Around the Net

Overcoming Confusion About 'Natural' Beauty Products

Burt's Bees products began hitting store shelves last month affixed with a Natural Products Association seal. The sticker promises that at least 95% of ingredients are natural or derived from natural sources, that they have no "potential suspected human health risks" and that development processes haven't significantly altered the effect of the natural ingredients, among other criteria. A handful of other brands also carry the certification.

Mike Indursky, Burt's Bees' marketing chief, led the brand's involvement in the certification. He says that the company did a study last year that found that 78% of women believe that when they see the word "natural" on a product, some governing body is regulating what's in there, although that's not true. Further, 97% of women say they want some sort of regulation.

Burt's Bee and several competitors worked with the Natural Products Association - a non-government, nonprofit, third-party organization - to develop the criteria. The goal, Indursky says, is to get to a point where all products are 100% natural, although certain ingredients give a benefit that you can't get naturally.

advertisement

advertisement

Read the whole story at The Wall Street Journal »

Next story loading loading..