As the clean beauty movement grows, many companies shift to connect with eco-conscious consumers. Therefore we must recognize greenwashing’s role in the beauty industry.
Greenwashing is a term describing companies that portray themselves as an environmentally friendly brand rather than practicing it. Companies create partially true or false narratives about their products and their ingredients. For example, cosmetic companies use “organic” on their packaging to market their consumers into thinking they are purchasing a 100% organic product. In reality, many companies have 50-65% organic ingredients mixed with conventional or wild-harvested. Therefore, if you’re looking for 100% organic ingredients, ask the company directly or look into the label to see if ALL ingredients are marked as organic.
Before purchasing a product from a new or unfamiliar company, it is imperative that you properly research their values and who their manufacturers are. Take a minute or two to browse the company’s website and look up press about them, and where they’re located. If possible, support local businesses.