As you very well know, everyone is buzzing about the benefits of organic things these days.
We know the logos by heart and can recite the Dirty Dozen, but as of recently, people are asking questions about organic makeup.
A few brands appear to be making their way, here and there, to your local department store. Toting a heavier price-tag and boasting health benefits, organic makeup seems pretty legit, huh?
We know the logos by heart and can recite the Dirty Dozen, but as of recently, people are asking questions about organic makeup.
A few brands appear to be making their way, here and there, to your local department store. Toting a heavier price-tag and boasting health benefits, organic makeup seems pretty legit, huh?
Let's investigate.
First off, let’s take a second and define what it means to be organic.
Organic products are products that are produced without pesticides or other chemicals. They are also produced in a way that is environmentally friendly, as toxins are not released into the air.
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has now made standards that regulate which foods can be deemed organic. Although usually more expensive, organic foods are better for you, so the same should be true for organic makeup right?
Turns out, not so much.
I decided to check out Sephora, a pretty accessible store to most people, just to see what organic products they have to offer.
Sephora is stocked with three “organic” brands: Care by Stella McCartney, Juice Beauty and NVEY Eco. Each brand claims to be pure, luxurious, and certified organic. Looking through their products they look pretty great: Care by Stella McCartney is big on moisturizing skincare and NVEY has some really pretty eyeshadow kits.
Too bad that upon further research, the term 'organic' seemed like quite the hoax when used in the beauty industry…
According to OrganicConsumers.org (it’s a .org, so I trust it), it turns out that there are no standards for organic beauty products!
The Organic Consumers Association is doing its best to alert buyers that “Certified” labels are not actually set to a specific government standard unless they actually say “USDA Organic Certified.”
Unless these products are certified with that specific label, they often still contain the same chemicals as their non-organic counterparts.
Oftentimes, the carcinogenous chemical 1,4-Dioxide is still put in makeup products falsely labeled as organic.
Don't be 'greenwashed' into thinking that just because it has the words 'made with organic ingredients' or 'natural', that it is the right choice.
Check out a list of more approved beauty products from the OCA here.
I guess the bottom line is: if you’re gonna buy organic makeup be aware that many companies make false claims and often offer products that are equivalent to regular or 'natural' makeup lines.
Stay in the know and save your dough!
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