Good, Clean Fun
Susan Griffin-Black, purveyor of organic bath and body care products, answers readers' questions
08 Jun 2007
I am a bit disconcerted that EO still contains parabens in many of its products. Does EO intend to phase out parabens? -- Laura Kiesel, Washington, D.C.
Susan Griffin-Black of organic body care company EO.
All EO products are paraben-free and have been since April 2006. However, while we stopped formulating and manufacturing products with parabens, some retailers and distributors have backstock of our products, and some of the old (and inaccurate) labels are still out there.
-- I'd be happy to answer any additional questions or concerns you might have.
How do you respond when someone (a competitor in this case, it seems) claims there is no soap in your soap product? -- Rob Jaworski, San Jose, Calif.
Soap is a slippery slope! The FDA defines "soap" as "solely made up of fats and an alkali." Most body cleansers on the market today are synthetic detergent, formulated to make suds easily and not form gummy deposits. Many of these products are marketed as "soap," but don't meet the legal definition of the term.We at EO acknowledge that true soap removes dirt and germs from skin. However, as an alkaline, it also strips the skin of lipids, causing irritation. In our products, we use gently foaming cleansers with a pH that matches that of human skin, in the 4.5 to 5.5 range -- much lower than the pH found in real "soap," which has a pH of eight or higher.
I was interested in trying out your mature skin facial starter kit -- come to find out, you will not be carrying a facial line at all anymore! I'm very sad to hear this -- I would have been a loyal customer for this. Why did you drop it? -- Cindy Sams, San Jose, Calif.
It's hard to compete in the skin-care category in our primary retail market. We found that we were doing too many things and were not able to meet the training, sampling, and marketing demands of the marketplace. I agree our face-care products were wholesome and worked great. I would check out my friend Marla's new line, Duchess Marden -- very pure, simple, and effective.
In your interview, you mention EO is "certified organic." But on your website, I had a hard time finding any products that were USDA "certified organic." How would you recommend consumers best differentiate between personal care products that have some organic ingredients from products that are totally organic? -- Adam Frewitt, Duluth, Minn.
Good question. At EO, our goal is to truly support organic agriculture, truth in labeling, and transparency so our customers are getting the information they need to make decisions. Currently there are no standards for organic personal care products. I'm a founding member of the Organic Trade Association's Personal Care Task Force, and we're taking up this issue. Because the supposed organic standards are for food products, it's a marketer's paradise out there. Some of the ingredients used to make effective personal care products may never be able to be truly organic because they are not agriculturally produced. Ingredients that EO uses that are truly organic are herbs, essential oils, and vegetable oils -- agricultural ingredients that are grown organically. Read labels carefully, ask a lot of questions, and don't assume that products that have "organic" as part of their name are actually made from organic ingredients.
What type of packaging do you use for your products? -- Kelly Larbes, Cincinnati, Ohio
We currently use PCR, post-consumer resin, because it's the option we think is best. We are in the midst of working on ways to reduce our plastic consumption and are working with our local recycling plant and our bottle manufacturer to do more of a closed-loop system. We all have to do our best thinking to reduce plastic consumption -- it's a big problem.
Are all components that go into your products certified cruelty free? -- Ryan Hamilton, Maite, Guam
Yes. All our products are people-tested, on us. The only animal-derived ingredient we use is beeswax.
I work in a hospital and use foam hand sanitizers nonstop! It's good to stop the spread of bugs, but I worry about what and how many dangerous chemicals I am absorbing into my body in the meantime. Any thoughts on this, or solutions? -- Karen Porte, Denver, Colo.
Check out EO Hand Sanitizer. It's 62 percent organic alcohol -- a healthier option for your skin. Our sanitizers also smell great thanks to plant-based essential oils, and they're moisturizing.
Is there such a thing as healthy and environmentally friendly lipstick or blush? And if so, where can we get some? -- P.M., Washington, D.C.
Do you capitalize on the health benefits of red wine in your personal life, and if so, which is your favorite varietal? -- Marc Goldberg, Paso Robles, Calif.
Also in Grist
The Week's Most Popular
From the Archives
Stone on a Roll. Warren G. Stone, green religious leader, answers questions.
Plumber's Cracks. Ed Del Grande, master plumber and how-to expert, answers questions.
The Giving Tee. Eric Henry, sustainable T-shirt maker extraordinaire, answers questions.
