If you’re an internet tragic like me you probably spent a good part of February (or was it March????) laughing at the Sh*t people say on you tube.  Well, I think it is about time we called out something closer to home – yes people, it’s time for the  top ten Sh*t  things that natural product brands say Oscars.  Drum Roll Please……

• 100% of all of the chemicals you put onto your skin are absorbed (Well, that’s thousands of years of evolution down the drain then.  Skin…. Why do we even bother ?)
• If you can’t pronounce an ingredients name it is probably toxic. (Excuse me while I vomit…. Are we all 5?)
• This product contains no petrochemicals  (Fair call for some of you but could the guys with the Cocomidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Sorbate and cheap Glycerine please stand up?)
• Free from palm oil (yeh ’cause by replacing palm oil feedstock for  jojoba, Soy or cotton seed oil I avoid the need for land, water and soil. Right?)
• Contains Purified Spring Water  (Would that be an ancient magical spring that unicorns drink from?   Just wanted to get that clear because ‘mainstream’ brands are obviously getting their water from the urinals).
• Chemical Free   (I think you need to go back to school NOW).
• If you wouldn’t eat it why put it on your skin (Uh?  Did I miss something here?  Am I the only mum not serving up lip balm and whipped body butter for pudding?)
• This formula took us 5 years to develop  (Unless you’ve created something truly magical and are now sitting on your yacht sipping cocktails I’d keep that little known fact to yourself).
• No Nasties (Well thanks for pointing that out because I was expecting the boogie man to jump out the moment I took the lid off that serum).
• Help us spread the word about how toxic cosmetics can be (and be scared into buying our skin care products or signing up to our certification program. Oh and while you are at it could you like our  facebook page please?  Kerching).

I am a big believer that we as a cosmetics industry can do better in terms of the ingredients we use and the products that we make.  Since I’ve been in the industry (14 years)  the number of new, naturally inspired ingredients to choose from has sky rocketed to the point that it is now possible to make a decent range of almost 100% organic cosmetics – now that may be over-kill in terms of purity and wholesomeness but nevertheless it is something that would have never been possible a short time ago and shows how far things have come.

Contrary to what you may now believe about me after reading the above I am an advocate for green chemistry,  smarter, more efficient formulating and sustainability as with a growing global population that is the ONLY way we can live happily ever after on this planet that we call home.  However, I believe that the way forward is to motivate people to action by positively inspiring them,  by creating opportunities and by empowering people through a good education, not a dud one based on fear.

I work with many natural brands and laugh along with them at the sh*t that people in that niche say.  It is a respectful, knowing laugh of people who know that things could be better, could be more honest and less sensationalized if only people would shake their love of the quick headline.  I hope that day will come soon.

Changing the world takes hard work, peaceful diligence and solid evidence and until we, as a cosmetics industry (and that does mean you, natural/ organic people) can offer that without the added show pony, ego-driven guru or killer headline we may as well all just give up.

So let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.