Have You Been Greenwashed? Let EWG Be Your Guide.

Don't feel bad if you said "yes", I almost fell for one the other day despite years of label reading. Green washers are great at making you feel their product is safe. The skincare industry in the U.S. allows for over 1000 ingredients that are banned in Europe, with no regulations concerning full ingredient disclosures. This translates to toxic laden products that are responsible for a host of health concerns from allergies to cancer. Read on to learn more about how the EWG label can steer you towards safe and clean skincare products.

In my case, I almost purchased an oil by a company that had "Organics" in their name thinking the product was organic. This is greenwashing at it's best. After careful review, I found no organic ingredients on the label, or no certifying label verifying it was organic. Many companies use the words "all natural" to attract you, and have ingredients like Retinyl palmitate that is well known to promote cancer cell growth. The most common toxic ingredient we often see has a blanket term; "fragrance". This term is exempt by U.S. law for full ingredient disclosure, and can potentially contain numerous harsh chemicals. One of which are phthalates. This is a plasticizer that helps soften our plastic raincoats, and kids toys and is responsible for disrupting endocrine system leading to early puberty, fertility problems, and even cause birth defects. "Fragrance" is also one of the top 5 known allergens and can be found in everything from skincare, cleaning supplies, candles, and most notably; perfume.

Don't take my word for it. Check out individual ingredients or products by name on a database provided by the Environmental Working Group. www.ewg.org/skindeep Here, you will find all you need to know about the products in your life including; toothpaste, sunscreen, baby products, shaving cream, aftershave, lotions, and anything else used for your skin. They also have an "EWG Verified" mark, making it easier to make a safe choice when purchasing.

Our goal at Vermont Skincare Company is to have all of our products with the prestigious "EWG Verified" mark. We hope to earn your respect as we all navigate through this life trying to make the best choices for ourselves, and our families.

With a little digging you may realize you have products that are doing you more harm than good, and learn more to find products that give you what you need. Not to mention giving you peace of mind as you wash your baby's hair, or apply a full body moisturizer. Nature has given us all we need, the goal is to not get distracted by the green washing ploys, check the label, and buy with confidence!