Because not all beauty products are created equal and there’s such a lack of regulation in the industry, doing your own research on the products you purchase is key. Beauty brands are taking advantage of consumers’ increased concerns over sustainability, health, and cruelty-free products and deceptively using popular buzzwords to trick you into thinking their products are clean/green.
The term greenwashing came about in the ’80s when an American environmentalist visited a hotel that asked guests to reuse towels to help “save the environment”. He looked around at all the waste the hotel was creating elsewhere and deducted that the hotel was simply trying to reduce costs by not having to wash towels as much but was trying to market this cost-cutting tactic as eco-friendly behavior.
A quick google search and you’ll be surprised with popular beauty and cosmetic companies that are branded as eco-friendly and clean but are just misleading their customers. Ingredient lists can and do hide a lot!
I’m a sucker for good packaging but that’s a big way many companies deceive consumers….calming, natural colors draw your eye in thinking oh this must be clean and sustainable.
Then they use words like:
high quality, natural ingredients
active natural ingredients and more sustainable formulas
made with extracts and ingredients sourced from nature
gentle enough for everyday use
The popular brand that uses those phrases also includes parabens and synthetic fragrance just to name two. The ingredients they use cause a variety of harmful effects including hormone disruption, irritation, or are considered toxic or carcinogenic to the body. But they market them as natural and gentle. And because there are basically zero laws/regulations around words like “natural.” Companies can literally concoct a formula up in a lab and put a label on it that says natural and nobody is going to check. It’s beyond frustrating!
When you are looking at the labels and you see these words, here’s what you should be seeing.
“Clean” products should be those without synthetic chemical ingredients.
“Green” are usually products that are made sustainably and will not harm the earth through their manufacturing or recycling.
“Natural” the ingredients should be made from nature, but natural is not a term regulated by the FDA so this one is tricky.
If you’re unsure, snap a picture of the label so you can carefully check the internet and even check the companies certifications. It’s ultimately up to you as to what you are willing to trust to put on your face and skin.
Fortunately, more brands are responding to customer’s demand for transparency and are instituting their own standards and regulations. At the end of the day, YOU are your biggest advocate. Ensuring the products you purchase and put on your skin are in line with your values (and work well for your skin type) means doing a little research and learning how to read the labels.
WHAT SETS US APART?
All our products are handmade in small batches to ensure you receive the quality and personalized care you deserve.
We do not sacrifice quality for quantity meaning- we do not use any fillers or additives to increase the volume of a product. What you get is 100% pure and each ingredient is used for the benefit of you and your skin.
We care about the environment. Our products are packaged using bio-degradable materials and/or reusable containers to reduce environmental waste.
Blog posts
View all
