Are Your Beauty Products Really Green?
by Marj Melchiors
Buying beauty products today can be confusing. You find the terms ‘natural’, ‘green’, ‘eco-friendly’, ‘socially- responsible’ and ‘organic’ on the label, but what does this really mean?
The term "natural" does not mean the same it did ten years ago. When pertaining to beauty products it should mean that the product is pure, and made with ingredients found in nature and contain no synthetics. But the word has been overused, especially in the past five years, and there is really no solid meaning any longer. Since the FDA does not regulate the word "natural" when pertaining to cosmetics, any company can use a few synthetic-free ingredients and label the product as "natural". This is why it is so important for the consumer to not rely on the descriptions on a product label, but to carefully read the ingredient list.
As owner of a natural cosmetics company, I define "green" as I would have the term "natural" 10 years ago: made with ingredients found in nature, and containing no synthetics. "Eco-friendly" is a new buzz-word coming into place in the beauty realm. In my opinion eco-friendly should mean that the product is made with ingredients and packaging that would not harm the environment, and is biodegradable.
"Socially responsible" refers to the ingredients and materials, and how they were obtained. For example, using bamboo for cosmetic brush handles would be socially responsible as it is a renewable resource. Socially responsible products could also be those that contain an ingredient(s) that is grown organically, as this would mean it was grown without the use of pesticides and other chemicals.
Using the word "organic" is the current hot term. It began with organic food, and is now moving to organic beauty products. Technically the word "organic" on a cosmetic item should mean that the product is made with at least 70% organic ingredients. The FDA does not regulate the term 'organic," but the USDA does. A product can be listed as USDA "organic" if it contains at least 70% organic ingredients. Only those products that are at least 70% organic should bear the USDA Organic seal. If all ingredients are organic, it may be labeled 100% Organic. A cosmetic product that wants a legal organic label must petition the USDA, which was inteneded to govern the food industry. Just this month Whole Foods Market announced that any beauty product making an "organic" claim must be registered with the USDA before they can be sold in their stores, which will undoubtly pressure companies that have been making false claims, to comply .
Many big name brands are jumping on the bandwagon and have begun to use the words "natural" or "eco-friendly" on their beauty products. However the old saying of "buyer beware" certainly holds true today. Some of these companies may throw in a few ingredients into their toxic blend and put the word "natural" somewhere on the label, hoping this will spark the buyer into a purchase. But of course there are many companies that are dedicated to the product they are marketing, and go to great lengths to honestly produce the purest products that are possible.
Why "organic"?
What organic ingredients offer is far beyond how they perform on the skin. Using organic ingredients also equivocates social responsibility. The use of organic ingredients is demonstrating the choice of being earth-friendly by not harming the environment with chemicals to produce the ingredients.
Organic vs Natural
In the cosmetic world, some ingredients are not available as "organic" because they are not grown. An example of this would be mica - it is not considered "organic" but "natural" because it is derived from the earth. However, many ingredients used in skincare and makeup are now available in the "organic" form due to the increasing demand by consumers for these type of products. Either way, organic and/or naturally derived ingredients can be combined together in a formula to produce highly effective formulas which are as effective, or more effective, than synthetic versions.
An effective skincare ingredient you may want to look for are essential oils.These aromatic oils are derived from plants and flowers, and can be used successfully for skin conditions such as acne, wrinkles, and scars. Many essential oils are organic and others are wild-crafted.
What Can You Do?
In addition to carefully reading labels, consumers can look for companies that belong to any organization that promotes no animal testing and safe ingredients. Two sources of information are www.leapingbunny.org and www.safecosmetics.org
Marj Melchiors founded Cosmetics Without Synthetics in 1997, and has an online store (All Natural Cosmetics.com) since 1999. In 2000 Marj developed the Earth's Beauty cosmetic line to fit the needs of her chemically sensitive customers. Marj has a certificate in Aromatherapy, which lead her to develop the True Aroma natural perfume line. Today you can find these, and over 600 products from a variety of companies, on her website. Watch for their new teen line being introduced in late August! And they ship world-wide!!
SPECIAL OFFER! Marj is offering all Heal With Hope visitors $5 off their purchase on All Natural Cosmetics.com! Simply use Coupon code HL500 at checkout!
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