download environmental working group skin deep

A large number of ingredients are derived from petrochemicals. However, ingredients with no available safety data are assigned a score of 0, which is very much aligned with Corporate America’s philosophy of “let the buyer beware.” My qualm with this approach is that it leaves us – the consumer – to unwittingly be guinea pigs in a real-world trial with no control group or media coverage.Ĭontamination concerns buried. Lack of data = safety? Information about individual ingredients is drawn from an extensive pool of sources, which is great. Allow me to explain …ĭownload Sharon's FREE Label Reading Guide While I applaud EWG’s transparency, I feel there are notable flaws in their interpretation of the data, for both the ingredient and the product rankings. EWG also boasts 2,148 “verified” products, which I will discuss later in this blog.ĮWG also claims to have “the best available information about the safety of personal care ingredients,” and fully discloses an intricate web of logic they use to calculate ingredient and product scores, both of which are assigned a number between 0-10, with 10 being the highest hazard. Today, Skin Deep rates 88,475 products and at least 11,500 ingredients, from more than 3,000 brands. The database’s first release rated 7,500 products and almost 7,000 ingredients. In 2004, EWG launched its Skin Deep database to inform people of what’s in their personal care products. More recently, EWG has become widely regarded as a pioneer in raising awareness regarding the presence of harmful chemicals in personal care products, and has done some good work in this regard. Since its inception in 1993, EWG has provided research geared towards reforming agriculture policy, advancing conservation techniques and environmental protection. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is an activist group specializing in research and advocacy in the areas of agricultural subsidies, toxic chemicals, drinking water pollutants and corporate accountability. WHAT IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP (EWG)? Perhaps the most widely used resource is the EWG Skin Deep Database, and this blog will shed light and understanding on its limitations.

When learning about the complex issue of harmful ingredients in everyday products, it’s natural to want to lean on a tool or tools to help cut through the clutter in order to make sound purchasing decisions.īut beware, as most come with bias and limitations.

Download environmental working group skin deep