{"id":18464,"date":"2026-05-25T09:42:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T07:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/?p=18464"},"modified":"2026-05-25T09:57:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T07:57:40","slug":"sustainable-care-why-claim-obviously-doesnt-always-mean-anything","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/en\/duurzame-verzorging-waarom-claim-natuurlijk-niet-altijd-wat-zegt\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable care: why \u2018natural\u2019 doesn't tell the whole story"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Huh, is natural care actually always the most sustainable choice? And what should you pay attention to if you want to apply, scrub and shampoo in an environmentally friendly way? We delved into the world of cosmetics and found out what those green claims really mean. This is what you need to know about sustainable care (and natural care).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\u2018I only use natural personal care products\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u2018I only use natural skincare products\u2019, \u2018vegan is sustainable!\u2019 or: \u2018what a waste of that plastic packaging\u2019. As soon as you share something about sustainable skincare on social media, the comments flood in. Understandable, as cosmetics are a confusing topic. Because does \u2018natural\u2019 really say that much? And is a vegan shampoo automatically an environmentally friendly choice? We dived into the world of cosmetics, ingredient lists, and green claims. And what appears: sustainable skincare is a lot less black and white than Instagram sometimes suggests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural care isn't automatically sustainable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A care product labelled \u2018100% natural\u2019 really only means that the ingredients are of natural origin, for example from plants, animals or minerals. That might be a comforting thought. However, it doesn\u2019t really tell us anything at all. If there is anything synthetic in it, these are substances made by humans (in a factory), often based on petroleum. Yet \u2018natural\u2019 does not always mean \u2018sustainable\u2019. This is because natural ingredients often require a lot of agricultural land. And that space is scarce. For certain raw materials, forests are cleared, large quantities of water are required, or pesticides are used during cultivation. That does not automatically make a natural ingredient environmentally friendly. So, choosing natural care products is perfectly fine, but it is no guarantee of a more sustainable choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural skincare isn't always better for the skin, is it?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many followers, as we know, choose natural skincare products because they think they are gentler on the skin. But that too is more nuanced. A dermatologist previously told us in Wed<\/em> that natural ingredients can also cause skin irritation. For example, some people avoid deodorants with aluminium salts, while according to experts, you can just as easily react sensitively to natural ingredients like aloe vera. In short, be a little more critical of natural ingredients and perhaps sometimes a little more lenient about ingredients of synthetic origin. And absolutely, we completely understand that consumers sometimes get completely confused by this. We do too, regularly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you find sustainable cosmetics and personal care products then?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, you don't need to be a beauty expert to make more sustainable choices on the shelves. With a few handy tools and some basic knowledge, you can go a long way. Here's a handy checklist for your next purchases:<\/p>\n\n\n\n