Ethical Consumer

Ethical Consumer

Ethical shopping guides - Skincare

   

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Best Buys as of May/June 2006

Best Buys logo


As our ratings are constantly updated, it is possible that company ratings on the ethiscore website may have changed since this report was written.


The brands Faith in Nature, Organic Blue, Honesty, Dr Hauschka, Green People, Neal's Yard and Weleda are all Best Buys.


Brand
Rating
Faith in Nature moisturiser15
Organic Blue body lotion15
Honesty Skincare14.5
Dr Hauschka Moisturising Day Cream14
Green People skincare14
Neal's Yard skincare13.5
Weleda skincare13
Lush moisturisers [A]10.5
Clarins skincare range9.5
Aveda skincare products6
Clinique skincare system6
Estee Lauder skincare6
Origins skincare6
Body Shop skincare5
Boots Botanics skincare5
Boots skincare products5
Neutrogena skincare5
Biotherm skincare4
Lancome skincare products4
L'Oreal skincare4
Nivea skincare4
Vichy skincare products4
Dove skincare products0.5
Oil of Olay skincare0

The ratings on this scorecard were last updated from our database at www.ethiscore.org on 22 May 2008. The higher the rating, the more ethical the brand.

Skincare - mini report

Soap and water might be enough for some, but a large proportion of the population uses some kind of skincare products to moisturise, cleanse or to smooth over the bumpy bits. Although the big names may dominate the market in terms of units sold, we’re seeing an increasing number of companies offering more ethical alternatives.

Because there are so many skincare products available, we have not scored any positive product attributes for this table. This means that the maximum score available for brand will be 15. However, Organic Blue, (020 8424 8844), Neal’s Yard Remedies (01747 834 634) and Green People (01403 740 350) are all committed to sourcing organic ingredients for their products. Weleda (0115 9448200) uses biodynamic (a type of organic certification) ingredients wherever it can. Faith in Nature (0161 764 2555) also uses some organic ingredients.

Vegans might want to avoid animal derivatives in their skincare products. Ingredients to watch out for include honey, beeswax, silk, collagen and lanolin. Faith in Nature, Lush, Neal’s Yard, Organic Blue, Honesty Cosmetics (01629 814 888), Weleda, Green People and Body Shop all make some skincare products suitable for vegans.

Finally, consumers might also be concerned about the chemicals used in the products that they put next to their skin. Campaigners such as Greenpeace, WWF, Women’s Environmental Network and FOE warn consumers to avoid ingredients such as parabens, artificial musks and phthalates. Receiving the highest rating on the Greenpeace website (www.greenpeace.org.uk/Products/Toxics/index.cfm) are Green People and Weleda. Weleda and Body Shop’s Olive dry oil mist receive the best rating on the WWF safer shopping website. http://safershopping.wwf.org.uk/



   

Sorry. No downloadable research report available for this product.



   

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