Taking The Mystery Out of Cosmetic Labels.
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By Kristen Arnett
Do your cosmetic labels mean anything?
Labels are being plastered on beauty products that give you the sense of safety or health, but they may not really mean anything.
In this Green Divas Health & Beauty episode, I talked to Green Diva Meg about the various terms for natural used in cosmetics and skincare products and what they really mean. Listen up, then read on for more…
Listen:
Have you ever gone to the store with good intentions to buy a more natural beauty product, and picked out the one that had the most symbols with bunnies, trees and green leaves on it, trusting that it must be all natural and healthy?
Or maybe you saw a cosmetics product that declared that the ingredients were vegan or gluten-free and thought, “Hey, that’s even better!”
Stop right there!
Unless you have celiac disease, gluten-free cosmetics are not a priority, and gluten-free doesn’t mean the product is better for you.
A denotation that something is vegan is actually a warning signal that the product probably contains a bunch of synthetic chemicals. Some of which you may not want on your skin at all. Yes, vegan does mean that you aren’t getting animal-derived ingredients, which is valid and important to many folks.
Just be sure to look beyond that symbol for what else really matters to you.
Sadly, natural and organic claims don’t really mean anything.
Private standards have shown up in place of the lack of government regulations. Whole Foods Market is a great example with their Premium Body Care Standard.
It’s still overwhelming to go to the store and try to remember all of what you are supposed to have or not have in your products.
If you’re looking for a list of ingredients I think are the most toxic to be avoided in cosmetics check out the glossary which lists them all and explains why here.
More than that, there’s an issue with a lot of natural products having the reputation for not being very effective, particularly in makeup. While natural ingredients are nice, makeup that slides off your face just won’t cut it.
Ten years ago we just didn’t have great options in the natural, organic world of beauty. Technology and chemistry have truly improved in this realm.
Luckily now there are a large array of companies that are very trustworthy, but it’s taking a while to shake the bad rap the natural industry has gotten.
A Few Makeup Brands I Trust
* Ecco Bella
* RMS Beauty
* W3LL People
* Sante
* Logona
One of my favorite overall personal care and wellness brands is Intelligent Nutrients. Horst Rechelbacher built Aveda, and after he sold it, he took the knowledge, passion and commitment that he had to build an purely organic, healthy line. I was lucky enough to meet him, visit his farm and see the inner workings of the brand.
It’s from that experience that I have been a staunch supporter of Intelligent Nutrients ever since.
If you’re curious to see more, watch my video that takes you through his headquarters and personal farm, and in which I share three of my most favorite products.
At the end of the day, you’ll have to do your own research based on what is most important to you. Sites like mine can be essential tools in cutting through the marketing mumbo jumbo and getting straight to the heart of the matter.
Best of luck to you on your journey in Green Beauty and cosmetic label reading!
Bonus:
Listen to the latest full episode of The Green Divas Radio Show…
*Written by Kristen Arnett for Green Divas. Published with permission.
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