Why We Chose MADE SAFE (and Not EWG Verified)

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]

What EWG VERIFIED™ Does+−
- Where EWG VERIFIED™ Falls Short
How MADE SAFE® Raises the Bar
Side-by-Side: EWG VERIFIED™ vs MADE SAFE®+−
- Ingredients Cheat Sheet
Why It Matters

We’re sometimes asked the question: “Are you EWG Verified?”

My answer is always the same: “No, we’re not.” And I’m actually proud of that. Instead, our products are MADE SAFE® Certified.

So why is that, and what does that mean? For us, it was a very intentional choice. MADE SAFE holds brands to far more rigorous standards than EWG, with a level of review and research that goes much deeper. Sure, EWG has helped raise awareness about toxic ingredients, and I respect and appreciate the role they’ve played in that. But the reality is—they still allow a lot of things we don’t align with. GMOs, pesticide residues, fragrance chemicals, silicones, and preservatives like phenoxyethanol can all show up in EWG Verified products.

We also didn’t want to be lumped in with brands that allow those ingredients. That’s why we chose MADE SAFE. Their process is uncompromising, thorough, and designed to protect not just human health, but the environment as well.

What EWG VERIFIED™ Does

To be fair, EWG Verified isn’t meaningless. The Environmental Working Group is well known for its Skin Deep database, where consumers can look up hazard ratings of cosmetic ingredients.

I have concerns about the Skin Deep database—primarily because their team lacks support for reviewing the accuracy of submissions when a brand and its ingredients are entered. What many people don’t realize is that consumers—not just companies—can submit products and ingredient lists to EWG. Without enough staff to cross-check every detail, errors slip through.

We experienced this firsthand when our eye cream was listed with a “hazard score” that rated chamomile powder as a level six—suggesting it was highly toxic—simply because a powder in the eye could be dangerous. But our formula didn’t use powdered chamomile at all; it was an infusion. There was no one on their end to make that distinction or to reach out to us for clarification. Instead, it was published publicly as if it were fact.

For me, that’s a problem. If information is going to be listed for millions of people to see, it should be accurate. And yet, there isn’t communication, conversation, or due diligence to ensure that it is.

That said, I don’t want to dismiss EWG entirely. They’ve done tremendous work in raising awareness around environmental health, GMOs, pesticides, and toxic ingredients like Teflon. I respect that. But when it comes to the Skin Deep database—and by extension, the VERIFIED™ program—I believe it lacks the rigor and accountability required to truly keep consumers safe.

The EWG VERIFIED™ mark builds on the Skin Deep system. Products must avoid ingredients on EWG’s “Unacceptable” and “Restricted” lists. Ingredient disclosure is required—including fragrance components. The program helps eliminate many of the most widely recognized “chemicals of concern.”

It’s a step in the right direction for the industry. But for us, it only scratches the surface.

Where EWG VERIFIED™ Falls Short

Here’s where the gap shows up (and you can read this for yourself here):

GMOs & Synthetic Biology – EWG does not restrict genetically modified ingredients or those created with synthetic biology.

Pesticide Residues – EWG does not screen raw materials for pesticide residues. Non-organic botanicals with high-risk pesticides can still qualify.
Fragrance – EWG requires disclosure, but many fragrance allergens (limonene, linalool, eugenol, etc.) are permitted at low levels.
Preservatives – Phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin are allowed.
Silicones – Dimethicone and others are allowed.
PEGs & Polysorbates – Allowed with limits.
Synthetic Dyes – Permitted if FDA/EU approved.
Parabens & Formaldehyde-Releasers – Certain parabens and formaldehyde donors can still appear under restrictions.
Retinol & Retinyl Derivatives – Still permitted, despite concerns around photo-instability, endocrine disruption, and developmental toxicity risk (especially in pregnancy). MADE SAFE bans retinol compounds altogether.

These are ingredients we’ve made it a point to avoid. We even created our Get Rid of One Toxic Product Challenge to help people take that step in their own lives. So why would we partner with a third-party verification program that allows the very same ingredients we’re trying to eliminate?

How MADE SAFE® Raises the Bar

Where EWG stops, MADE SAFE starts. The MADE SAFE seal is the first nontoxic certification to apply a truly comprehensive, systems-based review of ingredients.

1. Full Ingredient Proof

MADE SAFE requires documentation for 100% of what’s in a product—not just what’s on the label. This includes trace ingredients in fragrances, flavors, and processing aids.

2. The MADE Banned List

Certification begins with a massive “red list” of more than 15,000 substances that are automatically disqualified. This includes PFAS, plasticizers, high-risk pesticides, and other toxic substances still widely used today.

3. The Ecosystem Approach

Every ingredient is reviewed not only for human health, but for its environmental impact: what happens in air, water, soil, and sediment, and how it affects aquatic and terrestrial life.

4. A 360-Degree Review

MADE SAFE calls its process a 360-degree review because it looks at ingredients from every angle—measured and modeled data, environmental fate, supply-chain transparency, and health impact.

Side-by-Side: EWG VERIFIED™ vs MADE SAFE®

Category	EWG VERIFIED™	MADE SAFE®
Certification Scope	Screens products against EWG’s “Unacceptable” and “Restricted” lists (hundreds of chemicals).	Screens products against the MADE SAFE Banned List of over 15,000 substances.
Ingredient Disclosure	Requires full ingredient disclosure, including fragrance.	Requires proof from suppliers and manufacturers accounting for 100% of ingredients, including sub-ingredients and trace components.
Transparency	Relies on company-submitted data and label disclosure.	Requires documentation and supply-chain proof for every ingredient.
Review Process	Focuses on avoiding known chemicals of concern.	Uses a 360-degree ecosystem approach: human health + environmental impact.
Environmental Considerations	Limited focus on environmental fate.	Evaluates air, water, soil, sediment, aquatic and terrestrial life.
Speed of Approval	Generally faster; relies on database criteria.	Can take months or years; often involves back-and-forth, ingredient testing, and additional proof.
Consumer Accessibility	Builds on EWG’s Skin Deep database for awareness.	Certification only granted after rigorous scientific review.
Overall Aim	Helps eliminate well-known toxicants and improve label transparency.	Aims to redefine product safety through uncompromising, holistic standards.

Ingredients Cheat Sheet

And if you want to see the difference at a glance, here’s a quick cheat sheet:

Allowed by EWG (even in VERIFIED products):

Phenoxyethanol (synthetic preservative)
Retinol & retinyl derivatives (retinyl palmitate, acetate, etc.) You can read more about why we strongly advise avoiding retinol here.
Ethylhexylglycerin (preservative booster)
Dimethicone & other silicones
PEGs & polysorbates
Synthetic dyes & pigments (FD&C colors)
Certain parabens
Formaldehyde releasers (like DMDM Hydantoin)
Fragrance allergens (limonene, linalool, eugenol, etc.)
GMOs & synthetic biology ingredients
Pesticide residues (not screened)
Quats (like benzalkonium chloride, cetrimonium chloride)
Ethanolamines (MEA, DEA, TEA)
Talc (permitted if asbestos-free)
Mineral oils / petroleum-derived ingredients (if highly refined)
Resorcinol (used in hair dyes)
Certain chemical sunscreen agents (like octocrylene)
Cocamidopropyl betaine (can carry contaminants)
MI & MCI preservatives (methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone)

Banned by MADE SAFE®:

Plasticizers (like phthalates)
More than 15,000 other toxic or high-risk substances
All of the above
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
High-risk pesticides

Why It Matters

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about labels—it’s about alignment. We’ve challenged ourselves and our community to remove toxic ingredients from our lives, and MADE SAFE was the only certification that truly met that standard.

EWG VERIFIED™ helps raise awareness, but MADE SAFE® goes further. It ensures that every single ingredient is scrutinized—not just for human safety, but for the health of the planet. That’s why we chose MADE SAFE, and why we’re proud to put their seal on our products.