What in the world is greenwashing?
You may have heard this term before, especially if you’ve been switching to more natural products. It’s something that a LOT of people fall victim to, so listen up!
Greenwashing is when companies mislead consumers by claiming that their products are safe, non-toxic, eco-friendly, and natural, when in reality they are NOT.
This can be done through the products’ descriptions or even the company name, or the use of images or packaging design that would make consumers believe the product is green.
The other huge part of the puzzle? The beauty industry is almost entirely unregulated, and the natural sector even more so—it’s the wild, wild west where pretty much anyone can do as they please. Brands regulate themselves, for the most part
There are no legal definitions for natural, naturally derived, renewable, sustainable, synthetic, and the like, and there’s a lack of oversight to hold brands accountable for backing up these claims
In other words, pretty much anyone could throw the word "natural" on their bottle of moisturizer and call it a day.
So it’s very important to do your own deciphering of ingredients listed on the packaging.
Look for external certifications, such as the USDA-certified organic or EcoCert seal. There are also helpful apps Skin Deep, and ThinkDirty that allow you to quickly and easily access complete ingredient information about a product.
Common Signs of Greenwashing
If you see some of these terms on the front label of a product, that should automatically trigger you to be skeptical, in my opinion! A lot of these terms are unregulated and can be used by anybody with no real meaning:
Botanical
Chemical-free
Dermatologist recommended
Earth-friendly
Extracts
Gentle
Green
Herbal
Mineral
Natural
Naturally essenced or fragranced
Oil-free
Organic (if you see the term organic, look for a certification to make sure it’s actually organic! )
Paraben-free
Plant-based
Plant-derived
Pure
Raw
Sensitive
Sulfate-free