The market for organic and natural cosmetics is exploding. This is due on part to green consumerism. Every one is looking for ways to incorporate green into their routine. From recycling, to chemical-free landscaping products, to yes, even personal hygiene care. But, if you’ve set your mind on buying natural cosmetics, how can you tell if that’s what you’re really getting. After all, whenever there’s a big movement, there will be fakes. Proof? Look at the proliferation of fakes in the designer jeans, designer purses and designer sunglasses market. Following are some tips on how to tell if what you’re buying are truly all natural cosmetics.
Guidelines for Buying Natural Cosmetics
Buyer Beware: Knowledge is power when sticking your toes in the natural cosmetics market. Hence, one of the first things you need to do is arm yourself with it. Let’s start with what we do know about this niche.
Simply labeling a product as organic or natural cosmetics does not make it so because there is virtually no government regulation – by any nation – on what this is. So you as the consumer must do your due diligence, which leads to the next tip.
Investigate Companies: Because there are no official government guidelines that spell out what natural cosmetics are, compared to “unnatural ones,” many companies have taken it upon themselves to adopt private certification rules.
Find these companies and buy their products.
Know the Rules: Going a step further, just because a company has adopted certain rules doesn’t mean it meets what you think “natural cosmetics” mean.
For example, if a product is cruelty free, does it mean that it also contains no animal additives? Usually, if a company has gone so far as to adopt natural cosmetics rules, then they probably mean what you think it means.