October 5th 2023.
Washington nonprofit Clean Beauty for Black Girls is focused on educating Black women about clean beauty, preventing them from consuming toxic hair and skin products. According to their website, the organization is dedicated to "raising awareness about harmful ingredients, advocating for clean beauty practices, and fostering a community that values health and self-confidence."
Hannah McCall, executive director for Clean Beauty for Black Girls, discussed the mission of the organization with NBC Washington. She said, “It’s about the fact that Black women and girls are the last ones considered when it comes to anything in the health, wellness, and medical space.”
The idea behind the organization stemmed from what McCall described as “sister circles” or safe spaces to come and engage in candid conversations surrounding the beauty standards that have encouraged Black women to rely on products discovered to be harmful. In fact, it is documented that Black women’s products contain harmful chemicals at a rate of 75%, much higher than white women’s rate of 30-40%.
The Clean Beauty team is committed to introducing clean beauty products free of harmful effects. In collaboration with a campaign for safe cosmetics, a database was created offering over 800 products. The database features over 80 Black-owned brands that have produced clean products. McCall hopes that this list continues to grow.
McCall believes that focusing on the most marginalized group benefits everyone else. Oregon recently passed the Toxic Free Cosmetics Act, which, according to the Oregon State Legislature, requires the Oregon Health Authority to maintain a list of designated high-priority chemicals of concern used in cosmetics and periodically review and revise the list. Additionally, it requires the authority to post specific information on its website and manufacturers to specify the use of certain chemicals in products starting in 2025.
The Clean Beauty for Black Girls organization is a noteworthy source of information and resources for Black women looking for clean and safe beauty products. Through their dedication to educating Black women about clean beauty, advocating for clean beauty practices, and fostering a community that values health and self-confidence, they are striving to improve the well-being of Black women across the country.
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