Comments on: Beware of Greenwashing: Natural Beauty Products Flooding the Market

By: Bebeautysmart (D)ina

Bebeautysmart (D)ina — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 22:51:22 +0000

I agree with Cindee.

Unfortunately it’s our responsibility to check the ingredients, because companies are allowed to say their product is natural/organic when it’s not.

In the US there is no law about it, so basically they say and do whatever they want, because there is no consequence.

So this Kiss my “Ass” and other brands are just trying to mislead us with their claims.

If you want to buy a product, just do a research about its ingredients, or look for the logos (like USD certified organics, etc).

By: Cindee Pazuros

Cindee Pazuros — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:42:38 +0000

Unfortunately, even the mainstream “green brands” such as Kiss My Face, Aveda, Burt’s Bees, and others still contain ingredients that are not considered safe in personal care products. Read the labels! Parabens, synthetic fragrance (which can include phthalates and dioxins) and other ingredients are routinely found in these trusted brands. Even Tom’s of Maine’s toothpastes contain sodium laurel sulfate, which has been shown to cause microscopic damage to gum tissue and increase the incidence of mouth ulcers and gum disease.

There is an incredible amount of deceptive advertising out there, perpetuated by the cosmetics industry. Companies claim their products are “green”, “natural”, and even “organic”, despite the fact that they include toxic chemicals in their formulations. You can’t rely on shopping in Whole Foods as a guide to safe products either, as most of their personal care products contain potentially harmful chemical ingredients as well.

My recommendation is to check every product against the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. This is the only way to ensure product safety. There are also some reputable web retailers that screen their products for safety as well.

There are also so many “dud” products in the natural personal care product market. For example, I have tried just about every natural deodorant and shampoo available, in the search for one that is effective. You find products that are smelly, unpleasant, goopy, or just plain ineffective. How do you find the ones that work?

Check out a fantastic resource, a website called Hibiscus Naturals. They screen their products through the Cosmetic Safety Database, and test each product for usability and effectiveness. They carry products from environmentally responsible companies that are committed to product safety. They may be brand names or products you haven’t heard of–yet. They are sure to become more popular as the public becomes more savvy about the “greenwashing” in mainstream personal care products.

By: Mary K

Mary K — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:06:44 +0000

I know, it’s really difficult to sort through all the poser brands, and as several people pointed out, the “trusted” brands who include things like parabens and petroleum-derived substances in some of their products. When in doubt about ingredients, I turn to Whole Foods’ Standard of Premium Body Care Products. It’s a good alphabetical listing of substances that are suspected to be carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, or otherwise bad for your health. Also, The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has a list of companies who have pledged not to use harmful substances in their products.

By: Sylwia

Sylwia — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 03:40:20 +0000

I wanted to comment about Aveda….Just today I made the mistake of purchasing makeup from there because Eco Chick said it was good for our skin and I assumed free of carcinogens and such. When I got home I realized the concealer and foundation I bought has parabens in them! I am extremely disappointed and frustrated….

By: Chanell

Chanell — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:08:31 +0000

Thanks for this post. I think having an awareness of greenwashing is the first step. Before I started paying closer attention, I was probably suckered by so many false claims. I found a great article on decoding and understanding greenwashing. I suggest you check it out, too.

http://tinyurl.com/65c9xt

By: Jasmin Mitchell

Jasmin Mitchell — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:59:24 +0000

I have definitely noticed the greenwashing over the past few years. All of a sudden every brand has got an eco line or a product with natural or organic in the name. What I have seen recently are ingredients with chemical sounding names that have asterisks that denote that they are naturally derived.

By: Vote for Safe Cosmetics ! « Beautorium

Vote for Safe Cosmetics ! « Beautorium — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:12:49 +0000

[...] have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. We’re delighted that leading bloggers like eco-chick recognize us for [...]

By: Tazim

Tazim — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:13:29 +0000

Hi, I just wanted to mention Aveda – the products have been in recyclable PET bottles for years and years. the ingredients are sustainably sourced with partnerships with different indigenous groups around the world. the products are also 100% wind-power made in the USA! the products have always been between 95 -98% organic, also – but don’t label them as such because of greenwashing from other companies. the makeup is all natural with no carbine etc and just about all the products are vegan/animal free and they have never conducted animal testing.

By: EcoChic Weekly Roundup : The Alternative Consumer

EcoChic Weekly Roundup : The Alternative Consumer — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:14:36 +0000

[...] Beware of Greenwashing: Natural Beauty Products Flooding the Market Eco-chick cautions and advises on how to spot the good from the bad. [...]

By: Eco Chic Weekly #03 » Victoria Everman

Eco Chic Weekly #03 » Victoria Everman — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:25:38 +0000

[...] + Eco Chick “warns about the greenwashing of so-called ‘natural’ beauty products.” [...]