OM Botanical pushes clean beauty brands to prove safety scores

By AI, Created 10:36 PM UTC, June 03, 2026, /AGP/ – OM Botanical is highlighting a transparency gap in clean beauty as more shoppers use ingredient-scanning apps to judge product safety. The North Carolina brand says many products marketed as clean score only 50 to 70 out of 100, while its own products score above 90.

Why it matters: - Ingredient-scanning apps are giving shoppers a faster way to judge skincare safety before they buy. - OM Botanical says the rise of these tools is exposing a gap between clean beauty marketing and actual ingredient ratings. - The issue matters because consumers are increasingly making purchase decisions based on safety, transparency, and formulation quality.

What happened: - OM Botanical, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based plant-based skincare and hair care maker, is pressing the clean beauty industry for more transparency. - The company says many products marketed as “clean,” “natural,” or “non-toxic” score between 50 and 70 out of 100 on ingredient-analysis platforms. - OM Botanical says its own products consistently score above 90 on those same platforms. - The company is using the comparison to ask why products labeled clean do not always earn top safety ratings.

The details: - OM Botanical says consumers are reading ingredient labels more closely and using mobile apps that analyze cosmetic ingredients using published scientific and regulatory data. - The company says there is no universally accepted regulatory definition of “clean beauty.” - That absence lets products with very different ingredient profiles carry similar marketing claims. - OM Botanical argues that “clean” often means what a product leaves out, not what it contains. - The company says some products avoid parabens or phthalates but still use heavily processed synthetic ingredients, harsh surfactants, petroleum derivatives, synthetic fragrances, or preservatives. - OM Botanical says brands can legally market products as natural or clean even when ingredients have been significantly altered through industrial processing. - Independent ingredient-rating platforms typically weigh allergenicity, irritation potential, environmental impact, regulatory restrictions, scientific literature, ingredient concentration, and long-term safety concerns. - Many scoring systems also consider endocrine disruption, sensitization, bioaccumulation, and ecological concerns. - OM Botanical says its formulations rely on whole-food-inspired, plant-based, food-grade ingredients and avoid many common cosmetic additives. - The company says its ingredients include organic aloe vera, Ayurvedic botanical extracts, cold-pressed plant oils, fermented ingredients, microalgae, plant-derived antioxidants, and plant-based emulsifiers. - OM Botanical says it prioritizes minimally processed botanical ingredients whenever possible. - The company says modern skin science supports barrier-first skincare and the skin microbiome. - OM Botanical says many conventional products use aggressive detergents, high levels of synthetic fragrance, or ingredients that may contribute to irritation, microbiome imbalance, and barrier dysfunction in susceptible users. - The company says it designs products with soothing botanicals, microbiome-friendly ingredients, and gentle cleansing systems. - OM Botanical says ingredient quality also depends on processing methods, not just ingredient names. - The company points to differences such as cold-pressed versus solvent-extracted plant oils, minimally processed versus heavily refined extracts, gentle versus aggressive surfactants, and fermentation-based versus synthetic preservation systems. - OM Botanical says transparency should extend beyond ingredient lists to include sourcing, refining, processing, and formulation methods. - The company says it combines Ayurvedic wisdom with research on skin biology, antioxidants, peptides, barrier repair, and microbiome support. - OM Botanical says the goal is skincare and hair care that are safe enough to eat, highly effective, environmentally responsible, microbiome friendly, and transparent from sourcing to finished formulation.

Between the lines: - The clean beauty label is becoming less persuasive on its own as consumers move toward measurable standards. - Ingredient-scoring apps are shifting leverage from brands to shoppers by making product comparisons immediate and widely accessible. - OM Botanical is positioning itself as a brand that can compete on both safety scores and performance claims. - The company’s message also reflects a broader industry debate over whether “clean” should describe marketing language or verifiable formulation standards.

What’s next: - OM Botanical expects more pressure on beauty brands to substantiate claims with clearer ingredient and manufacturing information. - The company says improved transparency could lead to better ingredient selection, higher formulation standards, and more consumer trust. - OM Botanical wants consumers to look past labels and examine sourcing, manufacturing practices, and ingredient quality. - The company says brands that can demonstrate both safety and performance may be best positioned as transparency becomes a bigger buying factor. - OM Botanical says informed consumers will continue to push the industry toward stronger accountability and innovation.

The bottom line: - OM Botanical is betting that clean beauty’s future will depend less on marketing claims and more on measurable ingredient safety, transparent sourcing, and visible performance.