Check the label honey! A Product Label Guide Post :)

Hello Lovelies!

    It's been a while since I last posted here. And gawwwwd, how I miss it! So moving forward, here's a little info post for all of us. Since the beauty industry is continuing to grow, beauty products kept popping here and there, but of course as a responsible consumer we must always "check the label". 

    So here are the labels I have encountered in my beauty product journey:

• USDA - is a program created by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the United States Department of Agriculture with the aim to provide US Producers the opportunity to market their goods domestically and internationally by undergoing quality check based on AMS USDA Organic Standards which was developed by the National Organic Program (NOP), and also to provide consumers worldwide with guaranteed quality goods.

There are 3 Organic Product Standards in USDA, namely Crop Standard, Handling Standard &  Livestock and Poultry Standards. So if you have the USDA Organic label on your products, it means that it passed either of the 3 standards given. :)

 

• HALAL - by the Islamic Da'wah Council of the Philippines is a seal to aid our Muslim friends in choosing products. It is based on  Islamic Shari’ah which provides the guidelines on lawful Islamic consumption, it is based on Qur'an, Hadith, Ijma & Qiyas. And a bit of trivia, the opposite of Halal is Haram, thanks for the info Halal Food Authority!

 

• OU Kosher | OK Kosher | KLBD  - Kosher sealed goods are goods permitted the Jewish Law. In my experience I've encountered 3: 
• The OU Kosher which claims to be "the world’s largest and most widely recognized kosher certification agency, certifying over 1,201,950 products produced in more than 9,715 plants located in 104 countries around the world". 
• The OK Kosher claims that "for more than 80 years, OK Kosher has been the global benchmark for kosher certification. Our reputation for the highest level of clear kosher standards, technical expertise, and customer service makes us the most efficient kosher organization around". 
• The KLBD (Kashrut (Kosher) Division of the London Beth Din (Jewish court of law) claims that they are "the largest kosher certification agency in Europe, as well as one of the top five in the world. The KLBD logo is recognised and respected by both manufacturers and consumers worldwide. KLBD certify some 40,000 ingredients and over 3,500 retail products across six continents."

• ECOCERT  - stands for "Production respectful of living ecosystems, better management of natural resources (water, air, soil fertility) and energy, socially responsible industries, better quality and safety of products. Essential elements to meet the current economic, social and environmental challenges in order to build the world of tomorrow.". They provide, other than certification, training and consultation for eco-friendly production.

• The Leaping Bunny  - this seal certifies that a good's production didn't involved testing the good on animals. The Leaping Bunny is a part of "cruelty-free" movement, which advocates companies & manufacturers to stop harming animals in the process of creating their goods. You check their standards here.

• Cruelty Free Bunny  - "Beauty without Bunnies" movement by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), serves as people's guide to make sure that the product didn't do any harm to any animal. You can visit PETA to view their latest advocacies and animal protection programs.

• Not tested on Animals Bunny  - is a seal by "Choose Cruelty Free" Movement in Australia. An independent & Non-profit group raising awareness of animal rights by means of certifying products that didn't require testing or harming animals.

• Superbrands  - is a seal given by the Superbrand Award giving buddy to the brand that "they" say is the best on their field. Participation is by invitation only. A brand sealed by Superbrand, "they say", ensures that the product will be well-advertised and recognized. I don't know, but in my opinion, this is just a marketing strategy for brands in order to sell, but again, that's just my opinion. If you like, you can view their website here. 

Sooooo, that's for now my Lovelies! You made it through my long post! Congratulations!

Do take care always! Especially now that there's a pandemic. Stand still, this too shall pass.

References:

• https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/organic-standards
• https://www.idcphalal.org/
• https://www.halalfoodauthority.com/definition-of-halal
• https://oukosher.org/about-the-ou/
• http://www.ok.org/
• https://www.klbdkosher.org/about-klbd-2/
• http://www.ecocert.com/en/our-approach/index.html
• https://nanshy.com/7-tips-for-switching-to-cruelty-free-products-permanently/
• https://www.leapingbunny.org/content/leaping-bunny-logo
• https://www.peta.org/living/personal-care-fashion/petas-new-beauty-without-bunnies-logo/
• https://choosecrueltyfree.org.au/about-ccf/
• https://www.superbrands.com/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superbrands