I am sure you heard and read many beauty claims by companies about their product. I collected those that I find the most misleading.
Many companies use this claim on their products, although there is no proper definition for natural. I would say a product is natural if doesn't contain preservatives, it is free of any artificial dyes, perfumes and other synthetic chemical ingredients. The product's ingredients must originate from a natural source, but it's not necessarily grown according to bio standards. I find also misleading when a company says about an ingredient it's natural, just because it came from a natural source. In this case that ingredient went through many chemically process and modification. It's far from natural.
Also many companies use just few natural ingredients in their a synthetic product and use the term 'natural', although it's very misleading and I call it greenwashing. According to Stephanie Greenwood " No matter if it's a food or a cosmetic, labeling and marketing an agricultural (ie, plant-based product) product as organic or 100% organic without certification is illegal. " If a company doesn't have certification, then the organic claims are misleading. Organic certification provides you with a guarantee that raw ingredients and finished products are handled, packaged and distributed without risk of contamination. What does a compnay mean by saying "chemical free"? A man-made, laboratory produced ingredient? Or is it free from synthetic ingredients? This claim is inaccurate, because water is a chemical too. And what does "pure mean"? For me pure means the product doesn't contain any synthetic, man-made ingredients as well as harmful chemicals and the ingredients originate from a certified organic source. But it's me and who knows what companies really mean by saying pure... According to Stella Kim, assistant manager of The Face Shop's Overseas Business Department, extracting process of the ingredients has to be done in an environment-friendly way. The manufacturing process must consume less energy and produce less waste. The packaging must be recyclable and minimal, which only makes sense since you are going to throw those several layers of fancy paper that wrap around the product straight into the garbage can anyway. Many companies use recycling packaging, but their products contain non-biodegradable ingredients. Many chemicals washed down the drain. They can disrupt the aquatic life, seep into the soil and infertility among populations of marine life and wildlife. (For example all petrochemicals pollute our water and destroy marine life.) There are no industry standards for products that are labeled as hypoallergenic. You can also find many 'hypoallergenic' brands which are made with the same ingredients than other, non-hypoallergenic products. Just because a products is free of fragrance and artificial colors that doesn't mean it's automatically hyporallergenic. I saw many ingredients which can trigger allergies. Some natural ingredients can cause allergic reaction too. Health Canada has not set any standards that a "hypoallergenic" product is supposed to meet. The US Food and Drug Administration says, "There are no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term hypoallergenic. The term hypoallergenic means whatever a particular company wants it to mean." According to Green Beauty Guide, "Beauty product manufacturers are not required to provide evidence that these produce fewer allergic reactions, and products prescribed for sensitive skin often contain chemical and plant-based ingredients that cause skin irritation. It’s been proven that all cosmetic products may cause an allergic reaction in people with sensitive skin. That’s why, if you are blessed with super-sensitive skin, you should use beauty products with as few ingredients as possible." Hypoallergenic term may be applied without any demonstration or proof that the product causes fewer allergic reactions than others. In 1975, the FDA issued a regulation governing use of the term hypoallergenic, stating that a cosmetic product could be labeled hypoallergenic only if scientific studies on human subjects showed that it caused a significantly lower rate of adverse skin reactions than similar products not making such claims. The manufacturers of cosmetics claiming to be hypoallergenic were to be responsible for carrying out the required tests. But this regulation was subsequently declared invalid by U.S. courts, leaving manufacturers free to apply the term as they wish, without any required testing to prove that a product is hypoallergenic. (Source) It is impossible to guarantee that a cosmetic or skin-care product will never produce an allergic reaction. There are no standard industry-wide definitions to determine how a product must be tested or the results it needs to achieve, before a company can make such a claim. This means these claims may not necessarily replicate how a product is actually used. Everyone has a different definition about what dermatologically tested means. People usually think it refers that it was tested on human skin and it's safe, doesn't cause allergic reaction. Let me quote katherinecorkill at Personal Care Truth: "The term creates an illusion in the customers mind that a medical panel of dermatologists somewhere, has investigated the products thoroughly, and perhaps tried it over a period of time before coming to the conclusion of their endorsement. Also, in many cases doctors may actually have a stake in the product they are supporting or they are a paid endorsement. This is something which is behind the scenes, so the consumer has no way of knowing the actual validity of the claim. This "dermatologically tested" claim brings up some questions: Who is the dermatologist who tested the products? What was tested: an individual ingredient or the finished formulation? How was it tested, in-vitro (in a test tube or petri dish, in an ideal environment), or was it tested in-vivo (on actual skin)? Was the formula tested against placebo cream (like glycerin or petrolatum), or against nothing, or against another type of similar product? Most companies don't give you these information, so be always careful when you read a claim like dermatological tested/Clinically Proven. The skin pH level on our face is between 4-5.6 if it's balanced. An oily skin's pH is around 5.7-6.8. A dry skin is 7.3 to 7.4. pH balanced means that the product is compatible with the neutral pH of the skin, so it won't react with it adversely, says Dr. Ellen Marmur. The problem is that most companies don't provide the pH balance information on the product. In addition any decently formulated product will be made in a pH range that is compatible with skin and hair. According to Amy Wechsler, MD, "It's unlikely that a cleanser or toner on the market today would have a pH that was not balanced (too high), because if it did it would be so drying that no one would want to use it." You can buy pH testing strips at Wallmart. FDA says that there are no legal definitions for these terms. "Some companies may apply such claims solely to their finished cosmetic products. However, these companies may rely on raw material suppliers or contract laboratories to perform any animal testing necessary to substantiate product or ingredient safety. Other cosmetic companies may rely on combinations of scientific literature, non-animal testing, raw material safety testing, or controlled human-use testing to substantiate their product safety. Many raw materials, used in cosmetics, were tested on animals years ago when they were first introduced. A cosmetic manufacturer might only use those raw materials and base their "cruelty-free" claims on the fact that the materials or products are not "currently" tested on animals. (Source) But many companies don't clarify these things. Non comedogenic basically means it won't clog your pores and you won't suffer from breakouts. Unfortunately many products contain comedogenic ingredients even those who claim they are non comedogenic. The most common comedogenic ingredients in beauty products are: Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Chloride, Mineral Oil, Petroleum Jelly, Butyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Coconut Oil. There are no standards and independent organization behind this claim. Also, individuals vary and what is non-comedogenic for one person may be comedogenic for another. I found a very interesting article at Marketing Sparks where Evan Rose, Western Region Attorney for the FTC and lead attorney on the Nivea My Silhouette case said, "we focus on cases where there are objective, verifiable claims. A lot of cosmetics claims are ‘squishy’ and subjective like using the word ‘appearance’, ‘pretty’ and ‘feel the difference’." The author of the article pointed out that "unlike drugs, cosmetic companies do not require pre-approval of ingredients or claims to their products, so the onus is on the consumer to find and report labeling issues. Rose freely admitted the FTC prioritizes more “serious” areas like health and safety and real estate scams, as opposed to cosmetic products that claim to make you beautiful."
Natural, Organic, Bio-dynamic - What does it mean?
Why organic/natural products are better?
How to tell if a product is really organic?
Greenwashing: Nearly All Products’ Eco-Friendly Claims Are Bogus or Misleading
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