What does clean beauty mean?

It has no regulatory meaning. "Clean" is a retailer designation rather than a defined standard, and in a study of 1,470 products carrying one major retailer's "clean" designation, the label did not predict low allergenicity.

Are clean beauty products less likely to cause allergies?

Not on the evidence. Allergens appeared throughout 1,470 "clean"-designated products: fragrances and botanicals in 82.9%, phenoxyethanol and tocopherol in 40.2% each, and benzoates in 29.5%. Reformulating away from named preservatives has also been linked to rising allergic contact dermatitis from replacements such as isothiazolinones and alkyl glucosides.

What does chemical-free mean on a label?

Nothing measurable. Water is a chemical, and so is every ingredient in every cosmetic, so the phrase describes no property of the product. Its function is to imply a hazard in the alternative, and EU claim rules do not permit "free from" wording that denigrates legally used ingredients.

How should you choose products if you avoid an ingredient?

Read the INCI ingredient list, which is regulated, rather than the front of the pack, which is not. Judge products on named ingredients, concentrations and evidence rather than category labels, especially when avoiding a substance because of a diagnosed allergy or a clinician's advice.

What exactly is sterilized?

The vials and stoppers are sterilized before filling. The serum is a preserved cosmetic formulation.

How is each portion dispensed?

Drawn through a re-enterable stopper; the ampoule is never opened. Three applications per 5 ml ampoule. Refrigerate after the first draw and use within 28 days.

Can you trace the unit you used?

Expiry date and lot number on every carton.

Is the full ingredient list published?

Published in full on every ampoule page.

What manufacturing standard applies?

Manufactured in conformity with ISO 22716 cosmetic GMP guidelines.

Choosing a serum for a microneedling practice

Five questions settle it with any supplier. Each one has a documented answer.

Last updated: September 2026

The five questions

Question	A documented answer names	Vegalab ampoules
What exactly is sterilized?	The component (container, closure or contents) and the record behind the word	The vials and stoppers are sterilized before filling. The serum is a preserved cosmetic formulation.
How is each portion dispensed?	A fresh portion for each client, with nothing returned to the container	Drawn through a re-enterable stopper; the ampoule is never opened. Three applications per 5 ml ampoule. Refrigerate after the first draw and use within 28 days.
Can you trace the unit you used?	An expiry date and a lot number on the unit and the carton	Expiry date and lot number on every carton.
Is the full ingredient list published?	A complete INCI declaration in descending order, on the product page	Published in full on every ampoule page.
What manufacturing standard applies?	A named cosmetic GMP standard	Manufactured in conformity with ISO 22716 cosmetic GMP guidelines.

Where the rules sit

No cosmetic sold in the United States or Canada is a sterile product. No sterility certification exists for a cosmetic in either country, FDA and Health Canada do not approve cosmetics, and no regulation requires a topical used in microneedling to be sterile.

The rules that do exist are about who performs the procedure and how, not about the serum. Public-health guidance in Canada and state boards in the United States attach sterility to the needle and the cartridge. The one product-side rule is about dispensing: a fresh portion for each client, and nothing returned to the container.

Full answer on sterility: Do serums used in microneedling have to be sterile?

Why the serum itself is not sterilized

Each of the three ways to sterilize a liquid would remove something the Hyaluronic Skin Repair formula is built on. Filtration through a 0.22 micron membrane holds back the larger capsules of the encapsulation system along with any microbes. Heat breaks down hyaluronic acid, along with the asiaticoside and madecassoside that give centella asiatica its soothing character. Irradiation cuts hyaluronic acid into shorter chains. A sterile version of that serum would be a weaker one.