Soaps... should you go for natural or synthetics ?
Guidelines on choosing the product that fits you best
babassu soaps, 29.02.24 - Reading time : 3 min
Many cosmetic companies are either unaware of or deliberately ignore the discrepancy between their values and principles and the actual content of their products. We hope that the information provided on this website will pique your curiosity and enable you to explore these issues further and identify greenwashing more quickly. The key to understanding greenwashing is to compare a product's ingredient list with the brand's marketing and claims. Often, greenwashing relies on confusing natural and naturally sourced ingredients or highlighting a single positive aspect, such as a lower carbon footprint, while ignoring other negative aspects.
As a conscious consumer, making a product choice is not always clear-cut. Your decision often hinges on which health or environmental concern you prioritize the most.
Limiting yourself to only one focus is simplistic and likely you have multiple ones. This means that compromises must be made.
If your priorities include:
...healthy products 💗 :
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All products available on the market are safe to use.
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Synthetic ingredients may not be harmful to your health but they may not be environmentally friendly.
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If you prioritize sustainability or natural aspects, consider choosing a product with a relatively high percentage of natural ingredients. Remember, the higher the ingredient is on the list, the higher its amount in the product.
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If you have sensitive skin, natural soaps may be too harsh for you. It's recommended to discontinue using your usual cosmetics and allow your skin to adjust to gentler products. Consult with a doctor or dermatologist, once your skin is okay again, you can try natural soaps
...sustainable products 🌍 :
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When choosing products, prioritize those with a high proportion of natural ingredients.
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Avoid synthetic ingredients as much as possible, as they are often not sustainable and derived from petroleum or heavy chemicals and have high resource consumption.
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Be wary of greenwashing claims, if no reputable evidence is provided, the claim may be misleading.
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Consider the packaging, opting for more environmentally-friendly options such as those that don't contain plastic.
...natural products 🌳 :
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The ingredients are listed in descending order of their proportion in the product, with the ingredients at the top making up the largest proportion.
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Ingredients listed after the first five are usually in small/negligeable amounts.
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Important is to distinguish between truly natural ingredients and those of natural origin, as some are not as natural as they appear.
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Environmental labels such as Cosmos Natural or Ecocert can serve as an indicator that a product is more environmentally friendly than others, although their requirements may be limited
...willingness of trying the newest products advertised in TV 📈 :
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Your consumption habits are in line with the wishes of the big industry players. Good job ;)
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You do not worry about the list of ingredients, again all products are safe for use if you have no particular skin problems
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You have access to a wide range of products, try them all until you find your favorite
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Your choice have a higher environmental impact
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Understand advertising claims and ingredients to at least be aware of your consumption habits.
...supporting innovative small brands/start-up 🌱 :
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There are as many brands/companies as there are personalities! Check who is behind the brand and if their philosophy really fits your focus.
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They support the development of a wider range of products that have a lower global impact on the planet.
The bottom line
Claims made on cosmetics products may not be always accurate, but also doesn't mean products are ineffective. It's crucial for both marketers and consumers to understand the efforts and processes behind advertising claims.
A real claim research imply :
- time and perseverance of the volunteers who participated in the study,
- researchers conscientiousness,
- the quality of the data collected in clinical trials.
This way, marketers can confidently make claims and consumers can trust that these claims are being used appropriately.