sephora approved. Formulated without phthalates, formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers, oxybenzone and octinoxate, hydroquinone, triclosan, coal tar, methylisothiazolinone, insoluble plastic, microbeads.
See full list of excluded ingredients
CLIMATE COMMITMENT
Brands must meet at least one of the following climate goals: carbon-neutral operations, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, or corporate office and owned or leased operations powered by 100% renewable energy.
SUSTAINABLE SOURCING
Cruelty-free, using only sustainably harvested palm oil and mica, no microplastics, and up to Sephora's CBD standards.
RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING
Must reduce, recycle, and reimagine the way they package. That means: no single-use items or unnecessary materials. Designing with recyclability in mind. Innovating with refillable components, post-consumer recycled content (PCR), biomaterials, plant-based ink and more.
ENVIRONMENTAL GIVING
Donate at least 1% of profit to a high-impact, long-term giving program that is multiyear and ongoing, or be a Certified B-corporation.
Click here for all our Clean & Planet Positive standards.
We’re committed to doing better as a company to protect the health and beauty of our planet.
CLEAN IS AN EVOLUTION:
When you see our Clean seal, you can be sure this brand's products meet the strictest standards across the industry for clean beauty. The movement has evolved into a constant iteration of the best tech, the highest quality ingredients, and the most conscious stance that the beauty industry has to offer. That's why, since our Clean program began, we've continued to scour the scene, meet with brand founders and experts, and up our game.
Today, a growing number of brands with this stance are occupying the beauty space. True to Sephora's standards, our Clean seal is a curation of the very best in clean with many brands that are going beyond just clean ingredients. From greener packaging, and sustainable sourcing, to high performing makeup products and fragrances that last, we've got you covered.
Our program continues to grow and evolve, as innovation is key to finding and developing new ingredients that fit our standards. We are continually committed to setting the bar even higher and adding new brands devoted to their evolution. We look forward to continuing this journey and sharing the very best in clean with you.
All brands qualifying for the Clean seal are formulated without these ingredients and more: parabens, phthalates, formaldehydes and formaldehyde-releasers, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, and triclosan. For the full list of excluded ingredients, click here.
| Ingredient or Category: | Specific Requirement or Ingredient Names (does not include exhaustive ingredient lists): |
|---|---|
| Acrylates | Ethyl acrylate, Ethyl methacrylate, Butyl methacrylate, Hydroxypropyl methacrylate, Tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate, Trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate |
| Aluminum Salts | Aluminum chloride, Aluminum chlorohydrate, Aluminum chlorohydrex, Aluminum dichlorohydrate, Aluminum sesquichlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium octachlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium octachlorohydrex gly, Aluminum zirconium pentachlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium pentachlorohydrex gly, Aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly, Aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex gly tot |
| Animal Oils, Musks, and Fats | Excluding Beeswax, Honey, Lanolin and Carmine |
| Benzophenones and related compounds | |
| Butoxyethanol | |
| Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) | |
| Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) | Must be 0.1% or less of total formula |
| Carbon Black or Black 2 | |
| Coal Tar | |
| Ethanolamines | Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA), Monoethanolamine (MEA), Ethanolamine (ETA) |
| Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde-releasing agents | |
| Hydroquinone | |
| Lead and Lead Acetate | |
| Mercury and Mercury Compounds (Thimerisol) | |
| Methoxyethanol | |
| Methyl Cellosolve | |
| Methylchlorois- othiazolinone and Methyliso- thiazolinone | |
| Mineral Oil | |
| Nanomaterials | Restrictions for nanomaterials listed in the Annex of cosmetic European regulation 1223/2009 including: Carbon black (CI 77266) - Annex IV, entry 126a, Methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT) - Annex VI, entry 23a, Titanium Dioxide - Annex VI, entry 27a, Tris-biphenyl triazine - Annex VI, entry 29, Zinc Oxide - Annex VI, entry 30a |
| Oxybenzone | |
| Parabens | |
| Petrolatum and Paraffin | USP grade only |
| Phenoxyethanol | Must be 1% or less of total formula |
| Phthalates | |
| Insoluble Plastic Microbeads | No insoluble plastic microbeads (any intentionally added 5 mm or less, water insoluble, solid plastic particle used to cleanse or exfoliate) in rinse off products |
| Polyacrylamide and Acrylamide | |
| Resorcinol | |
| Retinyl Palmitate | |
| Styrene | Bromostyrene, Dea-styrene/acrylates/dvb copolymer, Sodium styrene/Divinylbenzene copolymer, Styrene oxide, Styrene |
| Sulfates | Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) |
| Talc | Allowed provided that the brand conducts testing to ensure it is free of any asbestos |
| Toluene | |
| Triclosan and Triclocarban | |
| Undisclosed Synthetic Fragrance | Allowed providing it meets all of the formulated without list criteria, is cruelty-free, as well as the below additional criteria: 1) In skincare, makeup, and hair products only: synthetic fragrances allowed at concentrations below 1% of total formula, 2) In all product categories fragrance (whether a perfume product or "fragrance" or "parfum" listed on the label) is formulated without PTFE/PFOA, Acetaldehyde, Acetonitrile, Methylene chloride, Benzalkonium chloride, Acetone, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and Bisphenol A (BPA). |
| 1,4 Dioxane | Must comply with the thresholds below in final formulas: 1) 10ppm or less for rinse off products (products meant to be rinsed off, wiped off or removed), 2) 2ppm or less for lip products and 7ppm or less for all other leave on products (products that are meant to remain on the skin) |
| Ingredient or Category: | Requirements: | INCI Names (non-exhaustive lists): |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylates | Prohibited | Ethyl acrylate, Ethyl methacrylate, Butyl methacrylate, Hydroxypropyl methacrylate, Tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate, Trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate |
| Aluminum Salts | Prohibited | Aluminum chloride, Aluminum chlorohydrate, Aluminum chlorohydrex, Aluminum dichlorohydrate, Aluminum sesquichlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium octachlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium octachlorohydrex gly, Aluminum zirconium pentachlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium pentachlorohydrex gly, Aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly, Aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex gly tot |
| Animal Oils, Musks, and Fats | Prohibited (excluding Beeswax, Honey, Lanolin and Carmine) | Excluding Beeswax, Honey, Lanolin and Carmine |
| Benzophenones and related compounds | Prohibited | |
| Butoxyethanol | Prohibited | |
| Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) | Restricted use: Must be 0.1% or less of total formula | |
| Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) | Prohibited | Must be 0.1% or less of total formula |
| Carbon Black or Black 2 | Prohibited | |
| Coal Tar | Prohibited | |
| Ethanolamines | Prohibited | Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA), Monoethanolamine (MEA), Ethanolamine (ETA) |
| Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde-releasing agents | Prohibited | |
| Hydroquinone | Prohibited | |
| Lead and Lead Acetate | Prohibited | |
| Mercury and Mercury Compounds (Thimerisol) | Prohibited | |
| Methoxyethanol | Prohibited | |
| Methyl Cellosolve | Prohibited | |
| Methylchlorois- othiazolinone and Methyliso- thiazolinone | Prohibited | |
| Mineral Oil | Prohibited | Mineral Oil Hydrogenated Mineral Oil |
| Nanomaterials | Restricted use: Limited usage and requirements for nanomaterials as listed in the Annex of cosmetic European regulation 1223/2009 including: Methylene, bis-benzotriazolyl, tetramethylbutylphen,ol (MBBT) – Annex VI, entry 23a, Titanium Dioxide – Annex VI, entry 27a, Tris-biphenyl triazine – Annex VI, entry 29, Zinc Oxide – Annex VI, entry 30a | Methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol, Titanium Dioxide, Tris-biphenyl triazine, Zinc Oxide |
| Oxybenzone | Prohibited | |
| Parabens | Prohibited | |
| Petrolatum and Paraffin | Restricted use: USP grade only | |
| Phenoxyethanol | Restricted use: Must be 1% or less of total formula | |
| Phthalates | Prohibited | |
| Insoluble Plastic Microbeads | Restricted use: No insoluble plastic microbeads (any intentionally added 5 mm or less, water insoluble, solid plastic particle used to cleanse or exfoliate) in rinse off products | |
| Polyacrylamide and Acrylamide | Prohibited | |
| Resorcinol | Prohibited | |
| Retinyl Palmitate | Prohibited | |
| Styrene | Prohibited | Bromostyrene, Dea-styrene/acrylates/dvb copolymer, Sodium styrene/Divinylbenzene copolymer, Styrene oxide, Styrene |
| Sulfates | Prohibited | Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) |
| Talc | Restricted use: Only talc with no detection of asbestos according to the raw material specification can be used | |
| Toluene | Prohibited | 2,6-Dihydroxyethylaminotoluene, 4-Amino-2-Hydroxytoluene, 4-Amino-2-Hydroxytoluene Sulfate, 4-Methoxytoluene-2,5-Diamine HCl, Methylstyrene/Vinyltoluene Copolymer, N,N-Diethyltoluene-2,5-Diamine HCl, Potassium Toluenesulfonate, Sodium Toluenesulfonate, Toluene, Toluene Sulfonic Acid, Toluene-2,5-Diamine, Toluene-2,5-Diamine Sulfate, Toluene-2,6-Diamine, Toluene-3,4-Diamine |
| Triclosan and Triclocarban | Prohibited | |
| Undisclosed Synthetic Fragrance | Restricted use: Allowed providing it meets all of the requirements of the formulated without list, the finished product is cruelty-free, as well as the below additional criteria: -In skincare, makeup, and hair products only: synthetic fragrances allowed at concentrations below 1% of total formula. -In all product categories fragrance (whether a perfume product or "fragrance" or "parfum" listed on the label) is formulated without: PTFE/PFOA, Acetaldehyde, Acetonitrile, Methylene chloride, Benzalkonium chloride, Acetone, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and Bisphenol A (BPA). | Acetaldehyde, Acetone, Acetonitrile, Benzalkonium chloride, Bisphenol A (BPA), Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), Methylene chloride, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) |
| 1,4 Dioxane | Restricted use: Must comply with the thresholds below in final formulas: -10 ppm or less for rinse off products (products meant to be rinsed off, wiped off or removed) -3 ppm or less for leave on products (products that are meant to remain on the skin) |
| Octinoxate | Prohibited | Octinoxate , Octyl methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate |
| PFAS compounds | Prohibited | PFASs or PFCs, "perfluor" or "polyfluor" in the ingredient name (e.g. Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), polytetrafluorothylene (PTFE) |
| Nitromusks and Polycyclic Musks | Prohibited | Musk ketone, Hexamethylindanopyran, Acetyl Hexamethyl Tetralin, Acetyl Hexamethyl Indan, Dihydro Pentamethylindanone |
| Ethoxylated Ingredients (including PEGS or polyethylene glycol). | Restricted use: Allowed if ingredient meets contamination limits for 1’4 Dioxane and ethylene oxide. -Ethylene Oxide: less than 2 ppm for lip products and less then 7 ppm for all other products. -’4 Dioxane: less then 10 ppm in rinse-off products and less then 3 ppm in leave on products. | All ethoxylated ingredients made with ethylene oxide including (and not limited to) Ceteareth-20, other ingredients ending in “-eth”, polysorbate-20, polysorbate-60, etc., and all PEGS (polyethylene glycol or ingredients with ""PEG"" in INCI name). |
| Cyclic Silicones | Restricted use: Allowed if no other technical substitute, if used the max use level is 0.2%, and must be used for chelating only. | Cyclotetrasiloxane or D4, Cyclopentasiloxane or D5, Cyclohexasiloxane or D6, Cyclomethicone |
| EDTA and derivatives | Restricted use: Allowed if no other technical substitute, if used the max use level is 0.2%, and must be used for chelating only. | EDTA, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Trisodium EDTA |