Some people buy nature’s best as a better way to live. Some look to it as a holistic alternative for addressing long-term skin issues, or because they’re pregnant or recovering from illness. Some do it because it’s the right (or PC) thing to do now. But how do we know – without legal legislature or governance – what is truly green and what is greenwashed? It’s not easy, but we manage to break it all down for you.
Some people buy nature’s best as a better way to live. Some look to it as a holistic alternative for addressing long-term skin issues, or because they’re pregnant or recovering from illness. Some do it because it’s the right (or PC) thing to do now. But how do we know – without legal legislature or governance – what is truly green and what is greenwashed? It’s not easy, but we manage to break it all down for you.
In 2016, an analysis by non-profit health watchdog Environmental Working Group (EWG) in the US found that many cosmetics carry misleading or questionable organic claims. The report also cited a US government survey which found that many consumers have the mistaken belief that beauty products labelled “organic” have only organic ingredients.
Doing the natural thing should be simple. It’s not. It’s actually quite complicated. Add terms like organic, toxin-free, non-GMO, sustainable, ecofriendly, vegan and/ or cruelty-free, and it becomes trickier. Why? Because there are no clear or legal definitions for what is safe (apparently, what ingredients are harmful and toxic is hugely debatable). And no official certification or classification determines what truly constitutes a green product. Without government control or approval, and virtually no regulations on what brands can put on their labels, these labels don’t have to reflect the whole truth.
What this could mean is that even if a product has only one or two organic ingredients in teensy quantities, it can claim to be organic; and “natural” products can have petroleum and lead since these are technically natural, having come from the earth.
Cruelty-free should = no animals harmed, including in testing and making the product. But again, there’s no requirement of certification here, which means brands can pretty much claim they have been nothing but kind to animals. “Unreliable labelling may only refer to the finished item, when animal tests were carried out at the ingredient level,” says international certifying body Leaping Bunny.
By the way, products labelled “vegan” are not necessarily animalfriendly – something vegan could have been tested on an animal.
So how do we separate dodgy assertions from what’s real, aside from really knowing ingredient lists and doing research? Helen Lien, founder of local multi-label store Pure Tincture Organic Beauty, says: “One way is to look at the product price. No totally clean product of superior quality is super cheap.”
TOXIN-FREE
For now, the general rule for non-toxic stuff: It should not have anything that is widely recognised as a health hazard – no skin irritants, suspected or known carcinogens, hormone or endocrine disruptors, or anything that could be bad for your organs, fertility and immune system. When in doubt, look for certification by established and trusted international bodies like Ecocert, USDA Organic, BDIH, Natrue, and Soil Association – they do due diligence to ensure a product’s contents are what it claims.
Chemistry isn’t your strong suit? Eric Chew, founder and owner of Bud Cosmetics, recommends Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) Skin Deep database as a reliable source for details about toxic ingredients. Bud Cosmetics is a local, natural-based, multi-label beauty chain, which started more than 10 years ago, selling clean and green products. “There’s also the Think Dirty mobile app, which has information on more than 550,000 products and their toxicity levels,” says Chew.
100% Pure From: the US. Has skincare, haircare and makeup. Uses fruit and vegetable pigments in its cosmetics.
Where it’s sold: Bud Cosmetics.
Suki From: the US. Its products are tested safe for pregnant women, nursing mothers and babies. It also sells makeup tools and washcloths. Its only animal ingredient is 100 per cent organic beeswax, sourced from farms that do not harm bees or burn hives.
Where it’s sold: Pure Tincture.
Estelle & Thild From: Sweden. Has five skincare ranges, from sensitive skin to anti-ageing, plus body care, makeup, and diaper cream for babies.
Where it’s sold: Sephora.
Frankskincare From: Singapore. Uses 100 per cent certified-organic ingredients for its skincare, which is made in small batches for quality and freshness.
Where it’s sold: Frankskincare.com.
Ilia Beauty From: the US. The makeup label focuses on lip care, although it has the works. Its iconic Tinted Lip Conditioners come in 17 shades.
Where it’s sold: Pure Tincture.
Isoi From: South Korea. Key ingredient: Bulgarian rose oil.
Where it’s sold: Bud Cosmetics.
Juice Beauty From: the US. Rocketed to fame after its Green Apple Peel received rave reviews from celebs and media. Gwyneth Paltrow is its creative director of makeup.
Where it’s sold: Bud Cosmetics.
Mukti From: Australia. Its ingredients come from the country’s native plants, and the brand also supports the indigenous communities that harvest them.
Where it’s sold: Bud Cosmetics.
10 THINGS YOU’LL NEVER FIND IN TOXINFREE BEAUTY
1 Artificial fragrances.
2 Sodium lauryl/ laureth sulfate.
3 Propylene glycol (PEG).
4 Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers.
5 Petroleum derivatives, paraffin and mineral oil.
6 Coal tar derivatives like synthetic colours.
7 Parabens.
8 Phthalates.
9 Triclosan and triclocarban.
10 Sunscreen chemicals like benzophenone and avobenzone.
VEGAN
Free of animalderived ingredients, and may or may not be tested on animals. Key certifying bodies include The Vegan Society, Peta (the logo should say “Cruelty- Free and Vegan”, not just “Cruelty- Free”) and Choose Cruelty Free.
Handmade Heroes From: Singapore. The folks behind it are vegans. Even the sugar they use is vegan and has not been filtered with bone char (commonly used in the sugar industry to make the finished product white).
Where it’s sold: Isetan Scotts, Naiise and Tangs Vivocity.
Pai From: Britain. Created for sensitive skin, it has the backing of The Soil Association (for being 100 per cent natural and at least 70 per cent organic), The Vegan Society, and Leaping Bunny.
Where it’s sold: Pure Tincture.
Reflections Organics From: Singapore. Its makeup is also gluten-free and uses 90 per cent USDAcertified organic ingredients.
Where it’s sold: Bud Cosmetics.
Vatea From: Australia. Uses 100 per cent botanicals.
Where it’s sold: Bud Cosmetics.
ECO-FRIENDLY
This doesn’t just cover sustainable ingredients (ethically sourced raw materials that can be grown and harvested without damaging the environment). It also involves phasing out non-biodegradables like silicone and plastic microbeads, reducing carbon footprint, using less packaging or recycled/recyclable packaging, getting customers in on the refill act, and using renewable energy from the wind and sun to power the brand’s daily operations and manufacturing processes.
Aveda
• 90 per cent of its manufacturing waste is reused – 65 per cent is recycled and 35 per cent goes to energy production.
• It saves more than 600 tonnes of virgin plastic a year because nearly 90 per cent of its plastic bottles are made mostly of postconsumer recycled materials.
• Regularly partners various organisations to raise public awareness about caring for wildlife and the environment.
Innisfree
• 9.7 million of its bottles have been recycled in South Korea since its 2003 Empty Bottle Recycling Campaign.
L’Occitane
• It transports 72 per cent of its products to subsidiaries by sea, reducing freight-generated CO2 emissions.
The Body Shop
• Bought 3 million kg of community fair trade ingredients between 2014 and 2015.
• One of the largest and most accessible eco-friendly beauty brands, it is also the organiser of the Forever Against Animal Testing and Bio-bridges campaigns, which help to preserve biodiversity around the world.
USE REFILLS ALREADY
Less packaging = less to recycle. So why are so few cosmetics brands doing it? Here are two which have embraced the act.
CRUELTY-FREE
Peta and Leaping Bunny logos are the best-known approval stamps for products with no animal tests at any stage by a company or its contractors and suppliers. Leaping Bunny has stricter criteria, requiring companies to submit to independent audits to verify their claims; Peta needs a written agreement and signed statement. It’s also worth noting that some brands may have obtained certification but left out either of the logos for aesthetic reasons, or haven’t got themselves certified even though they meet the standards.
Alima From: the US. Its makeup uses only minerals, mineral pigments, plant oils and botanical derivatives.
Where it’s sold: Pure Tincture.
John Masters From: the US. The brand’s eponymous celeb hairstylist is an avowed believer in ethical treatment for animals; the only animal ingredients in his products are honey and beeswax.
Where it’s sold: Bud Cosmetics.
Kat Von D From: the US. The makeup brand also plans to go vegan.
Where it’s sold: Sephora.
PS.Cafe From: Singapore. Its first venture into cosmetics: three soaps inspired by different times of the day.
Where it’s sold: PS. Cafes.
Tarte From: the US. Its cruelty-free practices have continued since Japanese cosmetics giant Kose acquired it in 2014.
Where it’s sold: Sephora.
Urban Decay From: the US. One of the earliest cosmetics companies to get approval under the Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals, a voluntary pledge overseen by animal-protection groups in the US and Canada.
Where it’s sold: Sephora.
THEY ARE NOT DODGY
They’re just not certified.
We don’t know why. Bjork & Berries From: Sweden. Most of its ingredients come from the country’s wild herbs, plants and berries.
Where it’s sold: Escentials.
Three From: Japan. The wellness brand is certified for its organic produce, though.
Where it’s sold: Tangs.
CHINA: THE COUNTRY THAT STILL INSISTS ON ANIMAL TESTING
Currently, all imported cosmetics must undergo mandatory animal testing – paid for by the brands – in Chinese government labs before they can be sold in the country. Even products that are already on the shelves may be subject to further inspections by provincial authorities. According to a 2013 estimate by Peta, these actions could mean as many as 300,000 animals tested on and killed each year.
