Every day, we see “greener” products for our families and the planet. We see “environmentally-safe” products and green labels coming at us in magazines, on TV and at the grocery store. What do those product labels mean? What is the difference between “natural” and organic”?

You might expect a product labeled “pure and natural” to be, well … pure and natural. You might be in for a surprise.

Unlike the food industry, there are no legal standards for organic or natural personal care products. Beauty products are not a food or a drug. Companies may, and often do, use these terms as marketing gimmicks known as “greenwashing”. Greenwashing is when a company misleads consumers about the environmental benefits of a product or service.

For example, the top-selling shampoo in the United States is Clairol Herbal Essences. They market themselves as “natural”. However, there isn’t much about this product that is either herbal or organic; it contains more than a dozen synthetic chemicals derived from petroleum.

As A Consumer, How Do I Shop Smart?

1. Watch for “Certified Organic” labels
2. Remember that “natural” is a marketing term, not a legally binding description
3. Try to live by the motto “If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, don’t buy it”
4. Purchase handmade body products from sites like Etsy.com