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sticky Organicgal's list of Fakies and Not Fakies. *UPDATED 3/10/09

organicgal

posted to Greenwashing, Toxins, & Conventional Products in Green Organic Natural Simple Living
on Feb. 5, 2008 at 1:29 PM

  • 239 Replies
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Organicgal's List of Fakies and Not Fakies:

If I upset anyone, It's NOT my intention. My only request is that if you don't agree with me, then don't utilze my list. Please no hate email or hateful posts/replies. I wouldn't do it to you, so please don't do it to me. This is not an attack on anyone who works for a company or buys from a company I have put on my Fake Lists.

I do commend the companies who use organic ingredients, because this is great for the planet! I wish all companies used more organics. However, I do not think combining them with chemical synthetics is good for the planet or for people. Some body care chemicals are toxic to create, while others are toxic to our health. So if a company is using organics and synthetics in the same product, one has to wonder...who's interest do they really have in mind?

I'm only judging products/companies for their personal body care lines (ie. shampoos, lotions, cosmetics, etc)

  • Body care is not a regulated industry.
  • The USDA Organic regulations/laws only extend to food items or body care items that are food grade.
  • Because of lax regulations a body care company can use the word "Natural" any way they want, regardless of if they threw in chemicals and synthetics to the final product.
  • A company can only use the word Organic (as in the product name, etc) on the front of their packaging if the product contains at least 70% organic ingredients
  • For a company to display a label that reads "Made with Organic ingredients" the product must carry 70% or more organics with no restrictions on the other ingredients.
  • For a company to display the USDA organic label, it must have 95% or higher organic ingredients with the other 5% being from an approved list.
  • To carry the new Natural Products Association Label the natural product must only contain pre-approved naturally derived ingredients.
  • The Eco-Cert label has fallen under scrutiny lately, for allowing synthetics in products (which is against it's own rules) with many interest groups now not trusting the integrity of the EcoCert logo.

The list is just below this last paragraph!


If you work for a company on my fake list and you are mad i put you there, contact your company and yell at them, not me. I did my research thoroughly and read ingredient labels carefully. It took me HOURS & Months to put together this list. I also work in the industry and am VERY familiar with many of these companies. (I've worked in the health and wellness field for over 6 yrs)


THE LIST:


Fake Organics: These companies use synthetics and sometimes very little organics in their finished product. The ingredient names follwoing the brand name are examples of the exact toxic ingredients these companies use, that landed them on my No No list and the USDA Organic regulations do not condone use of. You won't see the USDA Organic logo on any of these brands, yet, they still try to trick the uneducated public into believing they are an "organic" product by calling their brand name " ____ organic".

  • Alba Botanica - Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Octinoxate , Oxybenzone, Peg-100, Sodium PCA, etc.
  • Avalon Organics - Cocamidopropyl betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium oleamido succinate, Sodium PCA, Octinoxate, Oxybenzone, etc.
  • Babywise Organics - Octyl Palmitate (I'm finding this to be another name for Dimethicone..correct me if I'm wrong), Retinyl Palmitate , Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Cocamidopropyl Betaine , Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, etc.
  • Derma E Organic Expressions - PEG-7, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Dimethicone, Peg-175, PEG-200, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, etc.
  • Giovanni Organics - PVP (which is vinyl), PEG-40, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Octylmethoxycinnamate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocamphodiacetate, PEG-8, etc,
  • Head Organics - PEG-7, PVP (which is vinyl), Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Cetrimonium Chloride, etc.
  • Jason pure natural organic - Cocamide MEA, Polyquaternium-7, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone,
  • Juice Beauty - Retinyl palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl (octyl) palmitate, Cocamidopropyl betaine. Only 4 of over 30 products actually carry the USDA Organic logo, all other 30+ products do not. To me having only 4 certified products, does not make you an organic company.
  • Kiss My Face Organics - Phenoxyethanol (funny their adverts claim they are "Obsesivly Organic". HA! Really?)
  • Lotus Touch organic & natural - PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Retinyl Palmitate, Bisabolol,
  • Mill Creek Organics a.k.a. Amazon Organics - Cocamidopropyl betaine, Octyl dimethyl PABA, Acrylates copolymer,
  • Natures Gate Organics - Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-120, Avobenzone, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Octocrylene, Oxybenzone, PEG-100, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, PVP, Dimethiconol,
  • Organix - Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide DEA, Dimethicone, (Behentrimonium 2 of 4 are toxic, they don't notate which of the 4 types they are using..so this one is iffy), Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone, etc.
  • Organix South Inc, a.k.a. Thera Neem - Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Lauramide DEA, PEG-7, PEG-40,
  • Pharmacopia Organic - Phenoxyethanol; Chlorphenesin, Cocamidopropyl betaine
  • Sexy Hair Organics. i can't find even 1 website online, including the company website, that lists the ingredients. next time i'm at the mall i will jot them down, this is where i



Fake Naturals: These companies claim they are natural, safe, part of wellness, or pure; but use toxic synthetics in their products. The words Natural, Pure, & Safe have no regulations guiding their use. Any company can make these claims regardless to if the claim is true or not.

  • 365 by Whole Foods (so confusing to me at to why their body care products contain junk ingredients).
  • Alba - Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Octinoxate , Oxybenzone, Peg-100, Sodium PCA, etc.
  • Arbonne - Cocamidopropyl Betaine Coconut , PEG-80, Peg-120, Retinyl Palmitate, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol , Hexylene Glycol , etc. (their baby line is horribly toxic).
  • Arm & Hammer Essentials Deodorant- propylene glycol, tricolsan, (they test on animals, this alone is enough to boycott them)
  • Aveda -
  • Aveeno - Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Distearyldimonium Chloride, PEG-80, Trisodium EDTA, PEG-150, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
  • The Body Shop - PEG-100, Parabens (1 product alone had 5 different types of parabens), EDTA, Yellow #5, Red #4, PEG-8, Cocamide DEA, Dimethicone, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide DEA, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-18, PVP
  • Derma E - Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Retinyl Palmitate, Dimethyl MEA , PEG-100, Cocamide DEA
  • Earth Science - Phenoxyethanol, Retinyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, benzophenone-3
  • Healthy Times baby line - Parabens
  • Huggies/Pamper naturals. "Yeah, right." yes that was sarcasim
  • Jackson Reece Herbal baby wipes - cocamidoproyl betaine, phenoxyethanol
  • Kiss my Face - Trisodium EDTA, Retinyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Octinoxate, Oxybenzone, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Propylene glycol, Triethanolamine.
  • Korres Natural Products - Propylparaben, Methylparaben, PEG- 8, Aluminium Oxide, PEG-100, Phenoxyethanol, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Methylparaben, PEG-60, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol (one product had 5 parabens & pheno. That's just ludacris)
  • Lush - Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, (this company is at least 1/2 honest...when listing their ingredients, they color code the natural & synthetic so it's easy to read, but they call them "safe synthetics", I have to disagree)
  • Melaleuca - Dimethicone, PEG - 100, Phenoxyethanol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Avobenzone, Ostisalate, Octinoxate, Octocyrlene, EDTA, Triethanolamine, PEG-7, PEG-60,
  • Method - Cocamidopropyl betaine, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium lauryl sulfate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Cocamide DEA, retinyl palmitate, (gets sneaky & shady by not disclosing the name of their preservatives or what type of color they use. it just says "preservative" "color")
  • Mill Creek Botanicals - Disodium-EDTA, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide DEA, Imidazolidinyl Urea
  • Nature's Gate - Phenoxyethanol, PEG-100, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Cocamide DEA, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium EDTA, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Octinoxate; Oxybenzone, Dimethicone
  • Pure and Basic - Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-90, Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben
  • Shaklee - Phenoxyethanol, Didodium EDTA, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Oxybenzone, PEG-10, Dimethicone, AMMONIUM LAURETH SULFATE, SODIUM LAURYL SULFOACETATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, PEG-12, RETINYL PALMITATE
  • Tom's of Maine - SLS, Proplyene Glycol
  • Zia - Phenoxyethanol, Octinoxate, Oxybenzone, Octisalate,



    Real Organic: no synthetics; never ever.


      Real Natural: though they might not use all organic ingredients, their finished product has NO added synthetics.


      confusedHit & Miss/ Murky Companies. These companies have some products that are really clean and other products that are not. Read Labels and know what you are choosing before you spend the $$. be on the look out for: Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, PEG's, Parabens, Urea, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine...if those are in it, stay away.

        • Aura Cacia - Very Hit and Miss. Their certified organic line of esseintial oils are the bomb though, VERY high grade and very clean!
        • Bare Minerals- I found Dimethicone in 1 product out of about 12 that I researched. Seems they have taken out most of their nasty ingredients. I used to have them on my fakers list.
        • Beeceuticals - some products carry the USDA logo, other products have phenoxyethanol in the ingredients. I have spoken with the owner of the company and they are working on an enzyme based presevative to replace the pheno. so be on the look out for this positive change.
        • Burt's Bees - the good thing, is each product tells you on the front of the bottle exactly what % it is natural. they are a pretty clean company. there's not much i would shy away from.
        • Desert Essence - again a truly hit or miss. mostly miss. mostly on my fakers list with the exception of their pure oils and castile face soap, essential oils; those are truly natural and some even organic
        • Eco-Bella. All of their body care is 100% clean, but their cosmetic line still carries several ingredients of concern, including parabens.
        • EO - Phenoxyethanol, Retinyl Palmitate, Dimethicone; mostly on my fakers list, though their lip balm is really organic
        • Honey Bee Gardens
        • ikove


        Dictionary of most common offenders:

        A-N

        P-Z


        Please check out www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare for a great petition and more info on the bad companies.

        ~ Susanna aka Organicgal 007


        www.HealingWithOrganics.com My online organic shopping site




        Written by on Feb. 5, 2008 at 1:29 PM

        Replies:


        • bringmepeace
        • by on Aug. 2, 2009 at 11:20 AM
        • I am very pleased that I found this post. I only made it through the first couple of responses thou. Then came to the last page and found my dish soap that I was so excited to start using to be not so great. I hate being ignorant and fooled so easily. Anyways thanks for all your hard work and info.

        • mirandar2001
        • by on Aug. 2, 2009 at 6:50 PM
        • I was looking for Watkins products on the list. Where do they stand? I noticed Target starting to sell these products along with Mrs Meyer's  now. I did buy the wipes for my bathroom and dish liquid, but I'd like to know if their claims to be all natural are on the up and up. Thanks!

        • HAVMommy
        • by on Aug. 12, 2009 at 2:52 PM
        • would like to add two things to the Alba body wash list - Sodium Lauryl and Laureth Sulfate - both huge no nos for "natrual" products...the most shocking part about reading the ingrediants was that Ivory body wash had less horrible things then Alba...read the ingrediants is all I can suggest.

          Thanks for the list.

        • .Theresa.
        • by on Sep. 1, 2009 at 5:08 AM
        • I was wondering if I could post this list in another forum that I'm a part of...I'll give you full credit of course =)

        • shananagins86
        • by on Sep. 3, 2009 at 6:17 PM
        • Is all your information from that website?

          You can't get to know me through a blurb, because I can't sum myself up with one.   coast guard Proud to be a Coastie wife!

        • organicgal
        • by on Sep. 7, 2009 at 5:05 PM
        • Alba has been on the no no list from day 1. sorry you missed it, but it's there.

          Quoting HAVMommy:

          would like to add two things to the Alba body wash list - Sodium Lauryl and Laureth Sulfate - both huge no nos for "natrual" products...the most shocking part about reading the ingrediants was that Ivory body wash had less horrible things then Alba...read the ingrediants is all I can suggest.

          Thanks for the list.


          ~ Susanna aka Organicgal 007

          Signing Up with Miessence Organics Just got Easier!

          Business Start Up Pack now comes with a 45 day grace period.



        • organicgal
        • by on Sep. 7, 2009 at 5:07 PM
        • from what website?

          i get my info from the companies that make each product. i searched their exact ingredients, then compared it to info about the individual ingredients from books, websites, etc...

          Quoting shananagins86:

          Is all your information from that website?


          ~ Susanna aka Organicgal 007

          Signing Up with Miessence Organics Just got Easier!

          Business Start Up Pack now comes with a 45 day grace period.



        • IrishSpider
        • by on Sep. 23, 2009 at 5:32 PM
        • new to the group, just found your list...  THANK YOU!!!  i too have researched some of the companies, and found the same things you did, and am glad to see that i can save myself the trouble of researching even more of them!

          i notice that you have not, at least here, done or listed research for cleaning products, is that info available on your blog, or do you know of anyone other than yourself who has already done this (researched and listed), that you personally would recommend???  i do use a lot of vinegar, and such, but find that to be impractical for laundry purposes, so far most of the laundry soap recipes seem to me to be more trouble than they are worth...

          also, i know for me, it isn't the top of my priorities list, but i don't see you factoring in Made in the USA...  i know that many, myself included, would not be out of jobs, if we all started making that more important to us while we are shopping...

          keep up the good work, i'm definately a new fan!

        • ebjohnson
        • by on Nov. 5, 2009 at 12:51 AM
        • FABULOUS list!  I am soooo excited about finding this!  you went to A TON of work on this and we appreciate you sharing it so much!  I love LOve LOVE it! Thank you!

          falling_leaves

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