Definition: No parabens, SLS, petroleum, mineral oil, phthalates, formaldehyde or synthetic fragrances are used in any of the products in this collection.
What qualifies for this guarantee?
This guarantee is only attainable for BEAUTY and CANDLE brands who can demonstrate their products are free of harmful ingredients.
What supporting evidence do I need?
- Full ingredients list on the care & information section of your product descriptions
- Testing certificate or third party certification which demonstrates the safety of the product and its ingredients
Why is this important?
We care about how we feed our body so surely we should care about what we put on our body? As the organic and whole foods industries have skyrocketed people are starting to adopt a holistic approach, examining what they put on their skin, and feeding it both inside and out. After all, it is our largest organ, with a percentage of our products sinking into the deep layers of the skin and even the bloodstream.
Additional Information:
Breakdown of each ingredient
Parabens: A synthetic preservative that can be disruptive to important physiological processes in the body additionally they have a mildly oestrogenic effect on the body, potentially causing topical skin reactions for some people. They are not approved by any natural certification.
SLS: Known as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). They are used as surfactants and emulsifiers, found in a variety of skin and body care products from body wash to foundation. A “foaming agent” which can be tough on the skin as it upsets the protective layer of oils and makes the skin more permeable to other ingredients. Often associated with eczema outbreaks. SLS is approved for use under the COSMOS certification, SLES is not approved under any certification.
Mineral Oil & Petroleum: A by-product of the crude oil industry meaning it is a non-renewable resource. It is often used as a base and doesn’t do much for your skin, it is very inexpensive yet crops up in many of the most expensive products in large quantities.
On the label: Paraffinum liquidum, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Petroleum
Phthalates: Compounds used in the production of plastics. Dibutyl phthalate (DHP) and diethyl phthalate (DEP) are known endocrine disruptors.
Formaldehyde: Not knowingly added to skin care products but under certain conditions, some ingredients can release small amounts into end products. Ingredients that have the potential to release formaldehyde in the correct conditions are: sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, DMDM hydantoin, Quaternium 15, Imidazolidinyl, diazolidinyl or polyoxymethylene urea
Synthetic Fragrances:
Often labelled simply as “fragrance” this ingredient can legally hide hundreds of synthetic chemicals without stating what the ingredients are. More than 95% of chemicals in synthetic fragrances are derived from petrochemicals. Researchers have found more than 75% of ‘fragrances’ contain phthalates (see above). Even packaging that states 'fragrance-free' can use fragrance to mask chemical smells, making it essential to read the labels.