Careful Beauty

WEN’s Ending the Cosmetics Cover Up campaign highlighted the thousands of potentially harmful chemicals used in skincare products and toiletries and continues to generate many enquiries from those seeking out alternative products. In response WEN invited cosmetics and toiletries companies to complete a questionnaire on the sustainability of their manufacturing processes, with a view to their inclusion on WEN’s Careful Beauty Checklist – revised and updated in 2009 with support from the Sheepdrove Trust.

Only companies which as a minimum state that their products are free from both parabens, and synthetic fragrances are included on the checklist. The company responses can be viewed or printed by clicking on the Careful Beauty checklist links. Inclusion on this checklist does NOT represent an endorsement by WEN of the companies or their products.

Parabens and synthetic fragrances were selected as the two basic criteria for inclusion as they are among the most common found in many products. Parabens are one of the most widely used preservatives, are oestrogen mimics and have been implicated in a number of health issues. Synthetic fragrance, often labelled parfum, can contain between 50 and 100 chemical fragrances and may indicate the presence of phthalates linked to reproductive damage. (see separate Cosmetics Briefing, and our Pretty Nasty report on phthalates). It is worth noting that skin may react to natural as well as synthetic ingredients.

We are working to put the Careful Beauty Checklist on our new website. In the meantime, please Download the Careful Beauty Checklist in PDF version.

Full list of criteria and explanations available here.

Inclusion on the checklist does NOT represent an endorsement by WEN of the companies or their products. WEN’s approach would be first and foremost to question the need for many of the products marketed, and secondly to encourage consumers to be discerning, and to use less of the products they do buy. What you can do: Arm yourself with our cosmetics briefing, check labels, and contact the companies yourselves for verification of their claims. Also contact retailers to encourage them to stock alternative brands.

Contact us
If you represent a cosmetics company and would like your company to be considered for inclusion on our list, please contact health@wen.org.uk for a questionnaire. Thanks.