boo on hemp organics

i got some very bad news this morning.

hemp organics has decided to add beeswax to their lip tints and their lipsticks, rendering them No Longer Vegan.  hemp organics lip tint, in amber, has been my only real "lipstick" (such as it is) since i went vegan two years ago. i can't find anything else i like, and i really really liked this stuff. it was a nice sheer earthy brown, and it was moisturizing, and holy crap i'm so pissed about the beeswax.

i made an attempt to buy out the remaining stock at vegan essentials but i ended up getting ZERO tubes instead. crap!

i guess this means i'll be scouring the web tomorrow, trying to buy up random leftover stock from wherever google takes me. just picture me clicking around, with the single perfect tear making its way down my cheek, just like demi moore in ghost.

boo i say!

Comments

[Danielle]

Thanks for telling me. I'm going to write and kvetch to them.

[Cindy]

That totally sucks. I also use hemp organics lip tint and am very disappointed. Now I will have to search for a new lipstick brand. Back on the hunt again.

[Deb]

I emailed them to complain. (the only way I could figure out to do that was via this link: http://www.greenpeople.org/searchresults.cfm?memid=2035 )

If enough people complain, they might just change their minds. Also A different daisy carries the tints - they might have some of the color you like left in stock: http://yhst-48641225173758.stores.yahoo.net/velibyheor1.html

[girl least likely to]

yes, i totally agree with you guys--it's worth a shot to try and complain. i heard that they were pretty darn testy about it when asked (by a retailer) why they were adding beeswax, but whatever. i plan to contact them. it just seems so strange to me--you're definitely LOSING customers by adding it, and you're not gaining any by adding it. what's the deal?

thanks for the links, deb... they are out of my color already! i'm working on a couple of other leads. if i find any good spots i'll post the links here. :)

[Deb]

This was their response:
"Thank you for your comments about the change in formulation of our Lip Tints. We changed the formula in order to raise the Certified Organic content of the product. We are able to replace one of the waxes that is not available Certified Organic with Organic beeswax. In the market place there is a very hight demand for products with a high content of Certified Organic ingredients. Three of our Lip Pencils are vegan: Autumn, Chestnut, and Spice. Thanks for buying our products in the past!"

Bah. The funny thing is that I was copied on an internal email. I don't know what she was responding to, but she said "I did write her a nice explanation." I found that amusing. It was, indeed, a "nice" explanation, even though it did nothing to address my concerns! lol.

[girl least likely to]

thanks for sharing the response, deb! also: argh.

okay, i found two places that still have old stock. i'd definitely check before ordering to make sure they have your color, but here you go! (i just ordered from both.)

http://www.springvalleyherbs.com/catalog.php?itemID=3169

http://www.vashonorganics.com/SPD/hemp-organics-lip-tints-certified-organic-lip-tint--choose-from-8-different-colors--1860000-1154370952.jsp

[Ruth]

I too am a vegan and use Hemp Organics Lip Tints. I wonder though is there such a problem if the beeswax is certified organic? Does that not mean that the beeswax is harvested in a humane way e.g. the queen bees are not killed?

[girl least likely to]

ruth--to be totally honest i'm not sure what the difference between "organic" and "regular" beeswax is, but i tend to err on the side of caution in the case of bee products. if it's from bees, i don't want it. :)

[Debbie]

I, too, have used Hemp Organics. I no longer will. First, as it has been explained to me, hundreds of bees are killed by just going into a hive. Second, the beeswax belongs to the bees, not to me. I don't want to buy products in whichl theft is involved. Truth in advertising would mean that the ingredient is listed as "organic stolen beeswax."