Greenwashing in the Makeup Industry

Greenwashing, a fairly new term, has struck the makeup industry. Simply put, greenwashing in the makeup industry is advocating a brand or product as cruelty-free and environmentally friendly when really it isn’t.

In the makeup industry, products that are cruelty-free and aren’t tested on animals have a bunny symbol to show this. Some companies that are greenwashing create a fake seal similar to the bunny to give the impression that they are cruelty-free when really, this is not proven. Bunny symbols that show a leaping bunny are the products that have actually been approved as cruelty-free products. Any other variation of the bunny is to mislead customers into believing their product is cruelty-free. Other forms of greenwashing include using confusing language to trick people into thinking that their products are all-natural.

There are many dangers of greenwashing in the makeup industry. Many people who pride themselves in using products that are cruelty-free and environmentally friendly can be misled by these fake seals. Some of our favorite brands could be greenwashing, and you'd never realize it. Popular brands like Covergirl and Tarte have had a long history of greenwashing accusations.

Tarte uses statements like “a blend of naturally derived & other ingredients” giving the impression that their products are natural. Really, when they say this they could just be using one naturally derived ingredient and a bunch of chemicals. Regardless, using both natural and “other” ingredients simply means that their products are not natural. In 2019, Tarte had to pay 1.7 million dollars in a lawsuit “for their claims of being ‘high-performance naturals,” when in reality most of their products contain many synthetic ingredients.

So how can you check if your beloved brands are greenwashing? Fortunately, a database has been created to find out if products/brands within the makeup industry and other industries are truly cruelty-free or not. The website EthicalElephant contains a purchasing directory of what brands are cruelty-free to help consumers find ethical brands to purchase from.

Try to use EthicalElephant when making your next makeup purchase and support brands that are truly Eco friendly!