Think eco-beauty is just about being good to the environment? Think again! We eat fruit and veg to put essential nutrients into our bodies, but what about all the lotions and potions we’re putting onto our bodies?
First, let’s clear up a few myths. Your skin absorbs up to 60% of what you put on it, so if you’re using a lotion that’s full of bad ingredients, your skin is taking it all in, uh-oh! Wrong! Skin has lots and lots of layers so it’s almost impossible for everything you put on it to sink into the very bottom layer. The skin absorbs the moisture that it needs (this is what it keeps it feeling soft) but doesn’t take everything in. Your skin acts as a barrier between your insides and the outside world, and we’d definitely get a few strange looks if we didn’t have it right? If your skin took in everything that was put on it, we’d swell up every time we had a shower due to the amount of water that it was letting in! Thankfully, that doesn’t happen, so it’s fairly unlikely that bad ingredients sink in that deep and cause lots of harm. So what’s the problem then? The problem is that some of the ingredients found in beauty products aren’t all that great. They’re often disguised in products that look and smell amazing, which means you’re more likely to buy them without realising. The good news is that more and more companies are trying to make products that contain a high proportion of both organic and natural ingredients, so you don’t have to worry.
Tell me more about these not-so-great ingredients…
The majority of eco-skincare companies avoid using particular ingredients in their products. The most common nasties are:
Sodium Lauryl / Laureth Sulphate (SLS) – This is used in products such as body wash and shampoo to make them foam up. It can be even be found in toothpaste and causes irritation to the skin.
Parabens – These act as a preservative and have been labelled as a carcinogen – a substance that has links to cancer.
Artificial Colours – Exactly what they say they are. Un-natural colours that cause irritation to the skin.
Petrochemicals – This forms a protective layer of oil over the skin, which clogs up pores and makes it harder for the skin to breathe.
Synthetic Fragrance – Just like Artificial Colours, this fragrance is un-natural and can therefore irritate your skin!
If you read the back of a shampoo bottle or body moisturiser, you’ll see loads of big scientific words that look and sound scary. This doesn’t necessarily mean that these ingredients are bad, but chances are they are artificial and man-made. And why opt for man-made when you can get the real thing?
So how will I know if I’m getting the real deal? Is it really expensive?
If a company is serious about its products being eco-friendly, they will have rules and regulations in place to make sure of this. If a product is claming to be Natural or Organic, it will have a stamp of approval by a certified organisation such as Ecocert or the Soil Association which guarantees that the product is made up of either 70% or 95% natural, organic ingredients. As far as the price goes, we need to understand a little bit more about where the ingredients come from. It was just mentioned that for a product to be classed as Organic or Natural, it needs to gain a stamp of approval by a specialist organisation. This means that these products need to contain the best of the best ingredients, as they are put through intensive testing, and this doesn’t come cheap. To make sure these ingredients are top-class, they are grown especially and require a lot of hard work, ensuring they make the grade. So when you think of the cost that’s involved, from paying workers to testing products, you’re really getting a good deal for your money. On the surface it may seem like you’re paying twice as much for a new body wash, but you can trust me when I say that the Eco-company who produces the product will be paying loads more: it’s all about quality over quantity, right?!
Now you know all about Eco-beauty, let’s talk ethics…
I’m confused! Don’t eco and ethical mean the same when it comes to beauty and skincare?
Don’t be fooled! Although eco-friendly and ethical products aim to make the beauty industry a nicer place, they both mean and stand for different things. As you’ve just seen, ‘eco’ is all about the way the ingredients are grown, how they aren’t man-made and how they’re generally better where the environment is concerned. Think of eco as the science part. Ethics is more about morals and opinions, and looks at the wider effect these products might be having.
What sort of effects? Why are people so worried?
The main concerns that people have is for fairness and a good, moral order. Listed below is a list of the sort of questions and answers that are needed when it comes to deciding whether a product is ethical or not.
• Are the ingredients in the products being grown in a sustainable way? Yes.
• Are the products (and ingredients) harming the environment when they’re made? No.
• Is a fair price being paid for the ingredients and products? Yes.
• Can the amount of packaging be cut down, and can it be re-cycled? Yes.
• Are the products tested on Animals? No.
It’s just as well the answers aren’t the opposite. Think of all the issues and problems there would be…not so good, is it?
Unfortunately, beauty companies haven’t always been that bothered when it comes to ethics. A lot of the big companies sell all around the world, and similar to the fashion industry, the way they advertise and price their products is soo attractive that no-one bothers to ask questions. Until now, that is. Awareness regarding ethical issues has become huge and it’s still on the rise. In the UK especially, people have been demanding eco and ethical products; more so, products that don’t harm animals or other peoples lives. And guess what? The beauty companies are responding! Statistics from 2007 showed that the UK and France together produced over 75% of the 2,260 ethical cosmetics that were launched in Europe that year alone. That’s an amazing result, so just imagine where we are three years on! Makes you proud to be British, doesn’t it?
What’s the deal with Animal testing now? Is it illegal?
It’s against the European Union law to test any cosmetic products on animals, which is great news! There are a few problems however, as various loopholes within that law allow companies to get round it. For example, some companies use ingredients in their products that have been tested on animals in other parts of the world, but because they weren’t actually tested on animals within Europe, they can get away with it. There are a few exemptions however that allow companies to continue testing on animals. Most ingredients commonly used in making cosmetic products will have been tested before, so scientists will know if they are safe or not. If they want to use a new ingredient, it means they will need to test it out first, which sadly means having to try it out on animals. There are other scientists that are looking for new ways of testing ingredients that don’t involve animals, and it’s hoped they will find something by 2013 when all animal testing will be made illegal.
What can I do to be more eco-friendly when it comes to beauty and cosmetics?
• If you want to find out what a particular company or brands policy on ethical and eco-friendly issues are, get in touch with them. Go on the web and find out their Customer Service details, then drop them a line.
• Choose local products. If products are made closer to home, they don’t have far to go to reach you which is all round good for everybody!
• Try and avoid too much packaging! If you can’t do this, make sure you re-cycle where possible.
• Swap instead of buying. Get together with friends and swap any un-wanted or un-used items. The lip-gloss that doesn’t suit you, might be her perfect colour!
• Follow the three R’s rule: Re-use, Reduce and Reycle. Re-use the containers your products come in, reduce the number of products that you buy and re-cycle everything that you can.
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