Packaging Organic Cosmetics
In the world of organic cosmetics, packaging can be a headache. Whereas the regular products tend to be scrutinized by consumers primarily from aesthetic and convenience point of view, organic products have to answer to much higher standards.
The manufacturers do have to content with the looks and user-friendliness as well. Naturally. If the product is not packaged attractively, no one will pick it of the shelf. Or so the rumor goes. And if you can’t get that product out – you aren’t likely to buy it again.
But in the natural skin care and makeup field there are two other serious considerations:
First, the natural consumers demand that a packaging is as earth-friendly as possible. It better be recyclable, or else 
Secondly, it is also important that the packaging contributes to the longer shelf life of the product. Because organic skin care usually (ideally) does not contain harsh synthetic preservatives, packaging has to help in protecting the ingredients from contamination.
One of the most popular packaging materials for natural cosmetics is glass. Glass is non-porous and inert material, which is good for the lifespan of the formulations. And it is recyclable, making it a popular “green” choice.
Aluminum tubes (with protective resin) are also popular because they are recyclable, and because they squeeze the product out and don’t refill with air — thus minimizing contamination. They are used by Dr. Haushka, Weleda and many others.
Incidentally, the worst packaging from preservation point of view are the open jars where you have to put your finger in to get the cream out. You effectively transfer the bacteria from your hands into the jar. Not to mention continuous air exposure. If you have such a product, try to use it as quickly as possible, store it in the fridge and always wash your hands! Or consider getting it out with a stainless steel spoon – but don’t double dip…
My recent excursion around the web has found a couple of other interesting packaging ideas:
I found a company called Megaplast (www.megaplast.de), which is a packaging manufacturer used by the likes of L’Oreal, Biotherm and Yves Rosher among others. They have recently patented a new type of dispenser, aimed specifically at bio-cosmetics and natural products. The Self-Sealing Actuator system “protects products from impurities and contamination through a membrane in the pump’s orifice that automatically seals once the formula has been dispensed. This prevents the product from coming into contact with oxygen, thereby reducing contamination, discoloration and product dry-out, and ultimately, increasing shelf life and effectiveness.”
This sounds promising. Preservation of natural products is a key concern when turning away from synthetics. But I think plastic is a bit of a drawback. Recyclable as it is, as Beth never tires to point out – we have too much plastic to deal with already.
And then there are companies like The Packaging Company (TPC), who introduced Biodigradable Cosmetic Packaging last year. They look like regular plastic products, but will biodegrade in a landfill after 5 years. Called PLA (polyactic acid or polyctide) the material resembles regular plastic in every way. But it is corn based. TPC presently makes compacts and lipstick cases from this material, and just by looking at it you’d never suspect anything unusual about them.
Hopefully the trend towards recyclable/biodegradable and preserving packaging will continue and leak into the mainstream as well. I think in the ideal world the job of preserving a product lies in the package – then we don’t have to ingest it. But this only works long term if the package is not the kind that will preserve itself in a landfill for thousands of years to come. Pretty or not.
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April 12, 2009 11 Comments
Lead in Lipstick – Another Reason to Go Organic
There used to be a time when we thought that lead in lipstick was an urban myth. Women bought bright shades of lipstick and dismissed all notion that this proven neurotoxin, which accumulates in human body over time, is hiding in their favourite red tube.
But then the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released a report in October of 2007. 61 percent of brand named lipsticks tested contained lead! And of course, none of them listed it as an ingredient.
How’s that for busting the “myth” part of this “urban myth”?
Among the top brands that were found to contain lead where L’Oreal (with L’Oreal Colour Riche “True Red” coming in with a whopping 0.65 particles per million), Cover Girl (Incredifull Lipcolor “Maximum Red” – 0.56 ppm), Christian Dior (Addict Positive Red – 0.28 ppm) and others…
Lead is a proven neurotoxin. It also easily crosses the placenta, making pregnant women and their children especially vulnerable. But how many women stop using their favorite lipstick when they are pregnant?
Health Canada followed up the study with their own tests. The lipsticks in their samples contained levels of lead from 0.079 to 0.84 ppm. One lipstick had 6.3 ppm! Though, naturally, the brand was not disclosed. Go figure.
The Canadian government had the audacity to claim that the amounts were safe. Despite the fact that there is a growing amount of scientific evidence that there is no such thing as safe amount of lead. Because lead builds up over time. It doesn’t disappear. And when it comes to lipstick – women don’t apply it once in their lifetime. Some estimate that women eat about 4 pounds of lipstick in a lifetime.
As “safe” as lead is supposed to be, the acceptable level for candy is 0.1ppm. But there isn’t much regulation for lipstick.
And when somebody tries to regulate it, the big lobby guns come out. Despite passing the full California Senate, a bill that would ban lead in lipstick was defeated in the Assembly Health Committee, caving to the mega pressure from the cosmetics lobby. The swarm of lobbyists and big name executives from the likes of Revlon, Estee Lauder and Johnson & Johnson proved to be too much.
What a brave new world we live in. Where a few dollars here and there trump any health concern. Cause dollars must be so much more important…
So where does it leave the consumer?
Doing our own homework. Searching, sharing information, supporting those who try to do well by us.
Seeking out organic makeup and organic lipstick is a way to protect ourselves, our friends and our kids. Chasing the mighty dollar these companies forgot that their customers are human with biological bodies and health concern. They feel no responsibility towards us, but feel secure that we’ll let it stand and use their products cause we need it.
They are wrong. We value our health more than their over marketed poison tubes. And we know there are better options. Truly organic and natural makeup products are popping up everywhere. It’s just a matter of doing some digging to find the right product. But when it comes to health – digging is worth it.
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March 22, 2009 7 Comments
