The truth about chemicals
What we know about chemicals today may change tomorrow because the nature of science is dynamic, self-correcting, and always evolving. For us, that means staying curious and open-minded to redefining what we know as new evidence emerges.
The dose makes the poison
At Epiluma, we take a science-led approach guided by the basic principle of toxicology: “the dose makes the poison.” Whether an ingredient is natural or synthetic, both types of compounds can be classified as harmful, depending on how they’re used. Take water for example, it’s fundamental to our survival. But in excess, H₂O can lead to water intoxication while becoming fatal to life.
Beyond clean and safe
While everything around us is made of chemicals, known endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) or compounds linked to long-term health risks do not belong on our skin. We leave out questionable ingredients known to be harmful.
But clean beauty is more than avoiding a list of “no” ingredients—though we have that too. It’s going above and beyond safe skincare to creating a brand that aligns with our values.
Clean means thinking beyond a single product
When it comes to skincare, safety isn’t just about what’s in a single product—it’s about how products interact and how they’re used over time. While many ingredients are considered safe at low concentrations, cumulative exposure adds up when common ingredients are formulated into popular products that we use everyday.
On a typical day, the average woman uses 12 personal care products while men use approximately 6 products. Many of these products such as soap, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, cologne or perfume, moisturiser, facial cleanser, and makeup, share similar ingredients that help preserve or emulsify the product. These ingredients might be under safe concentrations in one product, while likely exceeding our tolerable safety limits when we start layering with each other.
Take phenoxyethanol, for example. It’s a common preservative approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) for use at concentrations below 1%. Most formulations use around 0.5% to 0.8% to stay within the recommended safety limits. If you’re using several products containing phenoxyethanol, your cumulative exposure exceeds safety limits—increasing your risk of irritation and developing potential long-term health effects.
At Epiluma, we consider how products are used by humans in the real environment when formulating our skincare. We think beyond a single product on its own, and focus on how our solutions fit into your broader routine.
Knowledge is skin power
Whether it’s called “clean” beauty or “conscious” beauty, our approach to bringing Epiluma to life is about making thoughtful choices while being transparent about why each ingredient is there. Confidence starts with clarity and we want you to feel confident in the choices we make because knowledge is skin power.