I’m constantly asked my opinion on products/companies brandishing the “all natural” claim. Many folks say “it says 100% natural” or “I bought it at a health food store.” Let's talk a little about the difference between "all natural" and "pseudo-natural" (as I've come to label it) and the slick buzz words used on cosmetics and skincare labels.
As a start, the U.S cosmetics industry accounted for 53.7 billion dollars in 2011. Wow! The Skincare market is 31% of that total. That’s a lot of dough. I am all for folks making money. However, I believe it should be done with integrity and provide a valuable product or service that makes a positive difference in your life without hurting the planet and its inhabitants
Some common terms on labels are listed below.
- Made with organic ingredients.
- Contains organic ingredients.
- Made with nontoxic ingredients
- 100 percent Natural
- Earth-friendly
- Cruelty-Free
- Vegan
While these terms may sound pretty normal, the reality is the USDA (United States Food & Drug Admin) only regulates organic food, not cosmetics. It relies on the manufacturers to “police themselves” in regards to the claims on their labels. Claims of “all-natural,” “earth-friendly” and “nontoxic” are not regulated. I see many marketing campaigns using those terms along with new buzz words such as “green”, “eco,” etc., in an effort to push products. What you put on your body is your choice. You read your food labels, please read your skincare labels. If you see statements on the packaging in big letters on the front saying “100% Natural”, “fragrance free,” “Pure, moisturizing shea butter,” please turn the bottle over and read the smaller print. My guess is there will be lots of hidden “fillers” with synthetic ingredients waiting to be discovered there. Vegan? The product may not contain any animal by-product but that doesn’t ensure it is free of harsh synthetic chemicals and it doesn’t mean those chemicals weren’t tested on animals.
We are and want to continue to be the company that is committed to providing the best skin care on the planet. Not a gimmick, (even though sometimes we are pretty corny), but truly the best ingredients that actually do something for your mind as well as your skin.
We highly recommend www.ewg.org/skindeep. It’s really simple. Plug in an ingredient, product name, or company name and check out what’s in your cosmetics.
1 comment
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