Green Skincare… what does that mean to you?

Green. What does the word mean to you? What does it mean to the cosmetic industry?

Is there any subject in the beauty industry more confusing than natural skincare?

Everybody wants to be “green”. At least that’s how it seems. But what does “green” or “natural” or “organic” really mean when it comes to skincare? The simple answer… in Canada, not much. That’s because Canada has no legal definition for what constitutes a “natural” ingredient or claim. Beauty and cosmetic companies are free to use the term as they like. And “natural” is a great marketing tool that increases sales.

So where does that leave you, the consumer? You want to look after yourself. You know that your world is getting more and more polluted and you’d like to “get back to basics”. It means you need to do a little research.

But that’s only part of the problem, even if a product is fully natural doesn’t mean that it’s the best for you to use. Some of the most irritating ingredients are “all natural”.

Yet with all this confusion, the “natural” skincare industry is growing 15 to 30 percent per year. That’s far faster than traditional skincare and beauty segments.

What to look for when buying natural skincare?

One way of finding quality green cosmeceuticals is to look for European products. Europe or the EU has very definite criteria for products to be labeled either “natural” or “organic”. Products with the “Ecocert” label from France or “BDIH” from Germany meet stricter standards that are administered by an independent institute. Products must contain only the safest natural ingredients, and be created and packaged in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Take a closer look at how a product is made

But being “natural” is only part of the answer. We are now living in an era of environmental and social responsibility, where it’s equally important to respect nature as it is to use nature. This means that not only what is inside the jar is important, but also how it’s made and packaged.

Look for effectiveness

Making sure a product lives up to its claims of effectiveness is almost as hard as making sure it’s green. This time look to the company and its guarantee of effectiveness. So what can you do? Begin by asking questions, visit websites and do your research. Remember, your dollars and where you spend them, have great influence. (Originally published in Elm Street Magazine 2001)