Clean Beauty Isn’t Always Clean, and Your Skincare Routine Is Probably Too Complicated | EP238
“Clean” on the front of a jar can mean almost anything. There is no standardized regulatory definition of “clean” for cosmetics, so clean skincare can still carry synthetic fragrance, dyes, and parabens under a pretty label. If you have ever stood in a store unsure which claims to trust, start here.
Amy Sherman sits down with Karen Behnke on Wellness Junkies. Karen founded Juice Beauty in 2005, served as a founding member of Ulta’s Conscious Beauty board, and was recognized by Elle, Forbes, and Cosmopolitan for helping build the clean beauty movement. Her fourth company, Beauty Crush Skincare, grows its grapes on her organic vineyard in Sonoma.
Karen shares the free tool she uses to check skincare ingredients and the “made without” claim that still misleads her close friends. She explains what regenerative skincare means for your skin barrier and why her own skin stopped tolerating harsh exfoliants in her 50s and 60s. You will also learn what separates real clinical testing from a simple “tested” label and how to spot a third-party seller on Amazon before you buy.
Tired of 10-step beauty routines? Karen breaks down the three steps she believes most women need and the one product category she can’t live without. Press play for clean skincare and skincare tips you can use the next time you shop, plus Karen’s beauty tips for getting out the door in five minutes.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Karen Behnke and Clean Beauty’s Early Days
03:54 Why Karen Started Beauty Crush in Her 60s
06:58 Regenerative Skincare and Grapes Grown for Skin
09:38 Why Clean Skincare Has No Real Rules
12:35 How to Check Ingredients With EWG Skin Deep
17:35 A Simple Three-Step Routine for Glowing Skin
25:19 What Real Clinical Testing Looks Like
29:24 Protecting Your Skin Barrier as You Age
31:26 Karen’s Fitness Habit and Five-Minute Routine
36:21 Spotting Real Brand Stores on Amazon
About Karen Behnke:
Serial entrepreneur Karen Behnke, is driven by lifelong passions for skincare, environmentalism, wellness, and fitness and Beauty Crush is her 4th company. Beauty Crush Skincare is a modern, elevated Regenerative Biotech Science brand with the best clinical skincare results of Karen’s beauty career.
Recognized by Elle, Forbes, and Cosmopolitan as the “OG of the Clean Beauty Movement,” she helped shape the organic and clean skincare industry long before it became mainstream. Karen was a founding member and served on ULTA’s Conscious Beauty Initiative Board for several years. Karen has partnered with many major celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow for the 2015 launch of Goop Beauty and in 2022 Kate Hudson for co-branded products.
She has won many awards including Goldman Sachs’ Most Innovative Entrepreneur, San Francisco Entrepreneur of the Year, and Glamour’s Top Eco-Leader. Passionate about cutting edge skincare science and environmentalism, she continues to live her mission at her organic beauty vineyard in Sonoma County and serves on the Environmental Media Association Board of Directors. She is best known as the Founder and former CEO of Juice Beauty, the award-winning organic skincare company she launched in 2005 and ran through 2023.
Visit the Beauty Crush Skincare website
Follow Beauty Crush Skincare on Instagram
Listen To Episode 238:
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This Week’s Episode and ShopMy Shop
BEAUTY CRUSH | Triple Action ExoCellular Glow Moisturizer, Vitamin C, Niacinamide
BEAUTY CRUSH | Triple Action Exocellular Antioxidant Peptide Serum
BEAUTY CRUSH | SuperGlow Skincare Set
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About Wellness Junkies:
Wellness Junkies is a relatable wellbeing, beauty, and lifestyle brand founded by sisters-in-law Amy Sherman and Katie Chandler. They explore and explain beauty, skincare, nutrition, movement, mindfulness, and more with an approachable style aimed at helping everyone achieve a lifestyle to help you feel your best.
For more on wellness and beauty tips, listen to the Wellness Junkies wellbeing podcast, and browse their blog for helpful advice on wellbeing, approachable tips for mindfulness, realistic ideas for body movement, and honest reviews on beauty and skincare products they love.
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