By Dr. Teri Dourmashkin

With the explosion of “green” products entering the skin care market in the last year or so, it is now commonplace to find both department store and drug store shelves lined with products featuring “green packaging.”   And when I say, “green,” I am not necessarily referring to those companies who are using environmentally friendly packaging.   I am referring to something much more visual which entails the package design or artwork. 

If you walk through any large chain drug store these days you will see a myriad of skin and body products lining the shelves with “nature inspired” design motifs which are meant to convey the image of an “all natural” product.   In fact, just about every major commercial company has developed packaging within the last year or so promoting their new line of products which are made with natural botanical extracts.   They run the gamut from skin creams to shampoos and conditioners.

However, if you look at the ingredient listings, you will see that not much has changed.   Typically what you will find is a handful of botanical extracts thrown in for good effect.   Most if not all of these companies continue to use potentially toxic synthetic ingredients.   For example, many use ingredients derived from petrochemicals and PEG compounds (PEG compounds may be contaminated with 1-4 Dioxane).

So, why do these companies use this type of marketing strategy?  Quite simply, it is to increase their bottom line.  If market research tells them that consumers want natural products, then that is what they will attempt to give you.  However, it does not mean that their product packaging or message isn’t misleading.

Going “natural” is certainly a wonderful idea provided the ingredients used are also safe and non-toxic.   The reason why many prefer “all natural” is because many natural ingredients have better safety records than their synthetic counterparts.  However, not all natural ingredients are safe and not all synthetic ingredients are toxic.    In my opinion, the most important question is “are the products I am considering buying safe and non-toxic?  For me, that is the most important criteria.

Educating yourself about certain ingredients can be very helpful and empowering.   Organizations such as Skin Deep which is part of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) can help you decide which ingredients might be safer than others.  They can be found at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.org.   Another wonderful organization is the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.  La Vie Celeste is a proud signer (see their logo on “Our Philosophy” page of this website).  They can be located at www.safecosmetics.org.  

And remember, that there are no enforceable regulations that companies must comply with when it comes to labeling their products as “all natural.”  Even the FDA does not regulate what goes into skin and body products.  

That is why it is important to become an educated consumer.  Here are some tips which can help:

1) Look for products which are made from natural oils such as jojoba, sesame seed, almond oil, etc., (unrefined is best).  Avoid petrochemicals such as mineral oil and petroleum.  They tend to sit on the surface of the skin, and there may be some toxicity issues as well.  Natural plant botanicals such as green and white tea are also powerful antioxidants which are great for your skin.

2) Look for preservatives that are non-toxic.  Products that are made with water must have an effective enough preservative (s) to ward off bacteria and mold.  While some natural skin care companies rely on essential oils as a standalone preservative, the research indicates that they would need to be used at unsafe levels to adequately protect a product.   At La Vie Celeste, we use Cosmocil CQ in all of our products.  It is an extremely gentle, non-toxic preservative.  Avoid preservatives that release formaldehyde such as imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, and sodium hydroxymethyl glycinate.  And because more research needs to be done to determine the safety of parabens, it is best to avoid products that use this form of preservative.

3) Avoid very long ingredient listings–not only will this increase your risk for allergic reaction, breakouts and irritation, but chances are that a long ingredient panel will likely include several potentially toxic synthetic ingredients.

Also, remember that according to some organizations such as The Natural Ingredient Resource Center, a manufacturer can ethically state that their products are “all natural,” if at least 95% of the ingredients come from natural sources which meet their criteria.  The other 5% may come from ingredients that do not meet their criteria, but do not contain synthetic fragrance, artificial colors, or petrochemicals.  The toxicity of each ingredient must also be minimal.