Are Green Washing Products Really Green?

Green Washing - Suddenly Everything is "All Natural" - But Are Consumers Being Mislead? by Brendita G

Have you noticed that the phrases "all natural," "contains natural ingredients," "with organic ingredients," and "made with botanical ingredients" are popping up just about EVERYWHERE?

Many companies have jumped on the "Earth Friendly" band wagon and are trying to capitalize on consumers demand for safe, healthy, products. This relatively new phenomenon is referred to as "green washing". Many manufacturers of household, skin and hair care products intentionally mislead consumers by using words and descriptions that suggest that a product is chemical free or "natural". This is done by adding a very small amount of one or more commonly known or popular natural ingredients to their original formula so that they can legally make the claim that the product contains "natural ingredients". The addition of the new ingredient(s) rarely changes the way the product performs, but it allows the manufacturer to put attention grabbing words on their label in an effort to entice you to buy it.

Do not fall for unethical green washing! If you are trying to live a healthier lifestyle and reduce or eliminate the use of toxic chemicals, you have to do a little research. Read the labels on your skin-care products and use the Internet to research any ingredient that you are unsure of.

There are several websites, associations and organizations that list manufacturers, suppliers and retailers of truly natural, safe products. Be aware, however, that some of these organizations are out to make a profit, even if they claim to be "not for profit" or "non profit". You may have to visit several websites to get unbiased, factual information.

By law, the label of any skin-care product must include each ingredient. The ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight or amount: That means that the ingredient that makes up the majority of the product will be listed first, followed by all others. If water, for example, is listed first, the product contains more water than anything else on the list. Unfortunately, because of "industry secrets" laws, manufacturers of household products are not required to list their ingredients, so you have to do a little more investigation for those items.

A good example of green washing is a product that claims that it "contains" natural or organic ingredients. Generally speaking, if a product is made with only plant-derived, natural and/or organic ingredients, it will state precisely that on the label.

It can seem overwhelming in the beginning, but with a little research and reading, you can find truly natural, safe, non-toxic skin and hair care products and household cleaners that work even BETTER than their chemical laden counterparts.

If you have a passion for skin-care and how naturally derived, plant based ingredients can nourish, protect and rejuvenate your body, please visit http://www.brenditasbodyworks.com/product_silksheets_collection.html.

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