Truth In Labeling For Personal Care Products Is Essential!

One of the many problems I have with the personal care products industry is that there has been a huge move to “green wash” ingredient lists and use the terms “natural” and “organic” without any qualifying standard.  This has allowed many major corporations to create products like shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and of course skin care products with  “natural” labels because of a few select items in their formulations, and then, charge a bundle for their product in the “earth friendly” niche market even though its not earth friendly at all. Often the packaging alone is  far from earth friendly.

Also present are issues with major corporations buying out smaller, truly natural brands, then, changing the formulations to include toxic ingredients, while keeping the same branding; people won’t know the difference they think.

This is all, of course, based on money.  Why take the time and energy to use truly natural and organic ingredients when you can make more money selling products that are labeled to attract.  The average consumer  does not know what to look for, to know if “truly” natural.

And, it doesn’t help when these suspect products line the shelves of stores like Whole Foods or your local co-op.   Instead, this just furthers the misinformation and the problem.

Currently, there are some companies, like  Sevani, Dr. Bronner’s and a few others that are willing to be completely transparent about their ingredient lists and use the words “natural” or “organic” only when this is really what’s in the bottle.  We want to see natural preservatives not just a “few” ingredients.  We’re facing an uphill battle when it comes to the industry as a whole.

We won’t give up though.  We believe in using truly safe and natural ingredients that are never from or tested on animals and yet, always safe and effective so you’re not wasting your hard earned money on products that are dangerous or simply don’t work (another problem – and article – entirely!)

We’ve also adopted the Natural Ingredients Resource Center’s Truth In Labeling Pledge.  You can look for the logo(shown here on the left) on personal care and other products until a more national standard is adopted.  This way, you can be sure of what you’re buying as a company must adhere to strict standards and ingredient specifications in order to put this seal on their products; Sevani wears it proudly!

Many of the big cosmetic corporations say that personal care products are different than food, and as a result, they don’t need labeling standards. I disagree.  Your skin is the largest organ on your body.  When you wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner, put on sun screen, apply makeup, etc these products are filling your pores and allowing the toxins their made from to enter your body just the same as if you’d eaten or drank them.  There is no difference, and, for the sake of all us humans, the earth, and the animals that live here too, we need truth in labeling for personal care products.