Sustainable cosmetics: a major instrument in protecting the consumer’s interest

Abstract

Recently, many alarms have been raised in connection with cosmetics consumption. Only a small portion of consumers realize that hygiene and beauty products are responsible for their health. All consumers who are really concerned about their health must know that many substances used in these products are dangerous not only for the environment, but also for the integrity of their bodies, because they are absorbed by the body through the skin. Most manufacturers use chemical cocktails in their cosmetics and beauty products. These „cocktails” are not only damaging to the skin but also to our everyday environment. Consumers must be able to make an informed choice regarding which manufactured cosmetics to buy and to use every day. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the green cosmetics market, underlining the relationship between green cosmetics, firms' environmentally-friendly strategies, and consumer protection policies. Using a comparison between green and synthetic cosmetics that shows the high risk involved in using a lot of dangerous chemicals contained in the latter, the article attempts to build up environmental awareness and interest among consumers in healthy and safe consumption, consumption that is sustainable in nature and not harmful to their own health. Keywords: green marketing, natural cosmetics, environmental awareness, consumer protection