'Clean' is now baseline, not differentiator — the structural shift of 2026

The defining structural shift in clean beauty in 2026: clean formulation has moved from competitive differentiator to baseline consumer expectation. Former Sephora chief merchant and Valdé Beauty founder Margarita Arriagada: 'When this test launched, clean beauty was a stronger proposition and point of difference. Today, it's baseline.' With 1 in 3 US products carrying a clean label, 'clean' alone no longer commands a premium — the premium now requires proof, clinical validation, or formulation specificity.