The Greenwashing of Personal Care Products: How Clean is "Clean Beauty"?

We live in an era of heightened consciousness. Whether it is social, environmental, economic or political, the people are tuned-in and questioning. Consumers, now more than ever, want to know what’s in the products they are using, how ethical the company’s practices are, and what the associated environmental impacts may be. The ethical and socially responsible business is who more and more people are turning to. Capitalist corporations detect these customer behaviors and inclinations, and prey on them for profit. Much like teenagers following trends set by the “popular girl” in school, corporate kingpins are heading down the “green” path because they'll be more likable and trendy. The question is, are the efforts genuine or a money-making facade? Seeing as the market for organic, natural products has a growing customer base that is willing to pay top dollar, greenwashing is now the haute couture of marketing. Personal care products are particularly vulnerable for this type of presentation. Due to the intimate nature of their use on the body, consumers tend to be more careful when selecting them. However, cosmetics are highly unregulated and contain numerous toxic ingredients, often despite “organic” or “clean” labeling. And even when a product is 100% certified organic, it still may be harmful or ineffective. This collection contains several perspectives, including those of researchers, scientists, average women, dermatologists, cosmetic company owners, college students, environmentalists, journalists, and marketing experts. In a time when people want transparency and safe products, companies are creating more harm and confusion through greenwashing.