The huge rise in environmental-consciousness over the last decade has come at a cost, namely the increase in greenwashing, sometimes also referred to as “green sheen”. If you’re sick of greenwashing, then read my guide to decoding the labels on your beauty products, and tips on what to look out for on the packaging, in order to separate the greenwashing from the real thing.
WHAT IS GREENWASHING?
Greenwashing refers to the process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company’s products are more environmentally sound through adverts, campaigns, products, or using marketing spin. Greenwashing is considered an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly or beneficial; common greenwashing claims in beauty products includes saying products are safe, non-toxic, eco-friendly, and natural, when in reality they are NOT. The definition of greenwashing is:
““behaviour or activities that make people believe that a company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is”.
Cambridge Dictionary
According to the Ethical Consumer Markets 2020 Report, the end of 2019, saw ethical consumer spending and finance in the UK reaching record levels at some £98bn, with the pandemic in 2020 impacting on people’s inclination to continue to shop ethically.
The story of ethical consumerism in the UK cannot be told without reference to the Co-op; their unique Ethical Consumerism Report has tracked total UK ethical expenditure every year for the past two decades and illustrates an almost four-fold increase in the total size of ethical consumer markets in the UK. The report indicated that the rise in ethical Personal Products has increased from £362 million in 1999 to a whopping £1,616 million in 2018. Unfortunately, as is often the case, there are many companies trying to take advantage of the ethical consumerism movement for their own financial gain
If you’re concerned about what’s lurking in your beauty products and are wary of greenwashing, this is my guide to de-coding the labels, deciphering the ingredients, and learning how you’ll know if it’s good for our skin or whether it’s harmful, thus enabling you to make cleaner, healthier choices.
- Related: What is Clean Beauty?
De-Coding The Labels
Reading a label will help you identify products with arguably misleading claims, or products that emphasize an ingredient for marketing purposes only. When marketing a product, some companies use a product name or label to highlight ingredients that are only present in tiny quantities and in reality, are not present in large enough quantities for the ingredient to have an effect, but they sound very attractive on the label.
Some companies use words like ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ to give the impression that the product is made entirely from natural or organic ingredients when that isn’t necessarily the case.
Other companies, especially on brand websites or online shops, do not list all of the ingredients in a product, instead providing just the ‘key ingredients’ or ‘active ingredients’, and leaving the rest out; it’s therefore important to ask for a full list of ingredients if this is not provided, as this marketing tactic is a way of not declaring some of the nasty chemical ingredients you don’t want to find in your beauty products.
Cosmetic brands generally use International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient, “INCI” names for their ingredients on their product labels; the EU, USA, China, Japan and Canada only accept INCI names for cosmetic product labelling to identify cosmetic ingredients (i.e, plant extracts, oils and chemicals).
A cosmetic ingredient can have various chemical names (IUPAC name, common name, CAS name, etc) in different countries and the use of harmonized INCI names can minimize the barriers that often hinder consumer understanding and international trade.
When it comes to deciphering the label, pay attention to the ingredient list first and then the certification logos. These two sections on the label will help you build trust with a brand based on their formulation philosophy and manufacturing ethics, but these are the things to look out for:
Ingredients are listed from highest to lowest concentration, (except ingredients present at a concentration of less than 1%; those can be listed in any order). This means that if a really good ingredient is listed at the bottom, you’re not going to get much benefit from it. This happens a lot with cheaper products that boast pricier ingredients, such as rose-related benefits (anti-aging, hydration), as pure rose essential oil is expensive. It works the opposite way as well; if an ingredient you should be wary of is listed within the first three ingredients, opt for another product.
Some plant ingredients can have long names and other natural ingredients can have scientific names that “sound like synthetics or chemicals”: Plant ingredients are listed with their latin names (always two words) and a common name in brackets, eg rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) oil, which is rosemary essential oil and argania spinosa L., which is argan oil, Some ingredients might sound like ‘chemicals’, but there are many common or naturally derived ingredients that have complicated names but are safe to use and even have an important function in the product. Here are a few examples:
Tocopherol: Vitamin E, which moisturizes and hydrates your skin, keeps lipids fresh in your skin and helps to keep your skin’s protective barrier intact. Vitamin E offers antioxidant (fat-soluble) benefits as well; it helps neutralize harmful free radicals and, due to its antioxidant benefit, can discourage sebum (oil) oxidation to prevent blackheads.
Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate: This is a stable form of vitamin C which is lipid (fat) soluble, unlike pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Some researchers believe this form of vitamin C has a greater affinity for skin because its fatty acid component helps aid penetration. When applied topically, it brightens dull skin, evens discoloration, stimulates collagen production, and wards off wrinkles. Plus, it’s a powerful antioxidant, meaning it fights free radicals and is a core ingredient in many antipollution formulas.
Xanthan gum: This is a polysaccharide, a type of sugar that is made from a bacteria called Xanthomonas campestris, through a process of fermentation. It is a naturally derived gum that is an effective thickening agent and stabilizer to prevent ingredients from separating. It can be produced from simple sugars using a fermentation process.
Citric acid: Even though it has the word ‘acid’ in it, it is not harmful and occurs naturally in fruit. It regulates the pH levels of the product and also protects it from microbial contamination.
Sorbitan olivate: This is a mixture of the fatty acids from olive oil plus a dehydrated sugar known as sorbitol which functions as an emulsifier and mild cleansing agent.
Ferulic acid. Ferulic acid is an antioxidant made from the seeds of apples and oranges, which is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E and helps with anti-aging, where is it believed to neutralize free radicals that damage and age cells.
Beware of labels that say “paraben free” or “preservative free.” Parabens are a family of preservatives that are linked to cancer and other health risks, however “Paraben free” could mean that the manufacturer has used a preservative that’s actually worse than parabens, such as formaldehyde slow-releasers quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and diazolidinyl urea , or phenoxyethanol.
When looking for clean beauty products, the main ingredients to avoid are:
- Phenoxyethanol, which is a very common preservative that became even more popular after parabens fell from grace in the last decade;
- parabens (propylparaben, methylparaben, ethylparaben and butylparaben);
- silicones (dimethicone, cyclomethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, amodimethicone, PEG-12 dimethicone, dimethiconol, phenyl trimethicone, dimethicone copolymer, cyclotetrasiloxane (D4), cyclopentasiloxane (D5), cyclohexasiloxane (D6), and cyclomethicone);
- sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate, (SLS), sodium laureth sulfate,(SLES) and ammonium laurel sulfate (ALS), sodium salt, sodium dodecyl sulfate, monododecyl ester, sulfuric acid, and sodium salt sulfuric acid);
- Diethanolamine (DEA), nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA);
- Cocamide DEA or Cocamide Diethanolamine, DEA Lauryl Sulfate or Diethanolamine Lauryl Sulfate, Lauramide DEA or Lauramide Diethanolamine, Linoleamide DEA or Linoleamide Diethanolamine, Oleamide DEA or Oleamide Diethanolamine;
- TEA or Triethanolamine.
Companies still need to use some type of preservative to give their products a shelf-life but you don’t have to choose between the lesser of two evils (parabens OR phenoxyethanol) because not all preservatives are toxic, every year, chemists are discovering natural preservatives that extend the shelf life of cosmetics but are safer than synthetic ones and clean brands are tweaking their formulations to include more vegetable glycerin, neem oil, and 190-proof alcohol and are also adding antioxidants and essential oils with preservative properties such as turmeric, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and tea tree and others that are sourced from plants (like gluconolactone, ethylhexyglycerin, triiostearyl citrate).
- Related: The Chemicals in Our Beauty Products
“It’s really important that we push people away from the idea of preservative-free. Truly preservative-free water-based products could present a public health problem if mold or bacteria was ingested through the eyes or mouth. What we really want to see is innovation and testing to find newer preservatives that are safer.”
Nneka Leiba, Deputy director of research for the Environmental Working Group (EWG)
Know the Difference Between Natural and Organic: The natural cosmetics industry is booming, and the terms Natural” and “Organic” are often used interchangeably but they don’t mean the same thing at all, so it’s really important to know the differences.
It’s also important to be wary of products that appear to contain natural, healthy ingredients but actually don’t; for example, many brands use the terms “Nature Inspired’, ‘From Nature’ and “Natural”,” greenwashing terms that conceal un-environmentally friendly ingredients and practices while ostensibly claiming to be “natural”.
The term “Natural” is completely unregulated and can be added to any product even if it contains ingredients such as petroleum, for example, which while potentially harmful technically occurs naturally.
Another greenwashing example is cocamide DEA, which comes from coconuts and is therefore often listed as “Natural”, but cocamide DEA is known to cause a broad range of health risks from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children. Products marked “All-Natural” can sometimes contain as little as 2% natural ingredients, and the rest can be practically anything, including toxic chemicals.
“Plant-Based” or “Synthetic-Free” labelled beauty products theoretically contain no man-made ingredients to speak of and are 100% made of naturally occurring elements or compounds. The term “plant-based” generally indicates that the product is made with botanical ingredients, which are substances obtained or derived from a plant: such as a plant extract used especially in skin and hair care products, however both terms are unregulated.
The term “Organic” means that ingredients are organically farmed, which means no use of synthetics fertilisers, genetically modified (GM) ingredients and herbicides. In the US, the term Organic is regulated by the Food and Drug administration (FDA), however in the UK use of the term organic is only regulated in relation food and drink, which means there’s no guarantee that beauty products which say organic on the label only contain ingredients which would meet strict organic standards.
Check for organic ingredients that are certified, although it’s also worth remembering that not all brands can afford certification, so this doesn’t necessarily mean that smaller clean beauty brands are not using organic ingredients that would meet strict organic standards.
Ingredient Certification: Certification can be obtained for some ingredients; independent certification exists in the UK, with the COSMOS or Soil Association logo, which is working towards a global standard for the beauty market that is suitable for products that also contain ingredients which cannot be organic, such as water, salt or clay – for example in products such as toners, bath salts or face masks. The COSMOS Soil Association logo gives brands a seal of approval, guaranteeing No Animal testing, No GM ingredients, No Controversial chemicals, No Parabens and Phthalates and No Synthetic colours, dyes or fragrances.
Certified organic cosmetics meet strict standards which also guarantee that organic ingredients are used where possible, and that those ingredients which cannot be organic are made using green chemistry principles, which means no toxic chemicals.
ECOCERT® is the first certification body to develop standards for natural and organic cosmetics. ECOCERT® is a leading international environmental organization responsible for the certification of cosmetics, perfumes, detergents, food products and textiles. It is based In France but conducts inspections in over 80 countries, making it one of the largest organic certification organizations in the world; Natrue is the Belgian standard for natural and/or organic cosmetics, and in Australia the standard for organic products is Australian Organic, however you still need to study the labels, as a product only has to contain a certain percentage of organic matter to declare “made with organic ingredients” on its label:
“beauty and wellbeing brands can have as little as 1% organic ingredients, but still claim to be “organic”
soil association
In the US and Europe, it is required by law that products labelled “Made with Organic” or “Contains Organic” guarantees they contain at least 70% organic ingredients – a product only has to contain a certain percentage of organic matter to declare “made with organic ingredients” on its label, whereas a USDA “Organic” seal on the label will indicate that the product contains a minimum of 95% organic ingredients (up to 5% of ingredients may be nonorganic agricultural products); both the organic and non-organic ingredients must be displayed on the label.
The USAD Organic Certification programme was not intended for personal care products (such as cosmetics), so a very small number of products qualify to carry the USDA Organic seal. This is why NSF International and Quality Assurance International, a leading provider of organic certification services worldwide, has developed a standard specifically for organic personal care products to verify organic integrity at each link of the supply chain.
Furthermore, a clean beauty product is more than simply using organic ingredients, as a product is ultimately the result of its chemistry. Often the majority of ingredients used for natural cosmetics are refined, bleached, deodorized, clarified, fractionated, and heated to high temperatures, processes that can strip away almost all the nutrients that make natural ingredients beneficial to the skin. To complicate matters more when compound materials are used in products that together create a new ingredient, typically only the final ingredient is listed on the label, not the separate compound materials and when ingredients interact creating byproduct ingredients these are typically not listed on ingredient labels either.
Fragrances: Clean beauty products are generally perfumed with organic essential oils and when you look at a product ingredient label, you will see each ingredient listed individually. Usually the main ingredient (the oil itself) would be entered at 100 %w/w. When looking for clean beauty products it’s best to choose brands that use “100% organic essential oils” and transparent language around their products.
Essential oils can be adulterated with synthetic chemicals to enhance their scent or they can be diluted with carrier oils so it’s also important to check the method of extraction, as there are several ways to extract ingredients like cold pressing, steam distillation, and CO2 extraction.
Non-organic essential oils, cooking oils and non-cold pressed oils like soybean, cottonseed, canola, and palm oil are often extracted with hexane which comes from crude petroleum oil refining and is infamous for causing occupational nervous system damage in shoe factory workers. Oils extracted with hexane contain residues of hexane because it’s difficult to remove and it’s unlikely to be included on the ingredient list. So, if an oil doesn’t say “Certified Organic” or “Cold-pressed” it was probably extracted with hexane, so check they are USDA/ECOCERT Certified Organic essential oils which are not adulterated.
It’s also worth mentioning the significant issues with the use of palm oil: the beauty industry’s most valuable ingredient. Palm oil is added to many skin care products for its moisturizing, nourishing, and anti-aging properties. The cultivation of oil palms and the production of palm oil has become increasingly popular over the past decade, but unethical Palm Oil cultivation contributes to deforestation, species extinction, human rights abuses and climate change resulting in a growing campaign against palm oil in beauty products. If pam oil is an ingredient make sure it’s sustainable palm oil that ensures fair working conditions for workers, does not deprive people of their land, prohibits the destruction of natural tropical forests, and protects areas where endangered species live.
When a product is labelled with “Natural Fragrance”, it means that the product was scented with fragrances that were derived from natural plant sources. Natural fragrance manufacturers and many less-than-clean beauty products are formulated with “fragrance”, “parfum” or “perfume”, which can house thousands of components and are often a complex mixture of many different natural and synthetic chemical ingredients, according to the International Fragrance Association. Many of these component ingredients can contain allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which react with ozone in ambient air to form dangerous secondary pollutants and phthalates and can be responsible for triggering severe adverse health effects in humans.
The regulatory situation for fragrances is extremely complex and there is no official body regulating fragrances including no labelling requirements as to the ingredients of the fragrances. Specific ingredients in “fragrance”, “parum” or “perfume” do not need to be disclosed because under the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, the law is not allowed to force a company to divulge “trade secrets”, and therefore it provides protection of the intellectual property of perfume houses who do not wish to disclose their exact formulations, whether made from natural or synthetic ingredients.
According to EU regulations however, perfume allergens must be declared on the label of ingredients when they are present in concentrations exceeding 0.001 percent in leave-on products such as creams and lotions, and 0.01 percent in rinse-off products such as shampoos and soaps. There are currently 26 of these perfume allergens, however the EU is currently in consultation with the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), however, to increase this number from 26 to 82 (54 chemicals and 28 naturals). It’s worth knowing that some essential oils contain components that occur naturally within them, such as Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Farnesol, Eugenol which are not intentionally added but can cause allergies. Often clean beauty brands, if they want to be completely transparent will denote which ingredients are essential oils allergens with an asterisk or in italics.
“When in contact with the skin, some fragrance ingredients can produce irritations, usually resulting redness of the skin or rashes. There can also be a more severe, allergic reaction called eczema which is a reaction of the immune system. Once an allergy is triggered by a first contact to an allergenic ingredient, it is a lifelong condition which re-appears when the person is exposed again to the same substance.”
European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
Some countries do not require the declaration of specific perfume allergens, for example, the US Food and Drugs Administration, state that they do not have the same legal authority to require allergen labelling for cosmetics as for food.
Other companies, especially on brand websites or online shops, do not list all of the ingredients in a product, instead providing just the ‘key ingredients’ or ‘active ingredients’, and leaving the rest out; it’s therefore important to ask for a full list of ingredients if this is not provided, as this marketing tactic is a way of not declaring some of the nasty chemical ingredients you don’t want to find in your beauty products.
Vegan & Cruelty-Free: An increasing number of clean beauty products today are both Vegan and Cruelty-Free, which means they are made from plant-based ingredients or botanical extracts and contain no animal products or by-products whatsoever. There are two labels regulating vegan products: Vegan Action is a US-based organization and Vegan Society in the UK certifies products that are made without any animal products.
In 2013, Europe banned animal testing on all cosmetics manufactured and sold in the region. Animal testing is not banned in the United States, however and it is perfectly legal for companies to test their cosmetic and household products on animals to determine their safety and their allergenic properties. All cosmetic companies that sell in China are required, according to the country’s laws to test on animals, which means that a lot of major brands are not-cruelty-free.
The Leaping Bunny label is one of the most reputable certifications for cruelty-free cosmetic and household products, and legitimate criticism of the label is virtually non-existent. It was founded in 1966, through the joining of an eight national and international animal protection groups to form the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), and creating a strict, single comprehensive standard and an internationally recognized label for products that have not been tested on animals. It is important to note however that as the label does not deal with ecological and social factors, this means that a product with the Leaping Bunny logo is not necessarily produced under fair conditions, or made with responsibly sourced ingredients.
You can download the free Cruelty-Free App for iPhones and Androids, which provides an up-to-date list of Leaping Bunny certified companies and allows you to scan product barcodes to check if a company is certified. Other cruelty-free labels include Peta’s Beauty Without Bunnies, a US-based organization that has certified over 1900 companies and Choose Cruelty-Free, Australian organization that has certified over 250 companies, ensuring that products have not been tested on animal and do not contain ingredients tested on animals.
Environmentally-friendly or Ethical: Environment friendly processes (also referred to as eco-friendly, nature-friendly, and green), are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that claim reduced, minimal, or no harm upon ecosystems or the environment.
As always, it’s important to look at the brands ethics, mission and values to ensure they live up to their claims of being environmentally friendly, sustainable or ethical, and by ethical, I mean brands that are created by companies that truly care about the society they belong to, its laws and our planet.
In order for a company to be truly ethically conscious and sustainable, they need to consider many things, such as fair pay for their workers, using low emission transport to get their product to store and to the customer and using plastic alternatives to package and label products.
The International Fair Trade Certification, certifies products that conform to standards which are intended “to address the imbalance of power in trading relationships, unstable markets, and the injustices of conventional trade.” This includes ensuring that the worker who made it was employed in a safe facility, was paid a fair wage and was not forced to work, that equal opportunity hiring practices were in place within the organization and small businesses and underprivileged communities were represented. If you purchase a Fair Trade Certified product, you can be sure that the brand supports income sustainability, community empowerment and the well-being of others around the globe. Most Fair Trade organizations take steps to protect the environment as well.
One certification that goes beyond certifying just the product or service is B Corp certification, which measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance and evaluates how a company’s operations and business model impacts on their workers, community, environment, and customers. B Corp certification provides the highest standards from the supply chain and input materials to charitable giving and employee benefits and is supported by transparency and accountability requirements.
The B Corp community works towards reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, and a healthier environment.
“The B Corp movement is one of the most important of our lifetime, built on the simple fact that business impacts and serves more than just shareholders — it has an equal responsibility to the community and to the planet”.
– Rose Marcario, CEO, Patagonia Works
In some cases, a clean beauty brand may decide that it’s just not enough to craft products in a safe, eco-friendly way, they may also choose to do more by giving back to organizations that support the planet, social causes and awareness of other global issues.
One example is 1% for the Planet, which was launched by the CEO of Patagonia Yvon Chouinard, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, in 2002. This is now a global movement with the intention to help fund diverse environmental organizations so that collectively they can be a more powerful source in solving the world’s problems.
The 1% for the Planet seal indicates that a business donates 1% of its annual sales to environmental nonprofits or charities of their choice, which have been vetted and deemed socially and ecologically responsible by 1% for the planet.
If you want to find out more about labelling, the list below are resources that are helpful in deciphering INCI names so you can understand more about the ingredients and what they do. There are several apps that you can also download to help you shop clean on the go:
EWG’s Skin Deep Database: On the Skin Deep website you can research single ingredients or a whole product (if it is in the database). It will tell you if there are any concerns about the ingredients, eg toxicity, irritation and contamination possibility etc.
EWG’s ‘Healthy Living’, app enables you to scan a barcode, search by name or browse by category, and will give you an easy-to-understand 1-10 score (1 being the best!) of the product, which is backed by science you can trust.
The Silent Spring’s ‘Detox Me’ app is a reliable healthy lifestyle guide that empowers you to eliminate toxic chemicals from your daily life with simple, research-based tips on reducing your exposures.
The THINK DIRTY app is a great way to learn about the potentially toxic ingredients in your cosmetics and personal care products. It’s an independent source that allows you to compare products as you shop. You can scan the product barcode and Think Dirty will give you easy-to-understand info on the product, track dirty ingredients, and shop for cleaner options.
The Chemical Maze App: Easy-to-use app that includes food additives and cosmetic ingredients.
A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, 7th Edition: Complete Information About the Harmful and Desirable Ingredients Found in Cosmetics and Cosmeceuticals, by Ruth Winter is great for ingredient breakdowns.
This is great book with information about cosmetic ingredients, if you prefer printed material rather than online databases.
Toxic Beauty: The hidden chemicals in cosmetics and how they can harm us, Dawn Mellowship. This book focuses more on dangerous ingredients in skincare.
Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry by Stacy Malkan, who is also a co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.