Do you know what better than to always innovate and work to create the best natural cosmetic products? It’s having a passionate community of customers who are constantly looking for the same thing. But do you know what a total party freak is? The fact that so many beauty products claim to be “natural” when in fact they contain chemicals that can harm your health, or worse, give you cancer.
Imagine spending a lot of time browsing a store looking for a skin care product that will finally help fade your pesky dark sun spots. You end up settling for an “all natural” serum because you want something safe and derived from nature only to find after using it that your skin has become severely irritated instead.
Unfortunately, you could be a victim of greenwashing! Today, we’re going to help you learn about greenwashing in cosmetics and skincare, and how to avoid it – plus help you find clean, natural beauty products you can really trust.
What is greenwashing?
Have you ever been able to walk down a beauty aisle and not pick something off the shelf? It’s harder than it looks! There are so many attractively packaged products all claiming to be natural and complexion-changing that it’s hard to resist grabbing one – or more! We all want to make healthier choices and have healthier skin, while looking our best.
Your eyes finally land on a pretty box and the words in delicate cursives, “All natural, green beauty”. Sounds like you can finally stick to your New Year’s resolution to stay healthy, right? Unfortunately, this is usually not the case. What you have just experienced is the case of a presumably “natural” beauty mark that whitens you.
The greenwashing index describes greenwashing as when a brand or company makes efforts to claim to be “green” and “natural” through marketing tactics – like pretty packaging and eco-friendly words – rather than implementing practices that minimize environmental impact or are healthier for you. In buyer-friendly terms, greenwashing exaggerates a company’s mission to be eco-conscious, solely for financial gain. By conveying false impressions, these companies can mislead sustainability-conscious consumers into giving the impression that their products are environmentally friendly.
For example, that new “natural” eye cream you saw might claim to use brand new “green technology” to reverse the signs of aging, when it actually contains dozens of chemical words that you can’t even pronounce. harm both your skin and the environment! This company not only hides the facts from you, but also distracts you from the ugly truth with enticing packaging and empty promises. Shouldn’t that be illegal?
Unmask “unnatural”
The surprising answer is that unfortunately it is still very legal. Indeed, claims such as “organic”, “all natural” or “free of harmful chemicals” are not regulated by the USDAwhile the terms “organic” and “natural” are not defined in any of these laws or in the regulations that the FDA enforces under their authority. Companies in turn can take advantage of this and run full steam ahead with these misleading terms and any culpable ingredients that may be hiding in a beauty product.
Since the ingredients are not strictly regulated, this allows companies to use toxins and synthetic ingredients that can have harmful effects on the body and the environment, even marketing the product as “natural”, and even when some of the ingredients listed in the products are not extracted from natural sources, which misleads customers.
If the government won’t say no, you should be clear, right? Still wrong. The US continues to let cosmetic companies use toxic chemicals in their products and has only banned 30 chemicals, while the EU has added 1328 to its blacklist! Something is clearly wrong here. This is because the FDA has less say than you might think.
Is there a standard for “natural”?
Previously, we’ve discussed the fact that there’s no government-endorsed standard for “naturalness,” which makes your choices in the beauty aisle even riskier. No matter how many “natural” and “green” promises a brand puts on its ads or packaging, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re putting known human carcinogens on your skin which are then absorbed by your body. Just thinking about it gives chills.
A similar form of greenwashing in cosmetics also occurs with animal testing. Even though companies may claim not to test on animals, it turns out that every chemical that is put into their products is. They managed to label their products as free from animal testing only because they did not test their final product on them. If you can’t trust the cosmetics companies or the government, who are you supposed to trust now?
As a beauty product shopper, it is imperative to understand what “natural” beauty looks like, how to avoid harsh chemical ingredients, and be able to navigate the market for truly natural products.
Why is greenwashing bad?
So what is it about greenwashing that makes it such a bad thing? And, moreover, why are these chemical ingredients so problematic? Because American dermatological research has shown for over 40 years that it is not only what we put into our bodies that is absorbed, but also what we put into them, and the chemicals in cosmetics do far more harm than good to your body.
As for greenwashing, is it so serious? Yes – on the one hand it can cause people to act unsustainably through their purchases. When a company claims to be natural or eco-friendly, some customers may feel more pressured into buying their products. Moreover, there are many documented examples greenwashing and its harmful effects on the environment.?
But more than that, brands that greenwash often contribute massively to misinformation about what is sustainable, taking advantage of the confusion within the sphere to make a profit. This has led most people to feel jaded by the claims these brands often make, whether it’s about health or sustainability, because these brands mask the harmful operations they actually practice.
When coupled with ineffective regulation, greenwashing contributes to consumer skepticism of lofty claims of sustainability and conscious practices, which negatively impacts consumer power. That’s why at 100% PURE, we are committed to using natural alternatives to these chemicals that are high performing and nourishing for you, as shown in our natural and organic skin care formulas.
Who you can trust instead
100% PURE opposes greenwashing in cosmetics and in general. Imagining health and environmentally conscious customers being misled into buying harmful products is what led our founder Susie Wang to action. 100% PURE has taken steps to strictly define “natural” to ensure that our cosmetics are truly natural and healthy for you. When we label our cosmetics as natural, you can be assured that we adhere to the highest possible standards.
What does this mean to you? A whole list of achievements and formulas that will restore your confidence in truly natural beauty products. No greenwashing is necessary here. Our formulas are non-toxic and go through a rigorous 9-step testing process that we use to ensure we are creating safe and effective products for you.
Our packaging is BPA and phthalate free. Our commitment to animal welfare means that we will never test on animals and our products will always be certified cruelty-free. When it comes to our ingredients, we follow a careful process to avoid animal-derived ingredients and opt for vegan and cruelty-free alternatives.
The list goes on for the long steps we’ve taken to ensure you only receive the best natural beauty products to help you have a positive impact on your health and the environment.
Clean, natural products you can trust
At 100% PURE, we pride ourselves on our testing practices to ensure we produce the healthiest, least toxic formulas for our customers. Our formulas are 100% natural, biodegradable and contain organic and vegan ingredients. And when we say “natural”, take our Mushroom Peptide Serum: no more searching for mushrooms in forests or beauty alleys.
We have fortunately taken that job by offering a serum containing almost a dozen different medicinal mushrooms. This super serum is perfect for those looking to combat dullness and dehydration. The hydrating polysaccharides of mushrooms combine beautifully with hyaluronic acid, which plumps the skin with intense hydration. Meanwhile, quinoa peptides stimulate collagen production to promote firmness and elasticity.
We even go a long way to deliver the best in natural beauty – from forests to even deserts! That’s right – our Nopal Cactus Hydrating Cleanser is made with a concentrated blend of desert botanicals like nopal cactus, prickly pear and aloe vera to deeply cleanse and balance skin. Have you ever wondered how cacti stay hydrated? Nopal is a desert superstar packed with antioxidants and polysaccharides, which can help skin absorb and retain moisture. The high levels of vitamin C, B1, B2 and B3 in nopal cactus make it the perfect detoxifying ingredient.
It all sounds amazing, right? But what about a complexion-shifter that rivals the chemical retinol — a star ingredient for anti-aging issues? We have that too! Come in, Bakuchiol! This ingredient will solve your problems with fine lines, wrinkles, dryness and much more.
Our Bakuchiol Oil Serum is made with the highest concentration of clinically recommended Bakuchiol. This gentle, plant-based alternative to retinol is a must-have for those looking for long-lasting hydration and is especially suitable for sensitive skin. It penetrates deep into the skin for a soft and supple feel.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of greenwashing and false natural beauty claims in the industry, but with absolute certainty, we are truly and forever committed to being 100% PURE. You can trust us to stay true to the original mission of our founder Susie Wang: “I founded 100% PURE to start a revolution against toxins in cosmetics and produce the BEST and healthiest products to use in the world. .” You can trust us to always be honest with you and truly 100% PURE.
