Greenwashing in Cosmetics - Who are you Trusting?

You know what’s better than always innovating and working to create the best natural cosmetic products? Having a passionate community of customers who are constantly searching for the same. But you know what’s a total party pooper? The fact that so many cosmetic products market themselves as “natural” when they actually contain chemicals that can give you cancer. Imagine spending dozens of minutes browsing a department store for a product that will finally help you fade your dark sun spots. You finally settle for an “all natural” serum because you want to “treat yourself,” only to discover after using it that your skin has become severely irritated instead. The horror! Today we’ll help you uncover greenwashing in cosmetics to help you find natural beauty products you can truly trust.

What is Greenwashing?

Have you ever been able to walk through a beauty aisle without grabbing something from the shelf? It’s harder than it sounds! There are so many prettily packaged products that all claim to work miracles on your complexion, and it’s hard to choose just one. We all want to make healthier choices and have healthier skin, while still looking our best. Your eyes finally land on a box sporting a beautiful rose and the words in cursive, “All natural, green beauty.” Sounds like you can finally meet your New Year’s resolution to stay healthy, right? Sadly that’s not usually the case. What you’ve just experienced is a case of greenwashing in cosmetics.

The Greenwashing Index describes greenwashing as when a brand or company makes efforts claiming to be “green” and “natural” through advertising and marketing - like TV ads and packaging - rather than actually implementing practices that minimize environmental impact or are more healthful for you. For example, that new eye cream you’ve been eyeing might brag about using a brand new “green technology” to reverse signs of aging, when it’s still packed with dozens of chemicals you can’t even pronounce that do harm to both your skin and the environment! Not only is that company holding back the facts from you, they’re also distracting you from the ugly truth with vibrant colors and empty promises. Shouldn’t this be illegal?

Unmasking "Unnatural"

The surprising answer is that unfortunately it still is very legal. That’s because claims like “organic,” “all natural,” or “no harmful chemicals” aren’t regulated by the government, allowing companies to run full throttle with these words while allowing their customers to put known human carcinogens on their skin. We discussed before why this is such a huge nightmare. Brands can easily take advantage of customers aiming for a healthier lifestyle (who wouldn’t want that?) by sneakily marketing a product as “natural” when it actually is packed with toxins and synthetic ingredients that are the complete opposite. Why are these chemical ingredients so problematic? Because American dermatological research has shown for over 40 years that it’s not only what we put in our body that’s absorbed, but also what we put on it, and the chemicals in cosmetics do way more harm than good to your body. That’s why at 100% PURE, we are dedicated to using natural alternatives to these chemicals that are high performing and nourishing for you, as seen in our natural, organic skin care formulas.

But hey, if the government doesn’t say no, that means you should be all clear, right? Wrong again. The US continues to let cosmetic companies use toxic chemicals in their products and has only banned 30 chemicals, while the EU has added a whopping 1328 to their no list! Something’s clearly not right here. That’s because the FDA has less saying power than you think. Can you trust the FDA to watch out for you? Unfortunately not. Previously, we discussed how there is no government approved standard for “natural,” making your choices in the beauty aisle even more risky. No matter how many promises of “natural” and “green” that a brand slaps on its ads or packaging, that doesn’t change the fact that you’re putting known human carcinogens onto your skin that are then absorbed into your body. We’re getting shivers just thinking about that. A similar form of greenwashing in cosmetics happens with animal testing too. Even though companies may claim to not test on animals, it turns out that each chemical that’s put into their products is. They got away with labeling their products as free of animal testing only because they didn’t test their final product on them. If you can’t trust cosmetic companies or the government, who are you supposed to rely on now?

Who You Can Trust Instead

100% PURE stands against greenwashing in cosmetics and in general. Imagining health and environmentally conscious customers being misled into purchasing harmful products is what brought our founder Susie Wang to take action. 100% PURE has taken steps to rigorously define “natural” to make sure our cosmetics are truly natural and healthful for you. When we label our cosmetics as natural, you can rest assured that we are adhering to the highest standards possible.

What that spells? A whole list of accomplishments that’ll make you feel hopeful about truly natural and healthful cosmetics again. No greenwashing is necessary here. Our formulas are non toxic and 100% biodegradable, containing organic, vegan ingredients - why use toxic coal tar dyes when natural fruit pigments provide nourishment and just-as-stunning color? 100% PURE has used only fruit, vegetables, tea, coffee, and cocoa to color our extensive collection of natural cosmetics that are chock full of vitamins and antioxidants for your skin. Our packaging is BPA and phthalate free. We have never and will never test on animals. The list goes on for the lengthy steps we’ve taken to ensure you only receive the best natural beauty products to help you make a positive impact on your health and the environment. You can trust us to always stay true to our founder Susie Wang’s original mission: “I founded 100% PURE to start a revolution against toxins in cosmetics and to produce the BEST, healthiest products for the world to use.” You can trust us to be always truthful to you, and truly 100% PURE.