What the heck are EWG ratings?
And why should you care?
In the world of skincare there is no shortage of ratings and regulations that are vying for your attention. It has become more than just a matter of health and wellness. Arguably we’ve entered into the realm of status when it comes to which products hold what accolades and passed which tests to make it on our shelves with those coveted fine print ratings markers. You probably know at least a few of these by now. Leaping bunny, vegan, cruelty-free, organic, and the one we are currently the most interested in at the moment, EWG verified.
With all of these different criteria and qualifications you might wonder why it is we’ve zoned in on just one in particular: EWG ratings. What on earth is EWG? Where did it come from, what does it stand for? And most importantly WHY is this important to you? How can you use EWG guidelines to your benefit as a consumer? Let’s do a little digging!
The EWG: A Brief History
The logical place to start is with this: what does EWG stand for and where did it come from?
“EWG stands for the Environmental Working Group, an American nonprofit organization with the main goal of driving companies to create safer healthier products across the board.”
They’ve been around since 1993 and assert that many consumers are unaware of what exactly is in the products they purchase from personal care items to the foods they eat, even our furniture! They strive to provide resources for consumers to better educate themselves on the products they’re buying and the specific ingredients they contain in regards to your health and safety.
Over the years we’ve been much more open to analyzing the foods we eat and what exactly goes into the things we purchase from the supermarket shelf, but the same attention hasn’t always been paid when it comes to personal care products such as cosmetics or, surprise surprise, skincare...
