When making a decision on lotion ( there are so many options:—paraben-free, organic, cruelty-free, "natural" and more), choosing what is right for you and your family can become overwhelming (not to mention a bit pricey). Knowing what to look for when purchasing lotion can help you make sense of environmentally friendly standards so you can be a wise consumer.
What to look for when choosing your lotion
- Choose paraben-free: Conventional lotion often contains parabens, preservatives that can affect the endocrine system (which produces hormones) and are suspected carcinogens. Parabens can also contaminate waterways when rinsed off the body and down the drain, and may enter the environment during manufacture.
- Look for plant-based ingredients: Conventional lotions are made from petroleum-derived chemicals that persist in the environment, creating pollution and threatening human health. Lotions that use plant-based ingredients and essential oils for fragrance replace these dangerous ingredients with ones that are healthy for you and the earth.
- Go organic: Because the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spends only a tiny portion of its budget investigating the chemical composition and toxins in skin care products, lotions can tout their use of organic ingredients and still have up to 30 percent synthetic materials, even the ones labeled "organic" or "made with organic ingredients." The only way to be sure that the product you are purchasing is, in fact, organic is too look for the USDA Organic Seal on the label.
This seal guarantees that every ingredient is organically produced as defined by the National Organics Standards Board, which bans the use of harmful pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and genetic engineering. - Look for lotions that do not contain animal fats or employ animal testing: While you're contemplating green attributes, you may also wish to join the cruelty-free movement. Just keep in mind: a company may claim that they don’t employ animal testing for their products, but without third-party verification, it’s hard to know whether these statements are in fact completely true.
- Stick to products certified as cruelty-free by looking for products with the Leaping Bunny Logo or the Certified Vegan Logo. You can rest assured that no bunnies (or monkeys or cats for that matter) were harmed in the making of these non-animal-tested products.
