Unbound Edition - Burt’s Bees Brand Sets the Natural Standard

Burt’s Bees, known for its trademark yellow packaging, affinity for honey and aromatherapeutic salves, is leading the conversation about what is truly ‘natural’ in the beauty and personal-care category.

Earlier this year, the brand commissioned a survey by Yankelovich Partners, exploring what women think about quote-unquote natural personal-care products, what they are exactly, and how they should be labeled. The survey found that close to 80% of women think that natural personal care is regulated (it is not) and that 97% of women feel that the “natural” term should be regulated.

Mike Indursky, chief marketing and strategic officer for Burt’s Bees agrees. The brand is taking matter into his own … wings.

In the Web site, “The Greater Good,” the brand is setting its own high standard for natural personal-care products – one that requires those labeled natural be made with at least 95% “truly natural” ingredients, contain no ingredients with any “potential suspected human-health risks” and use no processes that “significantly or adversely alter the purity/effect of the natural ingredients.” And the brand is asking others in the category to adhere to these standards.

The site also outlines what ingredients the company feels should never be used in personal-care products, the only circumstances in which a non-natural ingredient should be used, and other aspects of business Burt’s believes are essential, such as corporate transparency, sustainable packaging and never testing on animals.

I have been a fan of Burt’s Bees for a long time now, from the yummy lip balm to the surprisingly refreshing Garden Tomato facial toner. The Greater Good web site just makes me love the brand even more. I really feel like I am standing up for something when I use Burt’s products.

So come here, “The Defender” hand salve! Mama’s got some emolliatin’ to do!

buzzing for burt's
written by kristin, June 04, 2007 09:35 AM

Good for them. They really created something spectacular and should own the position. I only have a passing knowledge of the company (based on aforementioned yummy lip balm) but now that I've gone to the links you provided, I'll be more of a consumer of their products. God knows what kind of toxic sludge is in most of the crap we put on our bodies. These people are doing it right.

Amen, sister.
written by Newman, June 04, 2007 11:43 AM

Agreed. And the fact that Burt's can be found at local drug stores, not department stores, makes it even cooler. Affordable, accessible and ethical luxury.

leadership
written by Patrick, June 04, 2007 09:22 PM

Good to see that BB's gets it, truly. Brand integrity like this is the only thing that matters, and it makes for lasting earnings, too. Watch for Burt's Bees and Dove to take the entire industry higher with their diversely unique social agendas for "what's next" in the conversation around beauty and care.