A Guide to Green Beauty Products

The trend toward 'green' beauty is fast and furious. It’s happening so rapidly that many feel that all beauty brands will eventually be green in some way.

The founder of Alison Raffaele, an eco-friendly, socially responsible color line says, “Consumers who insist on eco-friendly products that will not harm them or the environment could easily become the norm, because of the present cultural shift towards personal and corporate responsibility."

But how do we make sense of all the terms, the certifications and the labels? I’ve been in the beauty biz my entire adult life and found it all really confusing. So, I set out to educate myself and, in turn, you.

WHY GO GREEN?

A lot of consumers and companies are jumping on the green bandwagon, but for different reasons.

For some businesses, it's an effort to make beauty products that customers feel comfortable putting on their skin.

Kristine Keheley, co-founder of Vapour Organic Beauty, stated their mission quite nicely, “We at Vapour are committed to the mission of creating safe, non-toxic, beautiful choices for women. What we put on our skin is absorbed and ends up in our bodies. Also, organic ingredients have twice as much anti-oxidant content as their natural counterparts, so they are very effective.”

For others, it's an effort to be a better friend to the environment that drives their green focus.

Thomas Wick from eVitamins.com says, “We truly believe the trend toward eco-friendliness is positive and good in the long run. More awareness and more brands with an earth-friendly focus puts better products and services in the marketplace, ultimately empowers consumers to reduce their environmental footprint and live better.”