The essentials:
“100% natural active ingredient”, “organic plant extract”. The cosmetic market is submerged by a green wave which seems to transform all treatments into natural products. I used the verb “to seem” because appearances are sometimes, even too often, deceptive… The purpose of this article is therefore to help you sharpen your critical thinking so as not to transform yourself into a greenwashing sheep. A little preview ? If a brand highlights ONE active ingredient of natural origin, why doesn't it talk about the rest of the formula? Because she must not be very proud of it...
You have superpowers!
Your power is your knowledge! Because deep down, true power comes through knowledge and the conquest of a freedom that will allow you to say: “I don’t know what brand I bought, but I remember very well why I bought it! ". An advertiser's nightmare and a revolutionary's dream... so reveal your superpowers thanks to the 1er decoder of the dream machine... in short, learn here to spot the TRUE from the FALSE, and to precisely decode standard sentences greenwashing applied to cosmetic formulas that you may encounter on your journey as a “naive shopper”. Naive, but not for long!
3,2,1… Transcoder activated, revelations imminent!
Greenwashing Alert No. 1: “Care with anti-aging active ingredients of 100% natural origin”
Only one anti-aging active ingredient is natural, that’s what is displayed. But the rest of the formula? The other assets? Nada. Emulsifiers? Niet. Fatty substances (oils.)? Zero. Antioxidants: Nothing. No details on naturalness are communicated apart from this headliner. I'll let you guess why, the rest of the formula shouldn't be so natural...
Transcoder diagnostics: if there is a percentage, it must concern the entire formula and not one or a few assets.
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 blueberries smelling of virgin and innocent nature... Fortunately, my transcoder takes me out of my dream and alerts me to a detail: there is- Is there a more precise description of the rest of the formula? A percentage of organic ingredients among all the components of this voluptuous treatment? Obviously no and believe me it’s not an oversight on their part…
Transcoder diagnostics: behind the tree, the forest is often not so green. Here again, you have to look at all the ingredients and not just one.
Greenwashing Alert #3: “My youth cream is NATURAL”
This is ax marketing and a downright violation of regulations. How many times on sites and catalogs (but curiously rarely on packaging) have I seen this mention which is as clear as… false.Indeed, a so-called “Natural” product must contain at least 95% ingredients of natural origin and be certified by an independent organization. But this is very rarely the case.
Transcoder diagnosis: if a brand communicates its naturalness, look for naturalness percentages, or certifications by independent organizations. If you can't find them: run away!
Greenwashing Alert #4: “Certified ORGANIC product – rated excellent on Yuka”
Beware of trap! This mention is correct provided of course that the product is certified and that the app actually delivers this evaluation. But reread carefully…
Yes, the word product is without “S”, it is in the singular: we are therefore only talking about one product. You know the rest... Far too many brands focus their communication on a single product and that unfortunately works!
At Novexpert, too bad for marketing, our high standards cannot make us tolerate this. ALL our products are rated EXCELLENT by Yuka and not just a small sample…
Transcoder diagnosis: behind the throne, the communicating queen or king are naked…
Greenwashing Alert #5: “Not tested on animals”
I cannot resist completing this anthology to denounce this mention without kindness. Totally relevant more than 10 years ago (at the time when cosmetics were still tested on animals), this claim is now useless and even banned in Europe because it is misleading. For what ? Because it has been forbidden to test cosmetic formulas on animals since 2004 in Europe.
Transcoder diagnostics: the consumer still needs to be reassured on this subject but companies that focus most of their marketing on this mention deserve the prize... for bad faith!
So take responsibility for your beauty… and your health!
At Novexpert, our ambition is not to be simple makers of beauty but to become true transmitters of knowledge. I hope that this short article will have awakened your curiosity and stirred up your critical thinking while not forgetting that the dollar is also... green in color!
Don't hesitate to wander around our site and our social networks, they contain many weapons to help you discover behind the scenes of science: IGTV, decoding of INCI names on our product sheets, percentages of assets, etc. .
