Thank you :) That is a great way of putting it Lilly, “more show than substance”. I think that is the problem for most wanna-be natural health companies today.

Look forward to having you back :)

I think Anita had sold the Body Shop sometime before she died. I remember going to hear her speak some years ago and she was truly inspiring in many ways. That was great info though. I dont really like their products anyway – I have always thought they were more show than substance to be honest but I bought a few things to help woman in third world countries or our own aboriginals with their small businesses.

I will be back I need all the help you can give me!!! Thanks.

I am not sure what happened with the Body Shop, I do not know its roots personally, but what I do know is that today, the additional colors, fragrances and preservatives are not doing our health any favors – in fact the opposite. They have a small selection of items, that may be passable, but most are just too fragranced and colored to be safe for our bodies and hence considered very unhealthy.
Sometimes too when companies go “green” they are good for the environment, but not necessarily our health.

It’s too bad, but they are trying to entice the average consumer out there who is more interested in looks and scents, rather than health and hence they produce the products they do. A bunch of beige or white, non-scented bottles just don’t appeal to the masses … at least not yet. We are in a time where we are moving back towards nature and our health and so I don’t see companies like this lasting much longer, unless they do some major changes in their products.

I love that database you listed at Skin Deep. I check things there frequently. Another company I always thought was eco-friendly was Aveda and a lot of their hair products contain SLS, a known carcinogen.

Haven’t tried them yet, but I know folks who swear by Giovanni.

Another well researched and thoughtful article, Evita. Thank you!

I used to think the same thing. When I thought of the Body Shop, I thought well the higher prices and the extreme focus must mean it is something “better” for us – when it isn’t at all. The best they do is infuse their products with a little bit more of plant ingredients than mainstream companies, but all of them are still alongside harsh colors and preservatives just to name a few.

@JULIE – You are very welcome Julie. I know too many people who for fall into the trap of all these fancy boxed gift sets for the holidays (I used to be guilty of this myself) But ever since I started to seriously research all of the “stuff” in our “stuff” – it jumped out at me like madness to be putting all these chemicals on us and into us.

And you are so right on about the kids. In our society we think it is “cute” to give a little girl her first lip gloss or nail polish, without stopping to think what are those products doing to the child’s health????
We definitely DO NOT have a shortage of kids and adults alike today with allergies to almost everything, asthmas and worst of all multiple chemical sensitivity disorders.

When me and my friends were teenagers, we loved the shimmery lip glosses and raved about the great tastes. Too bad no one told us then what damage they were doing to our health. Parents and people in society just accept these as “normal” things to have and use, but they are far from normal for and to our bodies.

Finally, you’re SO right to hold the companies to the light who CLAIM goodness and purity—but even “natural” can be harmful, because the companies use the word as a smokescreen for the rest of the gunk. It’s harmlessness that should be our goal.

What a beneficial service you’re done here, Evita!