How green is your beauty?

Given the flurry of potions and lotions in the market, the average person may end up using 10 different personal care products on a daily basis! But have you considered that a little dab here and a quick spray there adds up to a lot of chemicals you’re exposing your skin to? Megha Mehta, founder of a holistic health and beauty brand, warns, “Anything you put on your skin goes to your blood stream in 26 seconds! But the good news is that most stores today have a ‘green beauty’ section and many brands that pledge allegiance to green packaging, clean ingredients that are ethically sourced and those that aren’t tested on animals.”

As more consumers become aware of the need for natural and toxin-free personal care products, the green beauty revolution is on the rise. We decode what exactly this means for you on your next visit to the supermarket.

The green beauty trend has been on the upswing of late because of consumer demand. The move to making environment-friendly choices and a greater degree of awareness about the health risks from toxins has contributed to this. While green warriors believe Xenoestrogents are one such type of toxins that come from products that throw your hormones out of balance, cosmetic dermatologist Dr Snehal Sriram says there’s no need to panic as only 0.01 % of the product goes into your blood stream. Nevertheless, more and more people, even if they are unaware of the science, are making more conscious choices.

Like Vandana Reddy, who says, “I want to avoid chemicals, especially for my hair, to delay greying and hair fall. Natural products feel so much better.” She is not alone in these views. But Megha advises caution as companies who know consumers are now looking for these attributes could take you for a ride. “Just like you can’t tell a person’s personality only from the way they dress, you can’t tell a product’s quality from the way the company’s branding team describes it. If you care about how your health is affected by the products you use, it’s essential you pay attention to what lies beyond the words on a product’s packaging,” she avers.

Dr Snehal agrees, “Even if the product only contains just five percent of herbal extract, they label it as an herbal product. The laws and guidelines in India are far from clear. When you say facewash is soap free, what should it contain? It can get confusing for the lay person and hence it is advisable to go for credible and standardised brands rather than those customised by home entrepreneurs. Who is testing their products? I have had patients come to me with issues after using green, homegrown products.” She thinks a smart thing to do is strike a balance, backed by research.