Read that again.
Lately, I've seen a wave of viral posts calling brands "greenwashed" in big bold letters, with zero context, no breakdown, and no receipts. Just blanket statements made to stir the pot and rake in the views... and cause panic.
One thing I often wonder, do we even know what greenwashing is anymore?
Greenwashing is when a brand intentionally markets a product as "clean," "natural," or "eco-friendly" while still using deceptive labeling, hidden ingredients, or unsafe practices. It actually started out as an environmental/sustainability thing... but has now morphed into something else via social media. It's a serious issue, but the term has lost its meaning when it's thrown around just because someone personally doesn't like a brand or doesn't prefer an ingredient.
This is where things get tricky, truth gets diluted, and consumers get confused and defeated because there is no legal definition to clean, green, low tox, non tox, etc.
Let's dig in more to what greenwashing now is:
Buzzwords Without Backing:
As I mentioned, words like "non-toxic,"
"natural," "eco," "clean," or "BPA-free" sound good but they re not regulated.
Just because it is "Natural" doesn't mean safe. Arsenic is natural.
"BPA-free" might still contain BPS or BPF, which are also endocrine disruptors.
Unless the brand explains what they mean, buzzwords are just noise.
Nature-Themed Graphics
Soft green hues, leaves, water droplets... they look fresh and clean. But don't let the aesthetic fool you; what matters is what's inside the bottle, not what's on the label.
Some brands slap on their own made-up seals to seem "verified."
Instead, look for legitimate third-party verifications like:
EWG Verified
MADE SAFE
Oeko-Tex
Rainforest Alliance
B Corp, etc.
These certifications require actual testing and accountability. They may not be "perfect" but they are real certifications that all have different requirements.
Greenwashing is not when a product contains an ingredient you personally don't like.
You might avoid phenoxyethanol (another hot topic for another day), essential oils, or baking soda and that's totally your right. But the presence of an ingredient you don't vibe with doesn't mean a brand is being deceptive or unsafe.
But it can mean the product isn't for you and that is okay.
Greenwashing is not when a brand isn't "perfect."
There's no such thing as a 100% non-toxic, zero-waste, planet-saved-in-a-bottle product.
If you're expecting that, you'll be disappointed every time. A brand can be making progress, using safer ingredients, and still be honest, even if they re not perfect.
Greenwashing is not when a conventional brand tries to do better.
We want more brands moving in a cleaner direction. If we attack every effort they make as fake or "too little, too late," we discourage change. Use discernment, not every effort is performative, and not every "eco" product from a big brand is a lie. Multiple things can be true at once.
Greenwashing is not when you just don't like the brand.
We all have preterences. Maybe the product didn't work for your skin. Maybe you didn't like their marketing. That's fine, but let's not confuse personal bias with dishonesty.
Critique is fine, but labeling something "greenwashed" should come with evidence.
Greenwashing is not a clickbait weapon.
It's not a term to use because it stirs outrage or drives engagement. It's a serious claim and it needs to be backed by real knowledge, ingredient analysis, and understanding of how labeling and marketing regulations work. An ingredient that causes irritation? That doesn't automatically make it toxic.
Tbh, literally every ingredient on Earth can cause a reaction in someone. We're called bio-individuals for a reason. Your skin might hate baking soda. Mine might love it (this is a common irritant to many in natural deodorant, using it as an example). You might break out from aloe. I might break out in song when I see it on a label.
When you see those "don't buy this it's greenwashed" posts, pause.
Ask these questions:
Are they giving specific ingredients + explanations?
Are they linking research or third-party testing?
Or are they just trying to go viral by making you afraid of everything?
Are the only "best" options the products they affiliate for? (Yes, I absolutely think affiliate links are great, but if someone is ONLY giving the "best" options because they get a kick back off of it, that is when I go digging)
Being an educated consumer means knowing the difference between:
"This brand is greenwashed" and "This product didn't work for me"
We need to live in a world where low-tox living is a spectrum, not a contest.
But when viral posts throw out the word "greenwashing" like confetti, without explanation, context, or evidence, it doesn't help people make better choices. It just makes them scared, confused, or shamed.
I was guilty of doing this early on in my low tox career... and then one day I asked myself:
What's the goal of those posts?
Are they helping my followers become an educated, empowered consumer?
Or are they just trying to go viral? Stir outrage? Sell something else?
Discernment is key. We don't need to agree on every product or ingredient, but we do need to understand what greenwashing actually is and what it isn't.
I recently saw someone call a brand "toxic" and greenwashed because they listed WATER as an ingredient. Yep. Water.
Their reasoning? They were sure (without asking the brand, seeing testing, or even contacting customer service) that the company just used tap water. And that because it wasn't "verified filtered water," it must be toxic.
Therefore: greenwashed.
I truly wish I were making that up, but it's a real example of how we've lost the plot. How the goal post keeps moving and lost track of the ultimate goal: to reduce our overall toxic load based on our own unique circumstances.
Being informed is powerful.
Being critical is smart.
But being reactive and calling everything greenwashed or toxic just waters down the conversation. (Pun fully intended)
Let's Bring Back Nuance
You can not love a product.
You can choose not to use a product.
But that doesn't automatically mean it's greenwashed or toxic.
We are all bio-individuals. An ingredient that irritates your skin may work great for someone else. That doesn't make it dangerous, it makes it personal.
Your Low-Tox Journey Should Be:
Empowering, not fear-based Informed, not reactionary Informed, not consumed Flexible, not perfect
(unless you have a very individual need to be incredibly strict or rigid - I get that, but I don't believe those people that need those things are the ones calling everything else greenwashed)
So next time someone posts a "don't buy this, it's greenwashed!" reel or post... pause. Ask questions. And give yourself permission to be a thoughtful consumer, not a scared one.
Discernment is the real superpower.
