So... how green really is green? Stay vigilant.

There are more and more great organic beauty products appearing on counters every day, but the labels can be confusing. Some claim to be green, others totally organic, and then there are those that are just labeled "all natural”. It’s a situation that really annoys me, as so many consumers are sucked in by the term “natural”, and in New Zealand at least, beauty products need only contain a single organic ingredient to be able to make the claim. In the United States however, the Consumers Union, the influential watchdog group that publishes Consumer Reports, has petitioned the Federal Trade Commission to do away with the widespread use of misleading labels. Unlike organic food - which is usually very closely regulated in many countries - there are few guidelines for how shampoo or moisturiser labels can make use of terms like "organic." In the case of some of the world’s biggest brands, just a small fraction of their ingredients are actually organic. Fingers crossed that the initiative takes flight, but until then I recommend being super vigilant and research before you buy if you’re wanting to green. Believe me, your body will thank you for it!