You have superpowers!
Your power is your knowledge! Because deep down, true power comes from knowledge and the conquest of a freedom that will allow you to say: "I no longer know which brand I bought, but I remember very well why I bought it!" A nightmare for advertisers and a dream for revolutionaries... so reveal your superpowers thanks to the first decoder of the dream machine... in other words, learn here to spot the TRUE from the FALSE, and to precisely decode the typical greenwashing phrases applied to cosmetic formulas you may encounter on your path as a "naive shopper." Naive, but not for long!
3,2,1… Transcoder activated, revelations imminent!
Greenwashing Alert #1: "Care with 100% natural origin anti-aging active ingredient"
Only one anti-aging active ingredient is natural, that’s what is displayed. But what about the rest of the formula? The other active ingredients? Nothing. The emulsifiers? None. The fats (oils...) ? Zero. The antioxidants: Nothing. No details about naturalness are communicated except this headline. I’ll let you guess why, the rest of the formula must not be that natural...
Transcoder diagnosis: if there is a percentage, it must concern the entire formula and not just one or a few active ingredients.
Greenwashing Alert #2: "A gentle cream with organic cornflower extract"
At this simple mention, I already see myself lying in my shopping cart, on a mattress of cornflowers smelling of pure and innocent nature... Fortunately, my transcoder snaps me out of my dream and alerts me to a detail: is there a more precise description of the rest of the formula? A percentage of organic ingredients among all the components of this luxurious care? Obviously not, and believe me, this is no oversight on their part...
Transcoder diagnosis: behind the tree, the forest is often not so green. Again, you have to look at all the ingredients and not just one.
Greenwashing Alert #3: "My rejuvenating cream is NATURAL"
This is blunt marketing and outright a violation of regulations. How many times on websites, catalogs (but curiously rarely on packaging) have I seen this claim which is as clear as... false. Indeed, a product labeled "Natural" must contain at least 95% ingredients of natural origin and be certified by an independent organization. Yet this is very rarely the case.
Transcoder diagnosis: if a brand communicates about its naturalness, look for naturalness percentages or certifications by independent organizations. If you don’t find them: run away!
Greenwashing Alert #4: "Certified ORGANIC product – rated excellent on Yuka"
Watch out for the trap! This claim is correct provided, of course, that the product is truly certified and that the app really delivers this rating. But read carefully...
Yes, the word product is singular, without an "S": so it only refers to one product. You know the rest... Too many brands base their communication on a single product and unfortunately, it works!
At Novexpert, marketing aside, our high standards won’t allow us to tolerate this. ALL our products are rated EXCELLENT by Yuka, not just a small sample...
Transcoder diagnosis: behind the throne, the communicating queen or king is naked...
Greenwashing Alert #5: "Not tested on animals"
I can’t resist adding this to denounce this claim without kindness. Totally relevant more than 10 years ago (when cosmetics were still tested on animals), this claim is now useless and even banned in Europe because it’s misleading. Why? Because it has been forbidden to test cosmetic formulas on animals since 2004 in Europe.
Transcoder diagnosis: consumers still need reassurance on this, but companies that base most of their marketing on this claim deserve the prize... for bad faith!
So be active in your beauty... and your health!
At Novexpert, our ambition is not just to be simple beauty makers but to become true knowledge bearers. I hope this short article has awakened your curiosity and sparked your critical thinking, not forgetting that the dollar is also... green!
Feel free to explore our website and social networks, they contain many tools to help you discover the behind-the-scenes of science: IGTV, decoding INCI names on our product sheets, active ingredient percentages, and more.
The essentials
"100% natural origin active ingredient," "organic plant extract"... The cosmetic market is flooded by a green wave that seems to turn all care products into natural products. I used the verb "seem" because appearances are sometimes, or too often, deceptive... The purpose of this article is therefore to help you sharpen your critical mind so you don’t become a sheep of greenwashing. A quick preview? If a brand highlights ONE natural origin active ingredient, why doesn’t it talk about the rest of the formula? Because it probably isn’t very proud of it...
Explore our iconic skincare and dietary supplements, ultra-concentrated in active ingredients and 100% natural origin.
