5 Things Clean Beauty Brands Don’t Want to Talk About

Clean beauty is bigger than buzzwords. Here are 5 hard truths most brands won’t tell you - and how Côte Beauty is doing things differently.

 

 

1. Clean Beauty Isn’t Just About Ingredients Anymore

 

For years, clean beauty has focused on what’s inside the bottle. Ingredients you can pronounce. Formulas without toxins. Vegan, cruelty-free, non-toxic. And yes - those things matter.

 

But real clean beauty doesn’t stop at the label.

 

At Côte Beauty, we believe clean beauty has to go beyond what you put on your body. It’s about what your products do to the planet after you’re done with them.

 

From day one, our mission has been rooted in health, safety, and sustainability - because beauty should never compromise your health or the planet.

 

Clean beauty should touch every part of your routine. From toxin-free nail colors to sulfate-free shampoo, Côte’s full collection is designed to keep you feeling good and looking good.

 

Related read: What Clean Beauty Means to Us

 

 

2. Most Nail Polish Can’t Be Recycled

 

Here’s the ugly truth: traditional nail polish is one of the hardest beauty products to dispose of.

 

The bottles? Often tossed. The formulas? Filled with harsh chemicals that can’t be processed through traditional recycling.

 

Which means... your half-used shades and chipped-glitter bottles are likely sitting in a landfill somewhere. That didn’t sit right with us. So we created a way to fix it.

 

Glass bottles, recyclable plastic, and post-consumer materials - our nail and body care are made with sustainability in mind, inside and out.

 

Shop consciously: See Our Clean Nail Colors

 

 

 

3. We Recycle Every Nail Polish Bottle

 

Through our partnership with PACT Collective, Côte accepts and recycles nail polish from any brand - not just our own. We're celebrating this initiative for Earth Month by rewarding you with a $5 credit when you send your empties.

 

Here's how it works:

• Gather your old nail polish bottles (any brand)
• Pack them up (we recommend newspaper padding)
• Ship them to Côte HQ
• Fill out this form to track your impact and earn $5 credit

 

Send in your empties and help us plant a forest of good intentions.

 

Ready to give your old beauty products a second life? Recycle your nail polish through our #CleanBeautyChallenge and earn $5 toward anything on the site.

 

 

 

4. Clean Beauty Brands Still Create Waste

 

Most brands don’t want to talk about packaging.

Even the ones calling themselves “eco-friendly” often use mixed materials that aren’t recyclable - or worse, they never offer any way to return or responsibly dispose of your empties.

 

Here’s the truth: no brand is perfect.

At Côte Beauty, our nail polish bottles are made from recyclable glass, and our body care and lip products use recyclable plastic and post-consumer recycled materials. We’re constantly evolving our packaging to reduce waste wherever we can - and making it easy for you to recycle, too.

 

We’ve created a circular beauty loop that puts sustainability into action. You send your empties, we take them back, and we reward you for making the effort.

 

Bonus? We plant one tree for every order placed.

 

Take the #CleanBeautyChallenge: Get a $5 reward when you send in your empties this April for Earth Month.

 

Not all clean beauty claims are created equal. At Côte Beauty, the commitment shows up in every formula — from strengthening base coats to nourishing body wash.

 

 

5. Choosing the Right Brand Matters

 

You care about what you put on your skin. Now it’s time to care about what happens after.

 

Clean beauty isn’t a trend - it’s a responsibility and a movement.

 

We didn’t start Côte Beauty to just sell polish. We started it to create a safer, healthier standard - for you, and the planet. So the next time you finish a bottle, ask yourself: Now what?

 

If the brand doesn’t have an answer... that’s your answer.

 

You deserve a clean routine that works from head to toe. Shop Côte Beauty's bestsellers - including lip shine, shampoo, and body lotion - and redefine what clean beauty feels like.

 

Explore circular beauty: Shop Our Bestsellers

 

 

More from Côte Beauty:

• Côte Cares: Sustainability in Action
• Why Ingredients Matter
• Glossy + Clean: Our Lip Shine Collection