Watch This: must-watch shows and documentaries for wellness and beauty Enthusiasts
The beauty and wellness industries are evolving rapidly, and with that comes a greater need for awareness about the products we use and the choices we make for our health. From uncovering harmful ingredients in cosmetics to exploring the power of nutrition and clean beauty, these must-watch documentaries will open your eyes to the realities of the industry while empowering you to make informed decisions.
Here’s our curated list of documentaries that dive deep into beauty, wellness, and the impact of what we put on—and in—our bodies.
1. Toxic Beauty
An investigative deep dive into the hidden dangers of the beauty industry.
This eye-opening documentary exposes toxic ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products, revealing the potential health risks associated with everyday items. Experts discuss hormone-disrupting chemicals, lax industry regulations, and the consequences of long-term exposure to harmful substances. If you’ve ever questioned what’s in your beauty routine, this is a must-watch.
2. The True Cost
How the fashion and beauty industries impact the environment and human health.
While primarily about fast fashion, The True Cost also sheds light on the beauty industry’s environmental footprint and the toxic chemicals used in textiles and skincare. It challenges consumers to think about the ethics behind their purchases and the importance of sustainability in beauty and fashion.
3. Stink!
Uncovering the hidden chemicals in household and personal care products.
This documentary follows a father’s journey to expose the lack of transparency in the fragrance and beauty industries. With thousands of chemicals hidden under terms like "fragrance" and "parfum," Stink! highlights the loopholes that allow toxic ingredients in everyday products.
4. Forks Over Knives
How diet impacts beauty, wellness, and longevity.
This wellness-focused documentary explores the connection between nutrition and overall health. It advocates for a whole-food, plant-based diet to prevent and even reverse chronic diseases. Since skin health starts from within, this film serves as a reminder that what we eat directly affects our appearance, energy, and aging process.
5. Broken: Makeup Mayhem
The dark side of counterfeit beauty products.
This Netflix documentary takes a hard look at the unregulated counterfeit beauty market, revealing the dangerous and sometimes toxic ingredients found in knockoff cosmetics. It also explores the exploitation of factory workers and the alarming reality behind fake beauty products.
6. Not So Pretty
A four-part exposé on the beauty industry’s most shocking secrets.
From harmful ingredients in cosmetics to the ethics of hair and nail products, this HBO Max series covers it all. Each episode takes a deep dive into different sectors of the beauty world, featuring whistleblowers, researchers, and industry insiders who expose the truth behind what we use on our bodies.
7. The Illusionists
The Illusionists is a powerful documentary about the globalization of beauty and the dark side of advertising.
How much does media and advertising influence our perception of beauty? That’s the big question in The Illuionists, which explores takes a deep dive into the negative repercussions of today’s beauty standards. The documentary highlights the harmful effects of unrealistic portrayals of beauty, from skin whitening to body modification, and examines the societal pressures that drive these trends.
8. Overload: America’s Toxic Love Story
Before starting a family, Soozie Eastman, daughter of an industrial chemical distributor, embarks on a journey to find out the levels of toxins in her body and explores if there is anything she or anyone else can do to change them.
This documentary follows the journey of Soozie Eastman, daughter of an industrial chemical distributor who, after learning that hundreds of synthetic toxins are now found in every baby born in America and the government and chemical corporations are doing little to protect citizens and consumers, embarks on a journey to find out the levels of toxins in her body and explores if there’s anything she (or anyone else) can do to change them.
With guidance from world-renowned physicians and environmental leaders, Suzie uncovers how we got to be so overloaded with toxins in the first place as well as what we can do to take control of our exposure and lower our body burden.
9. The Devil We Know
A 2018 investigative documentary film by director Stephanie Soechtig regarding allegations of health hazards from perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, also known as C8), a key ingredient used in manufacturing Teflon
The Devil We Know is an investigative documentary film regarding allegations of health hazards from perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, also known as C8), a key ingredient used in manufacturing Teflon.
PFAS are commonly found in every household and in products as diverse as non-stick cookware, stain-resistant furniture and carpets, wrinkle-free and water-repellent clothing, beauty products, lubricants, paint, pizza boxes, popcorn bags, and many other everyday products.
10. Unacceptable Levels
Unacceptable Levels examines the results of the chemical revolution of the 1940s.
Unacceptable Levels is a documentary that examines chemical exposure in daily life from the perspective of filmmaker Ed Brown, a father seeking to understand the world in which he and his wife are raising their children.
From the chemical revolution of the 1940s through today’s prevalence of chemicals in industrial, consumer, and beauty products, the documentary seeks to impart a greater understanding of the proliferation and compounding effects of commonly used chemicals. The purpose of this documentary film is to educate, engage in questions around the potential human risk, and propose ideas on what can be done about it.
11. The Human Experiment
A documentary that explores chemicals found in everyday household products.
The Human Experiment lifts the veil on the shocking reality that thousands of untested chemicals are in our everyday products, our homes, and inside of us. Simultaneously, the prevalence of many diseases continues to rise.
This documentary tells the personal stories of people who believe their lives have been affected by chemicals and takes viewers to the front lines as activists go head-to-head with the powerful and well-funded chemical industry. These activists bring to light a corrupt system that’s been hidden from consumers… until now.
12. Toxic Hot Seat
Uncovering the truth of chemical deception. Chemical flame retardants are everywhere. Our furniture.
This documentary follows a group of firefighters and mothers, journalists and scientists, politicians and activists as they fight to expose a shadowy campaign of deception that left a toxic legacy in our homes and bodies.
More specifically, it exposes the use of potentially toxic chemical flame retardants on furniture.
13. Tan France: Beauty and the Bleach
Tan France, stylist and presenter on Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, is on a mission to take down the world’s most shocking beauty trend - and for him, it’s personal.
While known primarily as the fashion guru of award-winning Netflix show Queer Eye, Tan France directs his attention to the wider beauty world in his new documentary Beauty and the Bleach. With skin whitening still a multi-billion dollar business, Tan explores the social impact of the world’s most shocking trend and the underlying colourism still rampant across the industry and beyond.
14. Explained
We’re living through a time of extraordinary change, but we often don’t stop to ask the basic questions.
Streaming giant Netflix teamed up with Vox in 2018 to create Explained, a series of documentary-style episodes on specific topics. As of 2023, the series has three seasons that dive into the beauty world in more ways than one. Think explorations of diet culture, tattoos, skin and plastic surgery. With narration from the likes Kim Cattrall, Sophie Okonedo and Kristen Bell, audiences should prepare to learn something new with this documentary series.
15. Beyond Beauty with Grace Neutral: Exploring Korea’s Illegal Beauty Scene
From the country's underground tattoo scene to the mainstream influences of K-Pop, gang culture and plastic surgery, tattoo artist and activist Grace Neutral explores how younger generations are challenging traditional views
A viral trend to hit the cosmetics sphere, beauty products and procedures hailing from South Korea are some of the most desired in the industry. Better known as K-Beauty, these brands are big on natural, dewy skin and youthful results. But just how did K-Beauty build its empire? i-D has collaborated with British TV presenter Grace Neutral to explore the thriving beauty scene in South Korea, as well as its darker underbelly.
16. Are Organic Cosmetics Any Better? Cosmetics Coming Clean
Brought about by a storm of protest from concerned consumers and an influx of scientific research, the stuff you put on your face is changing its makeup.
Tonic, known for creating videos spanning health, beauty, workouts and recipes, takes a deep dive into the organic beauty industry with its documentary Are Organic Cosmetics Any Better? Cosmetics Coming Clean. Highlighting a shift in consumer behaviours – many of us are now taking a much bigger interest on what we apply to our skin – the documentary shares stories from organic boutique producers and the labs of major manufacturers.
17. The TRUTH About My Makeup
What makes our lipstick glossy and our foundation smooth? A lot of the time it’s palm oil. It’s in 70% of beauty products - and some people say it should be banned.
Over 70 per cent of all makeup products contain palm oil, an ingredient which, according to WWF, is a major driver of deforestation and climate change. Knowing this, why do we continue to opt for brands that rely on palm oil to create their products? In the BBC’s short documentary, The TRUTH About My Makeup, salon owner and makeup artist Emmy Burbidge travels to Papua New Guinea to see how palm oil is sourced and extracted, the impact on local communities and whether there’s a sustainable alternative.
Whether you’re passionate about clean beauty, wellness, ethical consumerism, or environmental sustainability, these documentaries will transform the way you think about beauty and self-care. Knowledge is power, and by watching these films, you can make informed choices that align with your health, values, and long-term well-being.
