Burt's Bees Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss

How many of my girls out there like their lip gloss? I'm raising my hand with you :) When I was a kid I was obsessed with BonneBell lip balms (and Rainbow Brite - ya feel me, '90s girls?). As I grew older I moved on to Urban Decay's lip gunk and now I'm loving Korres' lip glosses...but back to the product at hand!

In the past few years, Burt's Bees has expanded its product line to include glorious, glorious lip gloss. For those who are just hopping on the "green" train, I would recommend Burt's Bees Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss as a good product to start with. It has a non-sticky consistency, sheer tint, lots of shimmer, and a nice citrus-y scent.

Burt's Bees Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss in Sweet Pink

Rather than synthetic or petroleum-derived emollients, this lip gloss contains moisturizing castor seed oil, sunflower seed oil, acacia decurrens wax, and sweet almond oil. These ingredients contribute to the slippery texture, which doesn't catch hair in the wind and keeps lips feeling smooth, not tacky. They also help to make it 100% natural.

You can find this lip gloss at virtually every drug store, Target, Walmart, and natural food store with beauty section - usually at $7 or under. It also comes in six colors from clear to spicy red. To buy online, visit http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/lips-lip-shimmer-gloss/super-shiny-lip-gloss.html.

Green Beauty Blog Rating: A
Eco-friendly Rating: A!

Has anyone else tried this gloss? What did you think?

Here's the wrinkle....

The semantics involved in the green beauty industry can be pretty hairy sometimes. While my goal, along with many other conscientious consumers, is to use more natural and organic products, it can sometimes be difficult to determine what you're really getting from a product labeled "natural" or "organic". Add to that ingredient lists that can read like the Magna Carta, and the waters get even murkier.

I'll do my best here to provide some information regarding the terms "natural" and "organic" as defined by US agencies. We'll get to the trick ingredient lists later. Feel free to keep this information in mind next time you hit Sephora or the drug store :)

Natural: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet defined the term "natural" or put regulations in place to govern the use of the term "natural". So, any manufacturer may use the term "natural" to describe their product regardless of what the product contains. If you run across a product that is represented as "natural", do your homework and consult the list of ingredients. If you feel comfortable with what's listed there, then by all means, go for it! But be aware that many products which claim to be "natural" may contain potentially harmful preservatives and synthetic ingredients.

Organic: In accordance with the Organic Foods Protection Act of 1990 (OFPA), The U.S. Department of Agriculture has implemented the National Organic Program, through which farmers may certify their crops as "organic". Some certified organic crops are processed and used in the production of consumer personal care products. Consumers will find the USDA seal on products where 95-100% of the ingredients are organic. Manufacturers may also use the following labels to represent their products, depending on the percentage of organic ingredients their products contain:

• 100% Organic
  
• Organic - 95% or more of ingredients are organic
• Made with Organic Ingredients - 70% or more of ingredients are organic
• Less than 70% Organic Ingredients - Organic Ingredients denoted in ingredients list only

Outside the U.S., many international bodies have established standards for what products may be considered natural or organic. For information regarding standards bodies in your area, contact your local or national agriculture agency.

I hope these tidbits of information make your next shopping trip easier. Please feel free to post any additional information you feel is relevant!

Before diving into this blog, I want to put a disclaimer out there...

I am a recent college graduate using this blog to explore and expose eco-friendly beauty products. I am not a doctor, dermatologist, esthetician, botanist, or medical professional. So, if you have any questions or concerns about an ingredient or product mentioned on this blog, please contact a professional. I am more than happy to give my opinion, but unfortunately my degree in Business does not qualify me to provide medical advice :P

Thanks for your consideration!