What Clean Beauty Debates Do You Have?
The night before I left my parents’ house over the holidays, I came across my old stack of British Vogues from the 90s. Delighted, I flopped on the bed, chatted with my sister, and flipped absentmindedly, narrating as I went (“oh my g-d look at that jumper!”). And then there it was: an article about natural ingredients in beauty products, and how to source them sustainably (and locally).
Huh. So natural beauty was this on the radar in 1997? And so was the local movement? The article even mentions Jurlique, a brand that we covered often in the book (not knowing they’d been around so long).
My brain went from 0 to 100, from wow-that’s-so-cool-what-a-coincidence to why-the-hell-was-this-in-Vogue-back-then-and-not-now? Finally, if this was part of the dialogue in 97′ why isn’t fully mainstream today? Waaaaa.
We know, we know, stuff takes a long time. But natural beauty is just so awesome! While we can’t single-handedly take down the industry (and all of its propaganda) with one book and a blog, we can—each and everyone of us—help spread the word, one person at a time. Which a lot of you do (and we’re grateful). So I thought, let’s post a little primer on how to deal with naysayers, why not. Because if this isn’t as big as organic food by, oh let’s say 2027, we’re going to be seriously bummed.
What rebuttals do you hear most often from people? How do you respond? Here are some of our most common gentle confrontations…
- I don’t have time/it’s too overwhelming to figure out.
Most people assume that they have to go through all of their products and check which ones are OK, and which ones aren’t. But chances are none of them are. It’s so much less intimidating to seek out a few good lines, and a few trusted retailers, and stick with those instead of engaging in a drawn-out process of elimination.
To these people we say: “Just start by finding a few things you like to replace the products you care the least about and go from there.”
- Oh, but I use Khiel’s [or insert other greenwashed brand].
Honestly, if we had a dollar for every time we heard this… But it’s a great opportunity to explain to someone just how insidious greenwashing/false branding can be.
To these people we say: “Yeah it’s crazy, because language on products isn’t even regulated companies can get away with making all kinds of false claims, including ones about the product’s effectiveness.”
- There are more pressing issues, like what’s in food, water, and the environment.
It’s true, we live in a really polluted world and are exposed to all kinds of chemicals through other routes everyday. But that’s kind of the point.
To these people we say: “Exactly, and this is one of the few routes of exposure that we actually have control over. Why should we knowingly add to our chemical body burden when we don’t have to, and especially with products that are often ineffective?’”
- Is my lipstick really going to hurt me? It’s such tiny amounts.
This argument is a favorite of the pro-chem science community, often referred to as “the dose makes the poison.” It can be very convincing, especially when you’re talking to a toxicologist from inside the industry who has access to information that you don’t (picture us being patronized by these folks when writing the book). And yet, it doesn’t hold water, and there’s a whole other community of scientists that will tell you this: Neurotoxins like lead (which is actually in most lipsticks), and hormone disruptors like phthalates are shown to cause serious detriment even in the tiniest amounts. Ken Cook of the EWG does this great thing when he lectures on the subject, where he compares the often minuscule doses found in some of our most common medications, including the pill and anti-depressants. It’s very effective.
To these people we say: Well, what we just said. It’s kind of a longer discussion.
- Naturals don’t work.
This statement couldn’t be further from the truth, as many a clean beauty convert knows.
To these people we say: “Natural products are often more effective because they use higher levels of active ingredients. Mainstream companies load their products with ineffective fillers in order to cut costs.”
OK, your turn. What do you say to natural beauty naysayers?
Image of the Vogue taken on my iPhone
I often let results speak for themselves. Like, when someone says something about my skin, I take that as an opportunity to be like, “Thanks! I’ve seen such amazing results since switching to all-natural/organic products and not using products with chemical junk.” It’s usually an effective conversation starter! Women always want to know other women’s secrets, right?
Ditto Victoria. People often ask me what I use on my skin and are baffled when I reply ‘coconut oil’ :)
For the real skeptics I ask them how it is that they don’t mind putting chemicals on their skin (lead, windscreen wiper fluid etc). That’s a tough one to answer.
To those who say theydon’t believe it works, I say ‘Don’t diss’ it till you try it!’
Mother Nature knows what she’s doing, the proof is in the pudding :)
I agree with Victoria; let the results speak for themselves. I find that people talk about natural products like others talk about religion. I don’t want to see eyes glaze over and, really, everyone makes discoveries in his or her own time.
I too let results speak for themselves. I have beautiful hair (though I don’t like the colour) and my hairstylist always marvels how it feels. I typically don’t butt in unless it comes up in conversation. No one likes to be told what to use, especially out of the blue.
I also want to say that a pet peeve of mine is saying you don’t use “chemicals” on your face. Water is a chemical. How about using “synthetic chemicals”?
i tend to dare naysayers to google a couple of ingredients (that they don’t recognize) listed on one of their favorite products. that usually scares them enough to be more open about natural beauty. and i agree with victoria, a compliment is a great segue to natural beauty education.
I get arguments from both sides of the street. Some people love to challenge me on my blog because something I mention is low-chemical but not 100% natural or organic or both…even though I admit it in my writing and my blog never claims to be so hardcore as to only do 100% natural everything.
Then I get a lot of people who really feel like they just don’t know what to look for, they don’t want to do the homework behind it, which is why I think they like my blog and seeing what products I review so they don’t have to research it themselves, and also many of them love their old standbys so much, I am not sure some will give them up.
@ Caroline Cain and Victoria: I love you comments.
As for myself a comment I ve often hear when I said how much I love all natural cosmetics \oh, but I am not as sensitive as you are.\ So far I am not soo good in answering back:(
But I thought I can do most by starting an all natural cosmetics blog myself. This way my friends and family and even many other people read it and when they are ready to switch they will :)
Another good one that works is to ask my German familiy and friends to bring me certain cosmetics from Germany when they come and visit me in The Netherlands (my current home) this way they get to know great brands and get interested. What also works is to give away great and luxurious brands like dr.hauschka for friends’ birthdays and for christmas. Once they have tried it they will love it :)
Greets, Liv
I’ve encountered people saying clean/natural is too expensive or somehow elitist. I make the point that clean isn’t necessarily more expensive, there is a range just like with regular products. Also, because things like oils (Kahina argan for example) last so long since you use a tiny amount, it’s not as expensive as it seems. Anyway, why would anyone want a product that contains known (or potentially) harmful ingredients, even if it’s inexpensive?
To keep down cost, I bring up DIY, and sometimes people think it’s too much effort. But most of the people that know me know I’m insanely busy, and if I can manage a bit of DIY it they could too. And I pass on recipes and where to get ingredients.
Even for the women I know that seem to think I’m over the top for going all clean, they like it that I bring my extra stuff and samples I won’t use and give it all away. Even naysayers don’t usually turn down free pretty stuff. I let the products speak for themselves. Sometimes it leads to a great conversation about clean beauty.
Another thing I bring up when people think going clean is too complicated is to say you don’t have to memorize long list of what should or should not be in products. If you read the label and think you couldn’t safely eat it, then don’t put it on your skin.
What I really have trouble with is people who seem so angry that there’s even a clean beauty movement in existence. What’s up with that? I haven’t found any logical arguments that help with that. It’s like people have an emotional button that’s getting pushed and they can’t hear reason. I find myself thinking, “okay, go ahead and enjoy your dirty products, and good luck with the cancer you’ll get later.” I know that’s extreme, and awful, and really not helpful, so I try to just keep that part in my head! Maybe the best thing is something I use in many kinds of situations: If any of the facts are in question, why not err on the side of caution? If there’s a decent reason to suspect an ingredient may be harmful, I find an alternative. We all get to decide on what basis we’ll reject an ingredient. But, some things aren’t in question – like that companies should disclose what is in their products, be truthful in labeling, etc. That’s what I really see the clean beauty movement doing – making it so we can have all the information we need to make the best choices in products.
I told someone once that skin is an organ just like a heart or a kidney. You wouldn’t wash your kidney with bleach would you or pour industrial solvent on your heart? She looked at me like I was bananas!
We say, use natural skin care for thirty days and it will set you free! Simple as that.
@ victoria and Caroline Cain – I like it!
I don’t harass anyone but whenever the opportunity presents itself I will always mention my own health issues and what lead me to take an interest in what I put into and onto my body, then talk about the results. I hate anyone telling me what to do and I figure everyone has their own idea of what is important to them and their own list of priorities for the changes they want to make, just like I did and still do. I struggle with a lot of things, like quitting smoking (no argument from me that it’s a dreadful and dangerous habit) but I recommend people read the NMDL book and make their own decisions. Not many of my friends have embraced the clean movement as wholeheartedly as I have but they are making gradual shifts in their attitudes and purchases. I know it’s clicking with them because I get questions about new lines or for suggestions for hair / acne / make up / whatever.
I’m yet to have a “clean beauty debate” as it seems that beautiful ads and glossy magazine pages are much more enticing than a discussion over questionable ingredients. In one frustrating example, I tried to share my findings and newfound knowledge with a friend (suffering from all and everything/under numerous rx’s and with side effects multiplying at tenfold) that at least one thing she could do was to stop poisoining herself on a daily basis with her beauty care routine(and maybe get rid of more than half of her ailments in the process)… Well ,she polited listened but that was it. She wasn’t interested and I could not press my point any further. Sad,but true.
So if you get into a discussion,you have at least something to go on..
This is a tough one. Most of my friends keep using mainstream products (and I admit, I still use a few myself. Nothing beats Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, nothing!) and aren’t interested in learning more. I think there is a level of fear involved; if I go down this path, where do I stop? Do I have to deny myself a fabulous Chanel lipstick because it isn’t perfect? Should I throw out my non-stick pans (and yes, you should)? Do I have to start buying clothing only made sustainably and in the US? etc etc. It’s hard for people to draw the line and I think most would rather avoid being put in that position.
Have any of you who signed up for the Quarterly subscription service received anything? My credit card was charged in November and now it’s January and still nothing. I’m getting concerned and slightly irritated…
sorry that was not related to this post, but had to ask. I’m with everyone else… let the results speak for themselves. I’ve converted a number of people to the benefits of coconut oil and then hope they convert others and so on..
Most folks I know around here just honestly don’t believe there is anything wrong with their beauty products or cleaning products or microwaving plastic (and on and on…)
I am always posting links to all kinds of book-nerdish stuff and commenting on them on my FB page, so I think some of my friends have started taking some of these issues more seriously. At least, they have become aware of the possibility of toxic things surrounding them.
Big huge ups to my mom who (all on her own) is getting rid of all of the plastic in her kitchen! It took me about a year to convince her to get a FREE recycling can…so this is major progress! I really celebrate with any of my friends who choose to step off the beaten path whether that is with chemicals or how they eat or exercise…whatever it may be.
Great post! This is something that I encounter a lot because none of my friends have transitioned over to natural stuff yet. Many of them are kind of apathetic. The one I hear a lot is “But everything these days gives you cancer.”
Honestly, that’s a hard one to counter because it’s somewhat true: there are always studies coming out about all sorts of things in our life being bad for us. I try to say that while this is true, there are plenty of great alternatives out there for natural cosmetics. While we can’t control everything, this is one place where we can reduce our exposure.
Honestly, I think the most effective thing I do is to give natural cosmetics as gifts. Then you kind of make the choice for them!
@Michelle – thank you for bringing this up! I too am concerned about the Quarterly subscription. I was billed in November and haven’t heard a word since then. Has anyone heard or received anything from them yet? I would love to at least get a status update.
There’s still plenty of time left in the first quarter of the year – why would you be irritated already?
If you didn’t receive anything until the end of Feb it would still fall within the correct time limits. I’m assuming the November billing was for the 1-4 quarters of 2012 which started five days ago. Hold your horses.
Back to the topic, I don’t really worry about whether or not my products are green or not – cruelty-free,sustainable, and affordable are more important for me but I’m a guy who uses three things total so YMMV
@Michelle and @Sophie, I’ve contacted Quarterly a couple of times. One time I got a response that said basically the same thing their website does, which does not correspond to my experience. According to the website, we would receive a package within 3 months of signing up. But, I think what they really mean is that you receive a package within 3 months of being billed (which is ridiculous, in my opinion). They have not yet responded to my request for a clarification and a change in their website to make it obvious what the rules are when you sign up. On 12/30 their message did say I should be receiving something in 2-4 weeks.
Hi ladies-
While not directly related to this specific post, I thought I would give it a try. I emailed Alexandra and Sioban about whether they knew anyone interested in trying tammy fender products (purifying facial cleanser and clarifying dermagel). They suggested I post on the blog to see. Both products are great; I am only parting with them because they have tended to aggravate my allergy prone skin. As the cleanser is 7/8 full and the dermagel 3/4 full, I would hate for them to go to waste! I purchased them new from abc home in manhattan and would sell them for much much less. Please email me if interested. I think it might be a great way for someone interested in the line to try it out at a much lower cost. Thanks! wytheandmetropolitan[at]gmail[dot]com
This is topic of the day for me today. I’m from Indonesia.If you’ve never heard Indonesia,it’s a country where Bali Island is located(remember”eat,pray,& love”,Badger Bali Balm,etc). Yes,I’m from southeast asia. I’ve been converting to this clean beauty products since last year.This kind of clean beauty products is like a new thing in asia.Acces for product is very limited,compared to unclean ones.I rarely see asian beauty blogger who blog about it.Only 1 from singapore by far.In my country,I know that I have other bloggers who are interested about it and another one who seemed in”shock”process and blog about her denial. She seemed so much inspired by Paula Begoun. So,what do you think about Paula Begoun and her product?she looks convincing in some part but at the same time very confusing.. Why does she hate natural product so much and use natural ingredients on her products at the same time????
@ Quarterly.co
I’m glad Michelle brought it up and Sophie and Rebecca commented on. The site’s directions that inquiries should be forwarded to info@quartelry.co are met with silence (I’ve sent three separate inquiries)that are yet to merit a response. It seems that everyone that signed received a confirmation email, had a credit card billed on/around November 12th and a postcard saying that your address had been added to their route. The information that your package would arrive within a month of being billed was also given which is where the *what is going on* part starts. That and the fact that their service works one way only. Works perfectly if you want to sign-in and input your credit card information. I just hope thay can improve their customer service relation part as the service idea itself seemed good enough for all of us to sign in the first place.
@ Rebecca – I am trying to get contact details for Quarterly as I need to change my billing details, could you please share how you managed to get in touch?
@Lynn, I can’t say I’m any kind of authority on Paula Begoun, I have heard of her though. From a quick look at her website, she sells her own line of products that include both what I’d consider “dirty” ingredients (phenoxyethanol, silicones, AHAs) and also plant oils/extracts. She’s hitting a market that wants the good plant stuff, but still includes some of the ingredients people like me won’t use anymore. Looks like “greenwashing” to me. I have never used any of her products so have no opinion about their effectiveness.
Regarding the Quarterly, I received a card saying “hey, your gift is coming REAL SOON” back in November. When I inquired because I’d be out of town for most of December they told me that I should expect the package in the middle of December. I *still* haven’t received it and yes, I’m a bit annoyed because my mail delivery is less than stellar so I never know if it’s a problem on their or my end. However, Quarterly has had some “unfortunately delays” with their packaging, and apparently they’re sending out the stuff next week for us to track. So, by my estimations they ARE one quarter behind, as they charged my card last quarter of 2011 (in early November), expected to send it out in December and just didn’t..
In general I think it’s a bit concerning that a company is perfectly happy to charge me, but then takes 2 MONTHS to deliver the goods. And doesn’t even send out an email to the effect of “we haven’t forgotten you, please hang on”. I’m curious to know when they’ll charge for the next shipment and will probably have to cancel. I can’t afford to have potentially 50$ out there that I haven’t received any good for, for months – then I’d rather spend that money now on stuff I need, now. Annoying because it’s such a good idea!
Re. beauty debates, I really like the fact about how many compounds are ruled out in Europe vs the US – the fact that this field is so unregulated usually makes most people stop and wonder – we wouldn’t accept that kind of zero oversight for our food or medicine..
Sorry,
Hey guys — The Quarterly shipments are coming very soon, we have it on good authority! They were waiting for a missing piece and it’s now done, so sit tight and thanks for the support.
@Rebecca – oops, just found the e-mail address on the website. I’m also concerned as I, too, was charged on 14 November and nothing has arrived yet, but the site states the next issue is due for shipment in about 2 months. To me this isn’t at all a normal payment / delivery schedule so I’ve asked them about it. I’ll share here if I get any response!
The biggest rebuttal I hear is But naturals are too expensive. I can find something that works just fine for way cheaper. i think that the cost is a huge barrier to people becasue they are used to paying cheap prices for cheap ingredients, and they have been conditioned to believe that they need to be squeaky clean to work! Until we can 1) get people to understand the real price of real ingredients (this extends to food, too), they won’t understand why they should pay $20 for a bottle of natural shampoo when they can get Suave Naturals for $2. I like to talk to people about overall price and quality. Yes, this costs $20, etc., but that’s because you’re getting XYZ in the bottle. When you pay $2 for petroleum and other unnatural chemicals, you’re actually paying XYZ times more for dirt cheap chemicals that are used in motor oil and other nasty stuff. Or, when you pay that same $20 for a greenwashed brand, you’re paying for their greenwash marketing…not good ingredients, if you actually look at the label.
@Rebecca:
Thanks for answering to my question.Hmm..yeah,it looks like green washing to me either. You know Rebecca,I’ve been learning about all those nasty chemicals that shouldn’t be there in our cosmetic products but I don’t”understand”this: why some of those nasty chemicals are even given ratings from low to no information on EWG skin deep?for example this link:
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/703937/METHYLPARABEN/
we all know that it’s like all people avoid it(even those who don’t know what unclean beauty is),but you can see on ewg health concern of ingredients box,it’s even none there that related it with cancer. Any idea what ewg uses as their rating based on?This one can give missleading about nasty chemicals that actually we should avoid…
@Lynn, the EWG site is helpful but not perfect. There are plenty of things that just don’t have much information available (like in the link you mention), and the rating system shows that particular chemical at a 5, with a “fair” amount of research to back up that rating. If you read the whole thing, it notes strong evidence that methylparaben is an endocrine disruptor and toxic to skin (I personally have a skin reaction to parabens). They cite sources so you could follow up if you don’t buy their conclusions. Even if there’s no association with cancer specifically, that doesn’t mean it’s healthy for you. Anyway, the site isn’t perfect – on EWG there might be products rated low that are dangerous, because of a lack of info. Or products rated high even if they are safe, because they have questionable ingredients lists that are hard to evaluate by EWG’s system. Did you check out their info about how to use the site? If not you can start here: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/site/about.php. I used the site a lot when I was first figuring this stuff out – now I mostly just go with the “if I don’t want to eat it, I’m not putting it on my skin” rule. Good luck with your process!
Oh, and on the Quarterly thing, I think they are running their process terribly and the customer service sucks. I guess they are new, so maybe I’ll give them some time to get themselves together. My love for NMDL eclipses my extreme annoyance with Quarterly, so I’ll just look forward to getting a package soon.
On Quarterly.co,
It seems that someone from Team Quarterly got wind of our exchanges… Quarterly emailed me this afternoon – in response to an email I sent on December 7th :) where they say that the first NMDL package will be shipped next week.
Let’s see how it turns out..
These responses are really helpful! I actually just bought the book (SO EXCITED), and I’m hoping it will better prepare me for the endless questions and nay-saying that natural beauty users/bloggers face.
The most frequently asked question I get is, “How can you afford it?”
I usually tell them that since I review products on my blog, I’m lucky enough to get most of the natural products I use free of charge, but that a few simple, inexpensive ingredients are really all they need to change their routine entirely (such as coconut and grape seed oils, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and a few essential oils).
People also often ask about my all time favorite moisturizer/cleanser/etc.
To this, I almost always steer them towards Karen’s Botanicals.
I almost always here “well, everything is bad for you. so who cares?” or something along the lines of that. People seem to think I’m over cautious or a bit obsessed when it comes to reading the ingredient labels on beauty products. I’ve tried to spread the word, but have only had a few takers. It’s frustrating that nobody seems to care or be concerned. Perhaps those who aren’t very health conscious could be persuaded financially. Consumers spend tons of money on products that don’t do squat— they’re nothing but bottles of overpriced crappy chemicals! Anyway, I would love to see natural beauty go mainstream. I would be so happy :)
I start with the basics. “Try to avoid silicons and parabens.” That’s a good starting point, because there are quite a few non-natural products that don’t include those anymore and it makes it easier for people to get used to the whole natural thing. Once they proudly come to you saying “I bought this and it says no silicones!” you can say “Wow, that’s great! It still includes alcohol, mineral oil and glycerin, but that’s a great start.” Normally people are curious and will be interested in learning about these new bad ingredients. And once they are kinda convinced that natural beauty is the better option, just buy them NMDL :)
“To these people we say: “Yeah it’s crazy, because language on products isn’t even regulated companies can get away with making all kinds of false claims, including ones about the product’s effectiveness.””
But you would be wrong. Language on cosmetic packaging is regulated – by the FDA. Enforced…no. But the latest effort is the claim that a product is “anti-aging”. Why? Because that can’t happen with cosmetics — cosmetics effect appearance – nothing else. If the cosmetic claims to actually change the skin itself – then they are drugs and drugs and drug claims are regulated by the FDA. Checking a product on “Skin Deep” doesn’t help either — the companies listed there as the ‘ones to buy’ are just as guilty of making false and illegal claims as the brands they warn against.
“To these people we say: “Natural products are often more effective because they use higher levels of active ingredients. Mainstream companies load their products with ineffective fillers in order to cut costs.””
This statement shocks me the most — and I would have expected more from you ladies. The word natural is the most abused term in the cosmetic industry. Products claiming to be natural often have the exact same basic formulas as those that aren’t. The term “active ingredients” in the area of cosmetics is reserved for drugs – period. If a cosmetic has what is legally known as an “active ingredient” then it is a drug. Often the only difference between a commercial/national brand and one made in a small crafters kitchen is the amount of safety testing and the ingredient(s) included in the formula for safe preservation. Many crafters never check to see if their ingredients are safe from bacteria, viruses or mold before formulationg or check their formulas to make sure they are shelf safe. They just follow a recipe they find on the internet, buy the ingredients from the supplier, and add the MOST preservative they can and hope the product is safe. At no stage of formulation is that product safe nor is it manufactured according to FDA “Good Manufacturing Practices”. So a side-by-side comparison of the ingredients is not giving the consumer the full story. That said, consumers can do their homework and find the products that are the most natural or the most free of ingredients of concern – and should. Because often the products they select help in the larger issues related to supporting our agricultural industries, sustainability, and lessening the negative impact on the environment. Years ago I founded the Natural Ingredient Resource Center (www.naturalingredient.org) in order to promote the use of natural ingredients – and define exactly what they are. Not because they are “active ingredients” – often the man made, synthetic will have a far greater effect on the skin because they are formulates soley for that activity – but because they are better for the environment, and because they offer an alternative to synthetics and most importantly, and alternative to petrochemical ingredients.
There are enough REAL reasons to opt for sustainable & natural ingredients without making false claims for them. We do not absorb most things that are put on the skin — in contrast to the claims made otherwise. If we did, we’d all be dead. MOST toxins in our bodies come from the food we eat and drink, and the air we breathe – not our cosmetics. But everything we put into the air in the form of fragrance and outgassing from ingredients and manufacturing, and everything we wash down the drain – goes into our environment along with the trash we add to the landfills.
Personally I avoid synthetic fragrance as my number one ingredient — one that actually can be life threatening and which is always polluting the air (pthalate free or not).
@ Lynn: Any idea what ewg uses as their rating based on?
The website has a list of where they pulled their actual data from. Then they use a formula to determine the score for the ingredient or the finished product. Then the cosmetic companies start using their “ZERO” score to market their products as 100% nontoxic and safe. The problem is — the zero often means zero DATA was used.
It’s like taking a test and not getting any answers wrong so you are given an A. Then, another person skips the test but is also given an A…she never got any answers wrong either — but not because she is smart — because she is absent!
There are NO ingredients in cosmetics that are completely untested. None. Now many of this information is the result of millions of dollars of research so naturally, it’s not just out there in the public. Think of a formula as an invention, and the inventor is not going to share their data with the competition. So the sources that Skin Deep pulled from are NOT all the data that exists.
So that is the first problem with Skin Deep – the “ZERO” score being use to mean zero risk AND zero data. AND the companies they push at consumers are guilty of misrepresenting their scores with no penalty from Skin Deep.
Next, Skin Deep rates ingredients that do not even exist or the same ingredient by a different brand name, with different scores. The best way to get a “zero risk” rating for your ingredients – make typos on your label…no harm, no foul.
Skin Deep was formed with the goal of making many commercial products “look” hazardous to the public. It is no different from a drug company leaving out the results that showed their drug did not work, or actually harmed people. They make sure to find things that showed harm and included that data…and left out the rest.
It also unfairly demonizes many natural ingredients. Why? An ingredient that does nothing…which is the case for many cosmetic ingredients…also does nothing harmful. The more an ingredient does…the greater the chance someone will have a negative reaction, too. But Skin Deep does not factor in risk vs benefit. It is an all risk database — benefits are not weighed in at all. Yes, there are some essential oils that some people are allergic to. But that same essential oil can have wonderful skin care benefits. Benefit outweighs risk for the majority of the population. Imagine a world where the drug industry only listed the side effects and not the benefits of a drug. That is Skin Deep in reverse – all risk and no benefit. Reality is in between.