As an Amazon Associate and Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Greenwashing is when the brand wants you to think their products are natural, organic, eco-friendly, sustainable, or “green” when they are not! When they are hiding dirty, cheap, harmful, and polluting ingredients behind deceiving claims! They are misleading consumers using their marketing tactics with deceiving claims and images and packaging that evokes imaginary eco-friendliness: for example green packing, natural background, and unproven claims without appropriate certifications.
Learn here from Natureperdic Organic Mattress.
Greenwashing is a marketing strategy that companies use to make their products or services appear more environmentally friendly than they actually are. It involves using misleading or vague language, imagery, or claims about a product’s environmental impact or sustainability credentials to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. Greenwashing can range from using ambiguous terms like “natural” or “eco-friendly” to outright false claims of environmental benefits. This practice can be misleading and deceptive, giving consumers a false sense of security that they are making environmentally conscious choices when they are not.
Instead of continuing to buy products from large corporations that are bombarding us with their tricky marketing schemes using expensive celebrity faces and hiding their conventional (and toxic) products in deceptive packaging, claiming such nonsense as “clean” “pure” “natural” “fresh” high quality” “green” blah blah blah…
We need to pay attention to the labels, not on the front, but on the back, where the ingredients are usually listed. We need to judge a brand by their commitment to eco-friendly packaging and the transparency of their products.
That means it is not enough to have a product claiming to be fragrance-free when the rest is toxic or to have only one organic ingredient in something and the rest is garbage.
Here is my response to them: “I am not buying your lies and will support small, honest companies that make safer products because they have a passion. They don’t have to pay high salaries to their corporate managers so they can focus on quality over cheap and quantity. Or expensive celebrity testimonials.”
🌿Greenwashing: Claims of “clean,” “green,” and “natural,” without certification are suspicious.
Certified organic matters because too many companies in the cosmetics industry are selling us their not-so-clean products, cheap ingredients, with a lack of transparency. That’s why we need to pick products that are certified organic by the USDA.
I support USDA Certified Organic brands that are transparent in their practices, by listing all their ingredients on their website and products, eco-friendly packaging such as recyclable glass bottles, and 100% PCR paper cartons.
🍃 I agree with Intelligent Nutrients’ mission: ”We believe that everything we do makes a world of difference. Beauty isn’t just looking good–it’s about cultivating a brighter tomorrow.
We do the best we can until we can do better. One choice at a time.”
💖 By switching to USDA Certified Organic skincare, we show the greenwashing companies they have to do better. Also, our skin, beauty, and health will be finally at their best and we feel good by making a difference for the planet.
I don't recommend Babo Botanicals Baby Balm
Babo Botanicals once founded in 2010 by Kate Solomona, a young mother looking for safe and natural products for her children. It was bought out later by Laboratoires Expanscience
which plans to access the US market for its other brand Mustella.
The goal of Babo Botanicals' purchase is to accelerate Mustela's growth in the U.S.
They are reformulating Babo Botanicals products using lower-quality ingredients, getting closer to Mustella's cheaper quality.
I don't recommend this product since it has the California Proposition 65 warning, which means it is toxic, plus it is cheaply made in China.
It smells bad and who wants to breathe chemicals?
Also, 3M is the creator of the PFAS the forever chemicals found in the Teflon. You can learn more here.
I dot recommend Burt's Bee: Greenwashing
Clorox, a company that makes bleach and countless other chemicals, bought Burt’s Bees in 2007 for an astounding $925M. Burt was even bought out of any ownership in his company in 1999 in exchange for a house valued at only $130,000 and some other minor compensation!
Plus Burt's Bees has been independently tested and they found PFAS in their products.
According to consumer safety:
"Burt’s Bees Products Company and the Clorox Company have been accused of manufacturing cosmetic products containing “forever chemicals”. This accusation follows similar complaints about a number of long-lasting and waterproof makeup products from multiple manufacturers including Loreal, and Maybelline. Cover Girl and others."
In addition to previous lawsuits filed against national cosmetics companies, Burt’s Bees and Clorox may be facing a new round of lawsuits over its failure to disclose that some of its makeup or cosmetic products contain polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known to be toxic to humans. PFAS have also become known as “forever chemicals” as they do not break down easily, either in the environment or in the body and stick around “forever”
A class-action lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The lawsuit claims the products have been independently tested and found to contain PFAS which are not listed on product labeling and that the company used false or deceptive advertising.
✅ Family-owned businesses versus big corporations! 🔎Reading the label is the most powerful tool that we the consumers have! It can help us decide if the products are safe and allow us to shape the market by demanding safer alternatives! By reading labels, it becomes apparent we can trust and support smaller family-owned businesses. 🔎Why? Because often, big corporations’ main interest is to be profitable at the expense of the environment, workers, and us--the consumers. Some have been selling us cheap, unsafe products, full of fragrances, and misleading us by giving us the impression their products are good for us! Since we are demanding transparency and safer products, big companies started to make new natural products, mostly because they want to avoid losing profits after realizing consumers are moving toward healthier products! 🔎How clean are their natural products? They do it by adding only one natural ingredient or removing just one toxic element from their inexpensive formulations, but their products can still remain cheap and unsafe! They might also use the greenwashing strategy, to cover up their dirty secrets, so be sure to read the labels on the back carefully and skip their marketing claims on the front of the packaging! 💚On the other hand, family-owned businesses are created by real people, who might have seen something lacking in the market, some could not find natural and safe products to be used safely by their family, so they made what was missing! Thanks to their problem-solving skills and the need to do better, they came up with organic, safer, and eco-friendly products that we all can enjoy. 💻My marketing and business studies background allows me to differentiate real from misleading claims! After 10 years of studying and analyzing every product label I could read, I learned that many safer and healthier products on the market are made by smaller family-owned businesses! 💖Here the “eco-friendly” brands owned by large corporations.
I don't recommend Babo Botanicals Hand Soap
Babo Botanicals once founded in 2010 by Kate Solomona a young mother looking for safe, and natural products for her children. It was bought out later by Laboratoires Expanscience
They are reformulating Babo Botanicals products using lower-quality ingredients getting closer to Mustella's cheaper quality.
I don't recommend Cocokind chlorophyll discoloration serum.
Cocokind started as a very clean brand years ago (2015). It was making amazing organic face products made with simple organic ingredients such as organic chlorophyll masks, face oils, rosewater, and other facial products. I used to buy them.
Now it is a greenwashing brand offering not-so-safe products full of controversial ingredients. They added more and more synthetic ingredients.
INGREDIENTS: water/eau, butylene glycol, glycerin, triethyl citrate, pentylene glycol, panthenol (1), fructooligosaccharides, alpha-arbutin, beta vulgaris (beet) root extract, phenoxyethanol, hydroxyethylcellulose, camellia oleifera leaf extract, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, ethylhexylglycerin, glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract, hyaluronic acid, biosaccharide gum-1, chlorophyllin-copper complex (2), citric acid, maltodextrin.
❌ Ethylhexylglycerin: highly relevant, sensitizer in 'hypo-allergenic' cosmetics. To report on 13 patients who presented with allergic contact dermatitis caused by ethylhexylglycerin.
I don't recommend Burt's Bees Serum since it is owned by Clorox.
Clorox, a company that makes bleach and countless other chemicals, bought Burt’s Bees in 2007 for an astounding $925 M. Burt was even bought out of any ownership in his company in 1999 in exchange for a house valued at only $130,000 and some other minor compensation! Plus, Burt's Bees has been independently tested, and they found PFAS in their products.
"Burt’s Bees Products Company and the Clorox Company have been accused of manufacturing cosmetic products containing “forever chemicals”. This accusation follows similar complaints about a number of long-lasting and waterproof makeup products from multiple manufacturers, including L'Oréal and Maybelline. Cover Girl and others."
In addition to previous lawsuits filed against national cosmetics companies, Burt’s Bees and Clorox may be facing a new round of lawsuits over their failure to disclose that some of their makeup or cosmetic products contain polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known to be toxic to humans. PFAS have also become known as “forever chemicals” as they do not break down easily, either in the environment or in the body, and stick around “forever”
I don't recommend this Garden of Life Vegan Omega since it is owned by Nestle
INGREDIENTS: PureAlgaeOmega3™ Triglyceride Algal Oil. Other Ingredients: Non-GMO PlantGel™ Softgel, Non-GMO Citrus Flavor, Non-GMO Rosemary Extract.
Fiji Water has been accused of greenwashing through misleading marketing claims about its environmental impact. It was sued for misleading. Sued for Microplastics Contamination (January 2024)
I don't recommend Fiji Water since it keeps having Recalls and serves its water in plastic bottles.
Natural Waters of Viti Limited is recalling nearly 1.9 million bottles of Fiji Natural Artesian Water, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
The recall was for Manganese and bacterial contaminations. The test found that the Fiji bottled water contained manganese and three kinds of bacteria, which may cause health risks for the human body. The recall by Natural Waters of Viti Limited was first issued in March but was announced late last week. For more detailed information, click here to read on.
🤢Avoid these toxic cooking oils! They are the most unhealthy oils you could get. Plus they are all packed in plastic bottles! ❌Highly processed, GMOs, too high in omega-6 cheap to make and highly toxic, extracted with the neuro-toxins hexane. I avoid all these inflammatory oils: 👉Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, vegetable oil blends, peanut oil, sunflowers, and safflower oil! I strictly avoid restaurants that use these oils! If you don’t know which oil they are using, ask your restaurant! We all deserve healthier options!
✅The best alternative is: USDA Certified Organic, unrefined, expeller-pressed: Certified Organic Extra Virgin olive oil 🥥Certified Organic Virgin Coconut oil 🥑Cold pressed avocado oil 🧈Grass fed butter and ghee
I don't recommend L. Organic® Brand Organic Tampons because they are facing lawsuits from multiple women. The lawsuits allege:
Class Action: L. ‘100% Organic’ Tampons Contain Non-Organic Ingredients. They contain the non-organic ingredients polyester, glycerin, paraffin, and titanium dioxide.
Inc., a Procter & Gamble marking them greenwashing!
I don't recommend this New Chapter Wholemega Fish Oil Supplement
New Chapter, a prominent vitamin and supplement brand, was acquired by Procter & Gamble (P&G) in 2012.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) has faced criticism for greenwashing practices, particularly after its acquisition of New Chapter in 2012.
P&G has been criticized for its role in the "tree-to-toilet" pipeline, particularly regarding its sourcing of pulp from Canada's boreal forest for products like Charmin toilet paper. Despite claims of sustainability, the company has been accused of contributing to deforestation and degradation of intact forests.
Greenwashing
They were bought out by Unilever, Unilever sells approximately 1,700 plastic sachets per second, amounting to an estimated 53 billion sachets in 2023. Unilever has faced significant scrutiny over allegations of greenwashing.
INGREDIENTS: Tapioca Starch, Baking Soda (not in the sensitive range), Sunflower Seed Wax, Cocoa Seed Butter, Tocopherol Acetate, Capric Glycerides, Coconut Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Triethyl Citrate, Sunflower Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Magnesium Hydroxide, Zinc Ricinoleate, Rice Starch (only in the sensitive range), plus fragrance.
❌ Fragrance: toxic mix of undisclosed ingredients
❌ Magnesium Hydroxide: Suspected nano-scale ingredients with the potential to absorb into the skin. Avoid or minimize skin exposure. Restricted in cosmetics. Magnesium hydroxide has also been found to be a skin sensitizer. (Source)
❌ Not recommended: conventional= toxic
I don't recommend Alba Botanica Sunscreens
Not only it is not organic, but it is also full of toxic ingredients. According to EWG: "Twelve other ingredients were proposed as not generally recognized as safe and effective due to insufficient data. The brand has been also suited for greenwashing: part of Hain Celestial Group. In November 2013, Hain Celestial became one of 25 companies targeted in an ongoing class action lawsuit regarding allegations of falsely labeling their personal care products (including Celestial Seasonings) as 'organic' under California law (California Products Act of 2003) to mislead consumers into purchasing them.
INGREDIENTS: Active Ingredients: Avobenzone - 3%, Homosalate - 10%, Octocrylene - 10%, Octisalate - 5% Inactive Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Butyloctyl Salicylate, Dodecane, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Pentastearate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Behenyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (1), Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Citric Acid, Decane, Dimethylhydroxy Furanone, Nonanal, Nonane, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Solanum Tuberosum (Potato) Starch, Sorbitan Olivate, Terpinel Acetate, Vanillin, Alcohol (1), Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene
I don't recommend Seventh Generation Non-Chlorine Bleach
Seventh Generation was bought by Unilever in 2016. Unilever is one of the largest corporations in the world.
Unilever sells approximately 1,700 plastic sachets per second, amounting to an estimated 53 billion sachets in 2023. Unilever has faced significant scrutiny over allegations of greenwashing.
They claim to be “eco-friendly” and “safe” when they are owned by Unilever, which owns other toxic and polluting brands such as Axe and Dove, responsible for creating toxic rivers and for polluting communities in countries like India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Unilever is responsible for toxic mercury contamination; it is one of the top ten global plastic polluters (by BreakFreeFromPlastic), promoted toxic (and racist) skin lighteners, and participated in violence against striking workers.
Plus, they still use a lot of plastic containers, which are cheaper for them and more toxic for us and the environment.
I don't recommend Garden of Life protein powder. This brand belongs to Nestle now, a large corporation with other not eco-friendly products. I prefer supporting smaller brands listed on this page!
There have been allegations that Garden of Life engaged in:
These allegations led to concerns about the accuracy of Garden of Life's marketing and labeling practices.
In 2017, Garden of Life was acquired by Nestlé for $2.3 billion. This acquisition by a large multinational corporation raised concerns among some consumers about:
Hello is owned by COLGATE. Controversial ingredients.
Hello has been the subject of multiple class action lawsuits alleging false advertising of its toothpaste products:
A $1.5 million class action settlement was reached in 2022 over claims that Hello falsely advertised its charcoal toothpastes as safe and effective. The lawsuit alleged that the charcoal in the toothpaste may actually lead to enamel erosion and make teeth more vulnerable to stains and decay.
Hello Toothpastes Falsely Advertised as Free of Artificial Sweeteners
INGREDIENTS: active ingredient: sodium monofluorophosphate 0.76% (0.15% w/v fluoride ion)
inactive ingredients: sorbitol, purified water, Hydrated silica, glycerin, xylitol, calcium carbonate, xanthan gum, flavor, titanium dioxide, coconut oil, Cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium cocoyl glutamate, stevia rebaudiana extract, and tea tree oil
❌ GREENWASHING:
Sorbitol: can cause adverse gastrointestinal effects.
fluoride ion: As I mentioned above I don't recommend Fluoride on your toothpaste: Risks from ingesting fluoride toothpaste include permanent tooth discoloration (dental fluorosis), stomach ailments, acute toxicity, skin rashes (perioral dermatitis), impairment in glucose metabolism.
titanium dioxide: Proven toxic when ingested, Unbound particles of respirable size listed as a Carcinogen: California Proposition 65 warning
flavor: a mysterious combination of unknown ingredients, just like fragrance
This brand is owned by Unilever. Unilever is one of the largest corporations in the world.
This product has harsh ingredients.
INGREDIENTS:
Aqua, laureth-6, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium citrate, glycerin, sodium chloride, oleic acid, sodium hydroxide, calcium chloride, citric acid, protease, amylase, mannanase, benzisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, aroma
❌ GREENWASHING, POLLUTING, GREAT MARKETING
Water, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, C12-16 Pareth, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Salts of C12-18 Fatty Acids, C10-16 Alkyldimethylamine Oxide, Sodium Borate, Sodium Formate, Alcohol, Polyethyleneimine Alkoxylated, Subtilisin, Amylase Enzyme, Cellulase Enzyme