Fake Organics?? Dr. Bronner says keep it real

[DivaRox]

I was following a news story about large companies manipulating the organics industry mainly because it's big business these days. I came across this info.

Excerpt from http://www.drbronner.com/soap_test.html

"Detergents in fake soap products are usually made in part or even entirely from petroleum along with vegetable feedstocks. For instance, Sodium Myreth Sulfate, the main ingredient in JASON’s so-called “Pure, Natural, & Organic Soap” is made by attaching ethylene oxide groups from petroleum to vegetable fatty acid, which also produces trace 1,4 dioxane as a side reaction. Olefin Sulfonate, the main ingredient in both Nature’s Gate ORGANICS “Soap” and Kiss My Face ObsessivelyOrganic “Soap”, is made entirely from petroleum. Cocamidopropyl Sultaine, the main ingredient in EO’s so-called soap, is in significant part petroleum-based.


Bronner laments: “Companies mislead consumers in conflating their detergent-based products with ecological biodegradable soaps, even calling these synthetic detergent products ‘organic’. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps are real soaps made from real organic oils, while these other so-called ‘Soap’ products are detergents made from petroleum and conventional vegetable material. They are not soap, they are not organic, they are not natural.”

What is 1,4 Dioxane you might ask? Read on...

1,4-Dioxane is primarily used in solvent applications for the manufacturing sector; however, it is also found in fumigants and automotive coolant. Additionally, the chemical is also used as a foaming agents and appears as an accidental byproduct of the ethoxylation[1] process in cosmetics manufacturing. It may contaminate cosmetics and personal care products such as deodorants, shampoos, toothpastes and mouthwashes.[2]

Here's another link about Dioxane: http://www.ocwd.com/_assets/_pdfs/1,4-Dioxane_Fact_Sheet.pdf

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

wow. I didn't know that.

 

[tnorenberg]

Very good info. Just goes to reemphasize "Buyer Beware."

 

[tkj25]

mmmmn ... blowin' up somebody's spot. thanks for the info. i was on an all natural kick for a couple of years -- during which i found aubrey organics, love their stuff, it's all natural.

i noticed this too when i read the ingredients for jason, nature's gate, aveda and the like . it's like they're pseudo natural. they especially get you with presevatives (methylparabens & propylparaben) which are usually the last couple of ingredients, but are really a tell-all sign that you're not dealing with an "all natural" product.

i'm not on a completely all natural kick any more (i gotta have my cheapie botanical no-poo conditioners suave, aussie) but having inormation on who really is and isn't is useful. we should start a list of real all natural products -- (all natural ingredients, all natural preservatives) the two main one's i can think of are:

aubrey organics
burt's bees

i know there are many others, especially local brands, and brands in health/organics chains like whole foods. which do you all recommend?

some good books on the subject are:

Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care: Including A to Z Guide to Natural and Synthetic Chemicals in Cosmetics by Aubrey Hampton (creator of aubrey organics)

http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Organ...5081616?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178896770&sr=1-1

What's in Your Cosmetics?: A Complete Consumer's Guide to Natural and Synthetic Ingredients by Aubrey Hampton

http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Your-Co...5081616?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178896770&sr=1-3

 

[B_Phlyy]

I can believe that. So many "natural" and organic companies tell you that this and that ingredient is bad, so don't use it. So then consumers look at ingredient list and when they don't see the "bad" ingredients, they automatically assume it's a better product when it may actually be worse for their hair.

 

[DivaRox]

I can believe that. So many "natural" and organic companies tell you that this and that ingredient is bad, so don't use it. So then consumers look at ingredient list and when they don't see the "bad" ingredients, they automatically assume it's a better product when it may actually be worse for their hair.

Yup, that was me. I was looking out for petroleum and cones so when I didn't see it listed I presumed it was all good. I had no idea how lax the criteria is for organic these days, and not just on cosmetics.