How to Spot BS in the Beauty Industry..
Shady Marketing & Greenwashing in Beauty: What You Need to Know
Let’s talk about it—marketing pitfalls, greenwashing, and shady tactics. This episode has been on my heart for a while, because the beauty industry (and really, marketing in general) is filled with bold claims, half-truths, and manipulative sales tactics. As professionals, we deserve to make informed purchases, not fall for smoke and mirrors.
The Problem With the Sale That Isn’t a Sale
You’ve seen it—Black Friday “deals” that were never really deals to begin with. The price creeps up a few weeks before and then drops back down to the original price, branded as a “massive sale.” These tactics create urgency and prey on impulse buying. And while they may not seem harmful on the surface, they feed a culture of misleading marketing we see across our entire industry.
When Claims Cross the Line
One of the wildest examples I’ve seen? A lamination line claiming to be “100% waterproof.” What does that even mean? You can get brows wet after lamination—but that’s not unique to that product. The company used true information, repackaged it with misleading wording, and hoped you wouldn’t dig deeper.
Another example? Brands claiming their tint is keratin-infused or their products are ultra-hydrating—but when you flip the box, there’s no keratin or hydrating ingredient in sight. If it’s not on the ingredient deck, it’s not in the product. Period.
Greenwashing in the Brow Industry
Terms like “all natural,” “plant-based,” and “clean” get tossed around constantly—but these words aren’t regulated. A product can be called “natural” while containing lab-made derivatives that mimic plant compounds. One example I touched on in the episode: cysteamine, a chemical your body naturally makes, is often marketed as “natural” because of its similarity to bodily compounds. But it’s still lab-formulated.
That doesn’t mean it’s bad—I’m not anti-science. But I am pro-transparency. We should be choosing products based on ingredients and performance, not vague buzzwords.
The Rise of Education & Resell Culture
We’re also seeing a rise in manual reselling—where educators sell their training manuals for others to re-use and rebrand. There are pros and cons to this: it helps newer educators have structure, but it can also create cookie-cutter education without nuance. I think we’ll continue to see an explosion of courses, and then, eventually, a burnout phase where only the most distinct and intentional offerings remain.
Why I Care
Because I’ve been there. I’ve bought the full line that I thought would be my next big thing—only for it to sit unused in my drawer. I’ve trusted “icons” in the industry and later realized the products they promoted didn’t align with my values or deliver on their promises.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being intentional. Buy products that work for you and your clients. Understand what’s in them. And if you don’t want to research every ingredient yourself, find a coach or educator who helps you stay informed. That’s the power of knowledge—it builds trust, boosts confidence, and helps you show up as the expert you are.
Final Thought
You don’t need to buy what everyone else is buying. You don’t need to carry what doesn’t align with your values, your skillset, or your client needs. There’s room for all of us in this industry—but only if we’re clear about what we stand for and how we serve.
If you want to dive deeper into ingredients, lamination science, or how to build a brand rooted in truth—you know where to find me.