A review by kdski
Clean by James Hamblin

4.0

I listened to this as an audiobook and it felt like a documentary! If you’re a bit nerdy and love diving into historical stuff like the origin of soap or if you’re a bit suspicious of the skincare industry boom in recent years this would probably be right up your alley. It’s a book about how marketing has impacted culture when it comes to the idea of “clean”. Empty advertising jargon, religion, racism, politics and other themes are explored and raise questions about the idea of “cleanliness”. Descriptors like “natural” are arguably more profit-driven than health or hygiene motivated. The skincare industry has gone unchecked for so long! Only pharmaceutical products must go through clinical trials for safety and efficacy. The biggest thing I found shocking about this book is that there are zero requirements in the US to actually test cosmetic products for safety, so literally anyone could mix up a product and sell it, which I found shocking. FDA lacks authority to review personal care products and only bans 11 ingredients whereas EU has banned over 1500 ingredients. It was a bit of a slow start for me but once it gripped me, I kept wanting to learn more. This book will stay with me and it has impacted the way I view skincare and the beauty industry.