Green Beauty Tip #1

Why Switch to Green Beauty Products?

Since this is the first in the green beauty tips series, I thought we should take it from the top. For those of you just beginning your investigation into nontoxic beauty and personal care products, we will cover the reasons why you don’t want to use conventional products. And for those already in the know, consider this a refresher course.

I want you to know right off that one of my least favorite things in this business is a scare-tactic article or gloom and doom. While this article may sound like it is going in that direction, please carry on. I promise good stuff....

So, you may have seen news about harmful ingredients in cosmetics. Parabens are a good example of media hype, having been scattered across headlines as a big fat no-no. And rightly so. More substantial information against the use of parabens is being discovered. And while, yes, parabens are something we should avoid, it isn’t quite as simple as choosing products whose labels read “No Parabens”.

But why?

Because parabens are used to preserve certain products so they do not become infected with microorganisms, which can cause the product to breakdown and produce skin irritation or infection. So a manufacturer cannot simply remove a preservative from its product without either; 1) substituting a safer ingredient or 2) completely reformulating the product. So we have to ask, “Which change did they make?” And if they are not willingly chiming up with their new all-natural preservation method or product reformulation, you should be skeptical. They have most likely taken the low road and “substituted” a synthetic preservative of another name. Synthetic preservatives go by many names and this deceiving labeling practice has been going on for years now.

And parabens are just one example. Fragrance is another big one. A cosmetic manufacturer can imply that they use natural fragrance in their product by touting their use of essential oils, when in reality they are using synthetic fragrance and the amount of essential oils in the product is miniscule.

How can they get by with this?

Unfortunately, pretty easily. Cosmetic and personal care products manufactured in the US are controlled by the FDA. The problem is, the guidelines set in place by the government are shaky at best. The following statement is taken directly from the FDA website – “FDA's legal authority over cosmetics is different from other products regulated by the agency .... Cosmetic products and ingredients are not subject to FDA premarket approval authority, with the exception of color additives.”

We do have a committee here in the US whose job it is to assess cosmetic ingredient safety called the Cosmetics Ingredients Review (CIR).  CIR was set up by the cosmetics industry (therefore it is self-policing) and they have reviewed a very small percentage of all cosmetics ingredients used. This does little to guard against harmful ingredients lining our drugstore, supermarket and department store shelves.

Europe has developed more stringent cosmetic safety guidelines and labeling regulations in the past several years, where cosmetic ingredients suspected of causing cancer, genetic mutation, reproductive harm or birth defects are not allowed to be sold in the European Union. Europe also requires full ingredient disclosure following strict scientific name requirements. The US does not require a cosmetic manufacturer to list all ingredients on a label and ingredients may go by several different names. Pressure from the EU’s standard revision is putting pressure on the US to move toward more stringent testing and labeling.

But until then, what do we do?

Now for the good news. Even though there is a lot of deception right now in the beauty product world, it is not impossible to find safe products. Following brands that are committed to safety (and the number is consistently growing) in cosmetics is your best bet. By purchasing these products you are not only ensuring the safety of the products you purchase for your family, but also using your purchasing power to tell conventional cosmetics manufacturers what you want.

Brands that fully disclose their product ingredient listings and carry a safety seal from a trusted certifying body – BDIH Certified Natural Cosmetics, USDA Certified Organic – are good choices. You can check out a listing of safe brands I have personally tried and recommend on Organic Beauty Source. Also, you might find my list of Ingredients to Avoid helpful.

Try not to be put off by the huge cloud that seems to hover over beauty products. You just have to know where to look for safety and how to spot an imposter. A cosmetic manufacturer should always be ready, willing and happy to inform you of exactly what they are putting in each of their products. If not, be suspicious.

Please feel free to contact me with any green beauty questions and I will do my best to clear things up for you!

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