• Stancie
  October 13th, 2009 at 3:43 pm

  I totally agree with her about using tinted moisturizer and Burts Bees Lip Balm, but I just can’t get over this sentence with regards to her makeup line:

  “It’s free of parabens, toxins and petrochemicals”.

  1 out of 3 are correct. Correct – they don’t have parabens. “Free of toxins and petrochemicals” – incorrect. If you consider things like Teflon (like the pans), Lake or FD&C colors to be toxins, then they contains toxins. Unfortunately, you will also find petrochemicals in her line though marketing specifically states “no petrochemicals”. Calling something other than it is doesn’t make it so. As an example, polybutene, which is the first ingredient in the Josie Maran lip gloss shown above, is a petroleum-based chemical.

  The sad part is that so many actually believe this line is a “green”, petrochem-free, natural, organic makeup line and the sad truth is that the products contain a mixture of petrochemicals, synthetics, and some natural ingredients – which is called “greenwashing”. I hope she reformulates or changes the way in which the products are marketed, because it seems quite deceptive.

  Word to the wise – read the label, ignore the hype (even if it comes from a beautiful supermodel).

• Katherine
  October 16th, 2009 at 9:20 am

  Hi Stancie! Thanks so much for your feedback. I forwarded your comment to Josie Maran for a response, and she just got back to me. Here’s what she said!

  “I’m always evaluating my ingredients to see how i can be more green and healthy. the Polybutene found in Josie Maran Cosmetics’ formulations is otherwise known as Indopol H-1500. It is not derived from petroleum. it is a synthetic based material so it can not be petroleum based.

  Also, i use EWG to look at the toxicity level of the ingredients i use in my products. EWG rates polybutene at a 2 which means low hazard.”

  I also have a green chemist consultant who reviews my ingredients and we believe the polybutene in my lip gloss formulations is non toxic. i’m grateful there are people who care about what goes into their cosmetics. i’m one of those people. i care very much about creating healthy products. i think if you are going to review products you should be sure about what you are saying. to assume is as dangerous as putting unhealthy ingredients in cosmetics. people believe what they read and the point of this green-conscious path we are on needs to be a cooperative group effort. if we want to make a positive impact on the world and really make change then we need to work together. i have reformulated before and i am reformulating some products now to make them even healthier. there is always going to be newer greener chemistry and i’m committed to keeping up with it.”

• Stancie
  October 21st, 2009 at 8:46 pm

  Hi Katherine,

  I appreciate your reply and that you asked Josie Maran to respond. Unfortunately it still doesn’t address the large elephant in the room – what are synthetic, petroleum-derived ingredients doing in cosmetics touted as natural, organic, eco, green, healthy and petrochemical-free? This isn’t the only line out there who is doing this – but it is one that many women are very confused about and one that many assumptions are made about, rather than using facts. Polybutene is just one example of the discrepancies. Sure – Almay, CoverGirl and L’Oreal ALL use polybutene as the first ingredient in their lip glosses, but they don’t call their lip glosses “natural” or “organic”.

  Indopol H-1500 (a.k.a polybutene) is a “synthetic hydrocarbon polymer” that is produced entirely by a petrochemical process by INEOS Oligomers, a global petrochemical manufacturer. This ingredient is not natural, organic, eco-friendly or green – no matter how you spin it.

  Indopol H-1500 consists of Isobutylene and Butene Copolymer and its INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) name is “Polybutene”. This ingredient used to be manufactured by Innovene, which used to be a division of British Petroleum (BP), who merged with Amoco Chemical Company, and H-1500/Polybutene is currently manufactured by INEOS Oligomers. According to the company’s Fact File 2009 – they are “a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products”. (Source: INEOS Oligomers FactFile 2009, Page 28, http://www.ineos.com/pdf/INE_FF_2009_01_web.pdf). Their largest polybutene plant is located in Whiting, Indiana (35 miles from downtown Chicago) amongst many other oil refineries along Lake Michigan that are heavy air and water polluters. INEOS states very clearly: “Indopol polybutenes are produced entirely by a petrochemical process, with all feedstocks coming from oil refinery streams”. (Source: Indopol Regulatory Bulletin, January 2009, Page 7: http://www.ineosoligomers.com/.....02009.pdf).

  With regards to Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep database, it also gives Vaseline which is 100% petroleum jelly, a score of “0″ – but this doesn’t mean it’s not a petrochemical or that its healthy and natural. Skin Deep has flaws and this is a good example of one of them. They do not differentiate between a natural, synthetic or petroleum-derived ingredient, so with regard to this discussion the EWG rating is a moot point; but since she uses it as a measure of toxicity levels, let’s take a look at some of the other ingredients she uses that EWG gives high to moderate hazard ratings to: BHT (EWG Score = “7-9″ = high hazard), Octinoxate/Octyl Methoxycinnamate (EWG Score “4-6″ = moderate hazard), Hexylene Glycol (EWG Score “5″ = moderate hazard)…

  “to assume is as dangerous as putting unhealthy ingredients in cosmetics.”

  I agree that assuming something is fact rather than doing research is not a good path. I am not assuming – I gathered facts in order to form conclusions about what is and what is not. Making products containing synthetic ingredients made with petrochemicals and then claiming they’re natural /organic/green is to assume consumers won’t read the label, don’t know what the ingredients really are, or won’t care.

  “the point of this green-conscious path we are on needs to be a cooperative group effort. if we want to make a positive impact on the world and really make change then we need to work together.”

  I agree to an extent. Yes, we need to work together to help promote eco-friendly lifestyles and support truly green products and one way we can do that as consumers is to vote with our dollars – to spend money on products that are in line with our ideals, ethics and values. This does not mean we should blindly jump on board with every brand who claims they are what they say they are. On this path we need to be conscious of our decisions, ask questions and have our “greenwash” radar on. Should we turn a blind eye to the obvious because a company has good intentions or a supermodel? I don’t think so.

  This statement implies that no one within the eco movement should question any one else in it. I wholeheartedly believe that we should hold each other accountable, whether it be a person or a company. This is how we will improve.

  In all fairness, I do think her Argan oil looks like a good product and I’m happy to hear she’s reformulating some of the others. I look forward to checking out the new ingredients!

• Terri Bly
  October 21st, 2009 at 9:28 pm

  Ms. Maran’s comments are, in fact, not written in response to Ms. Wilson’s comments. I have the exact same comments in my Inbox from when I wrote a post about her pseudo-natural products many months ago. I followed up with her publicist with a number of very specific questions, was told I would hear back, but never did.

  The reality is that no cosmetics company believes their synthetic chemicals are toxic, and they all have cosmetic chemists who will gladly back them up. Furthermore, the EWG has Josie Maran Cosmetics listed as “non-compliant” with the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. Not a good sign, especially given how much she touted her collaboration with them when she first launched her line. If you go to Skin Deep and search for Josie Maran Cosmetics, the two products left on the site (all of her products used to be listed…) make it pretty clear just how far her products are from natural.

  Most synthetic chemicals are petroleum based (hence the category “petrochemicals”), so her comment stating that synthetic means not petroleum based is, sadly, incorrect.

  What disappoints me most about Maran’s cosmetics line is that it has been convincingly marketed as natural and organic, thus undermining the fact that there are so many makeup lines that are much cleaner, perform just as well (yes, I’ve tried many of Maran’s products), but don’t have a supermodel’s name attached to them, and therefore don’t get the same kind of attention, even though they are so much more deserving of it.

  It’s a complicated subject, to be sure, and I know Maran’s intentions are likely very genuine and pure. But I can’t rub her intentions on my face, so I wish she would be more upfront about the extent to which her products are based in synthetic chemicals.

• Terri
  October 22nd, 2009 at 8:24 am

  I appreciate that Josie is trying to promote non-toxic beauty products, but I agree with Stancie that her products simply do not support her mission. The EWG lists Josie Maran Cosmetics as non-compliant with the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, and the ingredients for the two products on Skin Deep make it clear that her products aren’t significantly more natural than anything else at Sephora. I wish she would use her unique celebrity influence to show young women that they can be beautiful without needing plastics and other potentially harmful ingredients. In the meantime, there are other companies that have successfully created gorgeous color lines that are far more natural than Maran’s.

• Trish
  October 29th, 2009 at 11:21 am

  Thank you so much Stancie and Teri, for clarifying this issue with your thoughtful comments! I try to be as green as I can be, and am no saint that’s for sure, but I do expect people to tell me the truth. And if they don’t, I won’t buy their products.

• Katherine
  October 29th, 2009 at 1:38 pm

  It is extremely difficult to find a 100% organic, natural, or green beauty product on the market. If you look at the “natural” beauty market, across the board you are going to find an industry that includes natural or organic products as well as petrochemicals — and then is still able to label itself organic or natural. The best that you can do is to be aware and read labels. I recommend Stacy Malkan’s “Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry” as the best resource on dealing with this issue.

• Trish
  October 29th, 2009 at 2:33 pm

  Agreed, consumers need to read labels, no doubt about that. And I realize that just because a company has “green” or “natural” on the label does not mean they don’t have synthetics or petrochemicals in them.

  But, when a company says on their label “petrochemical free” (or uses symbols to denote that as Josie does) and then inside their lipgloss there is indeed a petrochemical, that is an entirely different story! Consumers should not have to go through the research that Stancie did on the history of polybutene to get to the truth. That’s absurd.

  If you use petrochemicals in your products so be it, but don’t tell me you don’t.

  In her mission statement Josie says, “When starting the line, I knew I wanted to avoid using toxic ingredients such as parabens and petrochemicals” But yet she does use petrochemicals as not all her products have the “petrochemical-free” symbol, but even when it does, does it mean much?

  So yes ITA, “The best that you can do is to be aware and read labels”….but you can also expect companies to tell you the truth.

• Stancie
  October 29th, 2009 at 2:44 pm

  Hi Katherine,

  I agree – the industry can be highly deceptive, but this is the very reason why green beauty editors like you and I need to promote truth and companies who are indeed creating products that are what they say they are and those who are doing something different than the conventional beauty industry.

  Once again, the point is – if a brand claims their products contain no petrochemicals and then use petrochemicals – it is the complete opposite of the truth (a.k.a a blatant lie). And any brand that claims to make natural and/or organic beauty products – and then uses a good amount of synthetic, petrochemical ingredients – is called “greenwashing”.

  There are MANY brands who make products with a VERY HIGH percentage of natural and organic ingredients who don’t use any petrochemicals whatsoever and I don’t believe its fair for others who do, to be lumped together in the same category with them. I have been writing about natural / organic beauty products for over 1.5 years – ones that don’t contain petrochemicals and a minimal amount of synthetics (if any) – and I still haven’t run out of brands or products to write about.

  As I continue to say & write – always, always read the label. If consumers are indeed “aware and read labels”, they would know this line of cosmetics isn’t very natural, organic or green.

• Katherine
  October 29th, 2009 at 2:53 pm

  Stancie — I’d love to hear about the green cosmetics brands that aren’t greenwashed. What are they?

• Trish
  October 29th, 2009 at 3:10 pm

  Here some great non-green washed companies!

  Weleda, Dr Hauschka, Dr Bronners, Soleo, John Masters, Suki, Pangea Organics, Revolution Organics, Aubrey Organics, Everyday Minerals, Alima, Jurlique, RMS, Intelligent Nutrients, Jane Iredale.

  And then my interest is perfume: Strange Invisible Perfumes, Roxana Villa, Ayala Moriel, Honore des Pres, In Fiore, Red Flower, Liz Zorn, Velvet and Sweet Pea.

• Katherine
  October 29th, 2009 at 3:14 pm

  They are all great brands. My favs are John Masters Organics and Pangea Organics. And Greenopia just rated Dr Bronners the greenest beauty company on the market.

  Unfortunately, I have found that actual makeup lines — like sunscreen — can be more difficult to find with 100% organic ingredients. (Jurlique has some of the best, in my experience — their silk finishing powder is to DIE) So I am completely open to suggestions in that department.

• Trish
  October 29th, 2009 at 3:25 pm

  I love JMO’s 30 SPF moisturizer. I had great luck with it as a daily moisturizer this past summer.

  I hear you on make-up! Right now I am loving Dr H’s volume mascara and Tarte’s Lash Hugger mascara (Terri and Stancie chime in of you have found anything questionable in Tarte’s new one).

  I also love Alima’s and Everyday Mineral’s blushes. Email me if want some color recs! I recently discovered RMS and have been using the “seduce” as an eyeliner. Also, Everyday Minerals makes really nice eyeshadow too.

  For a tinted moisturizer, 100% Pure is very nice. I forgot to mention them! And I also really like Dr. Haushcka’s tinted day cream.

  I am planning on doing more make-up posts for the holidays

• Stancie
  October 29th, 2009 at 3:27 pm

  Hi Katherine,

  There are many more, but some of my favorite “green” cosmetic brands include:

  + RMS Beauty
  + Revolution Organics
  + NVEY ECO
  + Alima Pure

  A good place to find non-greenwashed cosmetic brands is http://www.figandsage.com, where I don’t believe you’ll find any greenwashed cosmetic brands whatsoever. If you find anything to be contrary to this statement, please let me know and I will personally conduct another in-depth ingredient review of any product featured there and candidly discuss it (I write “another in-depth ingredient review”, because that’s what I always do before writing about/promoting a beauty product).

  Hope that helps

• Katherine
  October 29th, 2009 at 4:04 pm

  Those are all great brands — I recently wrote an articles on eyeshadows and lipsticks that include those lines. I wasn’t aware of Alima, I will add them to my list.

• Stancie
  October 29th, 2009 at 4:08 pm

  Alima Pure is great and comparatively affordable! I especially like their eyeshadows, blush and of course their BDIH certification to back up their “natural” claims

• Terri Bly
  November 4th, 2009 at 11:38 am

  It’s important to note that at this point in time, there is no such thing as organic makeup, so anyone telling you their makeup is organic is incorrect. Makeup needs to go through so much processing in order to be makeup that it cannot be organic. Plus, nearly all natural makeup lines are mineral based and minerals by definition are not organic.

  In addition to those mentioned above, Couleur Caramel is a great brand, and is my favorite in terms of being up front about their ingredients. I copied their system on natureofbeauty.com, where organic ingredients are in green, synthetics are in red, so you don’t have to have your ingredients dictionary next to you to tell what’s natural, what’s organic, and what’s synthetic.

  And Tarte is on my list of top greenwashers. Sorry!

  Terri

• Melissa Shabinsky
  November 4th, 2009 at 2:20 pm

  THANK YOU Terri and Stancie for your above comments and for helping to support and fight for the brands, like us, who work SO HARD to maintain high levels of organics and naturals and who sometimes get lumped into the same category as the greenwashed brands. It is not just smart marketing and savvy faces that make a brand, it is the integrity that they represent! We have a responsibility to the consumer in this industry and as a ‘green brand’ even more so!

  Melissa

Who Linked To This Post?

1. Best Interviews and Quotes from Eco Entrepreneurs, Designers and Green Champions at EcoSalon | EcoSalon

Welcome! The comment box is all yours to say what you like. Just make sure you use a real name, not a site or company, so you don't get sent to the spam bin. (That makes us sad.)