Discovering ‘clean beauty’

When you look in the bathroom mirror in the mornings, rubbing moisturiser into your cheeks or applying concealer under your eyes, have you ever wondered what goes into the product in your hand? Is it natural? Is it toxic? What is the story behind the product? 

Amy’s love of makeup from an early age has taken her on a journey of discovering the truth behind the ingredients that go into products, and has led her to clean beauty: a portion of the beauty industry that only produces products that are beneficial to both our bodies and wellbeing. Most beauty brands on the market today use ingredients that are harmful to our health and also to the environment.

Can I love makeup and Jesus?

Amy was twelve when she first held a mascara brush; eyes wide, eyebrows raised, the black mixture clinging to her lashes. Standing back, she liked what she saw and – perhaps more importantly – she enjoyed the creative process. 

“My mum always made an effort with her appearance and this filtered down to me and my sister,” Amy explains. “This was the environment I grew up in.” Amy was immersed in a world where it was enjoyable to care about how she looked. She also grew up in a home where God was central. The two passions existed harmoniously, side by side. 

“But at university, I felt quite judged,” she shares. While Amy put effort into her appearance, she felt at odds with others in the Christian Union who came across as judgemental of makeup and short skirts. She would often offer to be designated driver on nights out with her non-Christian friends; loving dressing up, dancing and soaking in the light-hearted atmosphere. “I knew I was living out my faith among my friends, but still felt judged by other Christians for enjoying clothes, makeup and going dancing.” 

Amy resorted to wearing tracksuit bottoms and making less effort with her appearance but found herself slipping into an identity crisis, knowing deep down that this wasn’t an honest expression of her true self. “I remember going to my mum and sister upset about it all and them urging me not to worry about what other people think, leading me to Psalm 139 and how ‘fearfully and wonderfully’ I’ve been made.” Amy was reminded that she could love Jesus and express herself through her appearance; that her identity was firmly in him, while her creativity emerged through her choice of clothes and attention to makeup. “I needed to ask the question, ‘Does this [enjoyment of makeup] take me from him?’ If the answer is no, then it’s OK. More than OK.”

A new discovery

Newly married and living in Germany in her early 20s, Amy stumbled across a tiny skincare shop in her local town. Enticed by anything skincare related, she went inside and started chatting with the owner. “I was fascinated by his knowledge. He seemed to immediately understand my skin type, explaining that I had been using the wrong product on my skin for years. I have quite dry, sensitive skin, and what I was using was drying me out even more.” 

The shop owner went on to explain the clean beauty products he sold; products sustainably sourced, with natural ingredients; products that were gentle on the skin but still effective. “As someone with underlying health issues linked to my immune system, I was fascinated when he explained about the health benefits of his products.” 

Crossing the threshold of that little shop in Germany 18 years ago marked the beginning of a new fascination with clean beauty for Amy. Until this point, she had been unaware that the products she was using had links to hormonal health and even infertility through toxic ingredients. “Exploring clean beauty products became a way of caring for myself and my body, no longer wanting to use ingredients that could be harmful to my health.” Committing to such products also became a matter of ethics for Amy, as her passion for human rights overflowed into a concern for how beauty products were made and tested. Choosing clean beauty products meant she could be confident of a cleaner trail and a commitment to sustainability.

This niche beauty market became a fascination for Amy throughout her 30s – a passionate hobby as she mothered her young children and took on writing projects. “My family used to make fun of me – in a friendly way! – because of how much I loved makeup and skin care.”

Open doors

During the COVID lockdowns, while Amy found herself struggling with her mental health, she spent a lot of time practising applying makeup. “I slowly found my world beginning to open up again and God slowly revealing that he had more for me.” Amy began to wonder whether makeup could be more than a hobby, researching courses but struggling to find any that used clean beauty products.  

“Eventually I came across a makeup school I liked which agreed to let me create my own kit using products I liked.” For both student and teacher, this course became a journey of discovering the endless benefits of clean beauty and how any concerns around how the products would fair in certain contexts, such as photoshoots, were unfounded. Amy landed her first skincare job in April 2021 with Sephora, where she received further in-house skincare training and developed in-depth knowledge of clean beauty brands. 

“God started opening doors early on and has blessed me with some amazing opportunities,” Amy acknowledges. As her freelance career has taken off over the last three years, Amy has been humbled by the series of open doors that have led to TV appearances, working on multiple London Fashion Weeks, having her work featured in magazines and providing free services for women going through chemotherapy. “God needs us in all walks of life,” Amy reminds us. “He works through everything, including makeup and skincare.”  

Amy recommends trying out The Ordinary and The Inkey List if you’re new to clean beauty. Both companies aspire to create products that are cruelty-free and good for your skin, based on research, and priced honestly and affordably. For higher-end products, Amy recommends Byoma and Evolve Beauty for skincare, and Lily Lolo and Well People for makeup. “These two brands require a bit more investment, but they are very popular…It’s worth remembering that you need less product than you think!” she shares, reminding us that a little can go a long way and a good product can be worth the investment to ensure you’re using something as sustainably sourced as possible, and that is kind to your skin.

“If you want to know what’s going into the products you’re already using, or want to check out products in stores, there are apps you can download,” Amy explains. Think Dirty and Yuka apps have barcode scanners built in, which will tell you further details about the product you are using or interested in. The apps are free to download and access basic features, with a subscription to discover more products and detailed information.

“My morning skincare routines change often, as I like to try out different products,” Amy shares. “I always start the day with washing my face – not cleansing, just washing, often with Neal’s Yard Rose or Frankincense face wash.” Amy then uses a glycolic toner, switching between Evolve Beauty Glycolic Toner and Medik8 Press & Clear Toner. Using a glycolic toner has multiple benefits, including anti-aging, exfoliation and even skin tone, but Amy recommends using a low percentage so your skin doesn’t built up a tolerance to the product (as higher levels can be too harsh).  

Amy follows the toner with True Botanicals Chebula Active Serum – Chebula is a fruit that has a very potent effect on aging lines – followed by Medik8 C Tetra Lipid Vitamin C Radium Serum, which helps restore radiance to the skin and works on clearing uneven skin tone and dark spots. To finish, Amy uses Evolve Daily Renew Facial Cream to moisturise and Tropic Skincare Super Greens Nutrient Boost Oil, which she describes as “like starting the day with giving your skin a kale and spinach smoothie!”.

Amy Dyas and her assistant Kate did the make-up for the cover shoot and you can find out more about her at beautycleanbyamy.com