Miessence

Organic and Natural Enterprise Group (or ONEgroup) is an Australian based company who creates and manufactures Miesswnce brand, the world's first complete range of certified organic skincare, haircare, personal care, health care and cosmetic products that are certified to food grade standards. ONEgroup is a world leader in developing safe and organic alternatives to foaming agents and preservatives, and has shown that it is possible to make truly organic products without cheating on these ingredients.

 ONEgroup's range of products stand in a class of their own by being independently certified to international food grade standards by some of the world's most respected and stringent organic certifying organisations, namely, Australian Certified Organic (ACO), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and BFA (biological Farmers of Australia).

 ONEgroup’s miessence products carry the seals of approval by two of the world's leading independent certifying bodies. This is your global guarantee of the authenticity of ONEgroup's claim of truly natural and organic products, which no other manufacturer has achieved.

 ONEgroup has an unwavering commitment to the health and vitality of its customers and to the sustainability of our earth's natural resources.

 In promoting product integrity, ONEgroup not only uses organic ingredients wherever it is available and possible, but also meets organic food standards. It continues to support this high standard at a time where other companies are just beginning to attempt this and are lobbying for changed and lower standards for non-food products such as skin care.

 

Benefits of Miessence Products:

Organic and Natural Enterprise Group (or ONEgroup), the creator of miessence, is an Australian based company which has created and manufactures the world's first Certified Organic skincare, haircare, personal care, health care and cosmetic products. ONEgroup's range of products stand in a class of their own by being independently certified to international food grade standards by some of the world's most respected and stringent organic certifying organisations, namely, Australian Certified Organic (ACO), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and BFA (biological Farmers of Australia). Please see further down for the specifics of its certifications.

In an industry that is largely unregulated, miessence has set an unprecedented benchmark of quality by producing products that are guaranteed to be of an organic food grade standard. This means NO harmful chemicals and that includes emulsifiers, foaming agents, preservatives, colourings and flavourings. This separates Miessence from other organic product ranges. Miessence skin care products are the only products available globally that comply with the stringent labelling and processing criteria for certified food organic products.

Personal care products are not obligated to comply with the rigorous organic food standards upheld by various certfication organisations such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Australia and International Organic Certifier NASAA and Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA), which has led to the abundance of so-called natural or organic body care products positioned in the body care market. Some manufacturers are using synthetic toxic ingredients that would be prohibited in organic food products, whilst still claiming they are organic or natural. 

You may have heard of the term ‘green washing’. You may have purchased products claiming to be organic or natural, only to find out that some ingredients are organic and natural whilst others are not. In fact, most products claiming to be organic and natural contain harmful chemical emulsifiers, foaming agents and preservatives. Some use botanical derivatives that have been synthesised with the use of chemicals, making them potentially harmful. Cocamide-DEA is often positioned as natural as it is derived from coconut. However, it is actually made by mixing the fatty acids of coconut with diethanolamine to make a foaming agent and emulsifier. It is a potential allergen and skin irritant. DEA and its variants are suspected of increasing the risk of cancer. DEA can combine with amines present in cosmetic formulations to form nitrosamines (N-nitrosodiethanolamine), which are known to be highly carcinogenic. Studies also show that DEAs (including cocamide DEA) directly inhibits fetal brain development in laboratory studies by blocking the absorption of choline, a nutrient required for brain development and maintenance. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers have discovered that when DEA was applied to the skin of pregnant mice at concentrations similar to those found in shampoos, the fetuses showed inhibited cell growth and increased cell death in an area of the brain responsible for memory – the hippocampus.

Miessence uses coco polyglucose as a foaming agent, which is synthesised from coconut and glucose from corn. Currently, there is no certified organic alternative to the foaming agent, which comprises about 27% of the product. This foaming agent has excellent dermatological compatibility and is FREE from preservatives and ethylene oxide, the latter of which causes environmental issues due to nitrosamine contamination. ONEgroup is currently working on a certified organic foaming agent of similar functionality. Coco polyglucose has the lowest irritation score of all common surfactants tested based on the Duhring Chamber Test. Surface-active-agents (surfactants) are substances capable of dissolving oils and holding dirt in suspension so that they can be rinsed away with water. Coco polyglucose is the surfactant used in Miessence body wash and shampoos because it is so mild.

 Products with certified organic ingredients are not the same as certified organic products, where the overall product and its entire ingredient content are certified as organic. ONEgroup’s miessence products carry the seals of approval by two of the world's leading independent certifying bodies. This is your global guarantee of the authenticity of ONEgroup's claim of truly natural and organic products, which no other manufacturer has achieved.

Ethical Policies

ONEgroup has an unwavering commitment to the health and vitality of its customers and to the sustainability of our earth's natural resources. The benefits of Certified Organic products go much further than the products themselves. This approach effectively removes chemicals from the agricultural practices of growing ingredients, as well as removing the manufacture of synthetic chemicals, and their by-products, that would otherwise go into equivalent conventional commercial products. In addition, it removes chemical exposure of ONEgroup’s customers when using these products and of the environment when some of these products are washed down drains or disposed of, after use.

Certified products not only promote organic farming, health and public awareness of environmental ethics, they also create a more sustainable supply chain. For a product to be organic, there are conditions from the grower all the way through transportation, processing and packaging, so that all stakeholders in this supply chain make a business of becoming more green. All ONEgroup’s suppliers must meet international organic standards. In the case of ONEgroup, it processes and distributes its own products, and continues to find ways to make all aspects of its business practices greener.

In promoting product integrity, ONEgroup not only uses organic ingredients wherever it is available and possible, but also meets organic food standards. It continues to support this high standard at a time where other companies are just beginning to attempt this and are lobbying for changed and lower standards for non-food products such as skin care.

 A concern is the amount of greenhouse gases ONEgroup emits as they deliver many products worldwide to our customers homes & retail outlets. As a company that has firmly put its principles into practice with its products, ONEgroup decided during 2006 to engage the not-for-profit organisation Greenfleet to calculate its freight emissions and in turn provide the service of planting trees on its behalf, which would offset its impact on the environment. Science shows that 17 mixed native species of trees will help create a forest. As they grow whilst absorbing greenhouse gases, these trees will also help tackle salinity, improve water quality and provide habitat for native species.

Manufacturing

The same CO2 pollution applies for ONEgroup’s production facility. To counter this ONEgroup now pay a premium and source wind-powered electricity through the grid. This is made possible through its local energy provider. By using electric forklifts and machinery run on compressors that all run off this green renewable energy, ONEgroup can claim zero emissions from manufacturing.

Packaging Integrity

ONEgroup’s packaging materials fall under the organic certification standards for its products (i.e. PVC plastic is not permitted as dioxin is a by-product of its production) and it uses both glass and plastics that most councils recycle. ONEgroup uses 100% recyclable, non-leaching plastic packaging as part of its commitment to avoiding petro-chemical plastic and instead using packaging materials that would breakdown in landfill and therefore be part of the world's waste problems solutions.

Greener Offices

While ONEroup has goals for a greener premises in the future, it currently offsets its plant and offices, as well as events and promotional tours with tree planting to make day to day business activity carbon neutral. Conscientious use of recycled materials and use of electricity are promoted and observed throughout operations.

 
Five Benefits of Choosing Certified Organic:

Good for the soil

Organic systems rely on a modern and scientific understanding of ecology and soil science, while also depending on traditional methods of crop rotations to ensure fertility and weed and pest control.

Good for the environment

Organic systems aim to reduce dependence on non-renewable resources. Organic production aims at all times towards sustainability whilst having best management of the environment and wildlife as a priority.

Good for people

Organic based ingredients have been shown in a number of studies to contain more vitamins, nutrients and cancer-fighting antioxidants than non-organic ingredients.

No synthetic chemicals

Organic systems prohibit the use of artificial chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers.

No GMO's

Certified Organic products are produced without GMOs, which are prohibited in the standards for organic food and farming.

 

Organic Certification

The benefits of certified organic processes and products are: 


Currently, body care products are not required to comply with the stringent organic food standards maintained by certification bodies such as the BFA and NASAA in Australia and the USDA in America, hence the plethora of so many 'organic' body care products now on the market.

Since water is the primary ingredient in many cosmetics, some manufacturers are claiming to use organic hydrosols, or floral water, to green wash their products and make organic label claims whilst using the same synthetic toxic ingredients that would NEVER be allowed in organic food products. We believe this practice has the potential to destroy the integrity of the organic name.

There are two levels of certification for organic food products that miessence® skin care products comply with:

 

Products branded 'miessence® certified organics' are certified organic based on the following criteria:

 These products contain (excluding water and salt) at least 95% organically produced agricultural ingredients. The remaining ingredients (up to 5%) can be non-agricultural substances or non-organically produced agricultural ingredients, with strict processing criteria, (eg. absolutely no GMOs or synthetic chemicals). 

Products bearing the ACO logo ( Australian Certified Organic) meet all of the requirements above. ACO is Australia's largest certifier for organic and biodynamic produce and has over 1500 operators within its certification system. 

Products bearing the IFOAM logo (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) meet all of the requirements of ACO certification in addition to the standards set by IFOAM. IFOAM is the worldwide umbrella organisation for the organic movement, uniting more than 750 member organisations in 108 countries.

Products bearing the USDA logo (United States Department of Agriculture) meet all of the requirements of ACO certification in addition to the standards of the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). The USDA National Organic Program accredits private businesses, organisations, and state agencies to certify producers and handlers of agricultural products according to NOP regulations. 

Products branded "miessence® organics" are either made with organic ingredients or are mineral-based products, and are certified by Biological Farmers of Australia:

Made with organic ingredients products contain (excluding water and salt) at least 70% organically produced agricultural ingredients. Any remaining can be non-agricultural substances (eg, clay, bicarb soda, minerals) or non-organically produced agricultural ingredients, with strict processing criteria (eg. absolutely no GMOs or synthetics chemicals).

Mineral-based products contain non-agricultural substances (eg, clay, bicarb soda, minerals), with strict processing criteria (eg. absolutely no GMOs or synthetics chemicals).

These products bear the BFA Registered Product logo.


Product FAQs

Do Miessence products have an expiry date?

 Yes, although not required by law for items with a shelf life of more than 2 and a half years, One Group provides expiration dates as a guide for freshness.

 Are the products suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and animal cruelty-free?

 Yes, ONE Group products are suitable for both vegans and vegetarians, containing only food-grade botanical ingredients which have never been tested on animals due to a long safety record in human consumption. There are a few exceptions for vegans, with the use of beeswax in the lip cremes, concealers and lip balm. 

Why are the Body Wash and Shampoo labelled as organic, not certified organic?

 Certified Organic products must be more than 95% organic to carry the certification. Currently, there is no certified organic alternative to the foaming agent, which comprises about 27% of the product. The foaming agent is polyglucose, of which Coco Polyglucose is synthesised from coconut and glucose from corn. This foaming agent has excellent dermatological compatibility and is FREE from preservatives and ethylene oxide, the latter of which causes environmental issues due to nitrosamine contamination. ONE Group is currently working on a certified organic foaming agent of similar functionality.

Is there any further information on the products, such as reviews and ingredients glossaries?

ONEgroup's company website provides detailed information on the ethos of the company and its products, ingredient glossaries, product reviews, environmental and organic news and other background information you may find useful. Please click here to browse the website.


Product Comparison

See below the comparison between the list of ingredients for a typical "off the shelf" moisturiser and the potent, certified organic, bio-active, chemical free, 100% beneficial ingredients found in a typical Miessence moisturiser.


Typical non-organic ingredient list 

Methyl Paraben (organic preservative) - This preservative contains carbon and so is sometimes sneaked into so-called natural or non-certified organics products under the guise that it contains carbon so can be considered organic. In reality, it is a Xenoestrogen that mimics the sex hormone oestrogen, and is found in 90% of breast cancer tumours tested. 

sodium laureth sulphate (coconut) - composed of four known carcinogens - formaldehyde, Dioxane, Ethylene Oxide, Acetaldehyde. 

dimethicone (silica) - Toxicological properties have not been properly evaluated. Harmful when absorbed by skin, irritant to eyes and skin, endocrine system and thorax. 

Phenoxyethanol - Known to cause brain degeneration, serious damage to eyes, reproductive disorders, and is toxic to bladder and kidneys. 

PEG-50 Almond Glyerides (almond) - Supected to contain dangerous levels of 1,4-dioxane, a carcinogen. 

FD&C Yellow No. 2 (coal tar dye & azo dye) - This Teratogen is linked to asthma, malignant tumours, hyperactivity and cancer, and is banned in Japan, USA, Russia, Norway and Sweden. 

Cocoamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine - No evaluation done whatsoever of toxicological properties 

Triethanolamine (TEA) - Corrosive to eyes. Causes severe body tissue irritation. Reacts with nitrosating agents to form carcinogenic nitrosamines. 

Methylchloroisothiazolinone - Nitrosating agent that causes permanent irreversible damage, corrosion and burns to eyes and is harmful when absorbed by skin. 

Fragrance - Added fragrances can be composed of hundreds of untested chemicals and can cause dizziness, violent coughing, rash, hyperpigmentation, skin irritation and vomiting. 


Miessence Ingredient List 

Organic Aloe Vera - Healing, soothing moisturiser with anti-bacterial properties.

Purified Water - Three-phase carbon filtration, copper ionisation, 0.2 micron ultra-filtration purification treatment. 

Organic rosehip seed oil - Has stretch mark and scar reduction properties, is anti-aging, reduces sun damage and is effective in wound healing. 

Organic jojoba seed oil - Protective with outstanding moisturising qualities due to its ability to deeply penetrate skin. 

Organic Shea Butter - Rich and nourishing butter that offers excellent skin protection. 

Organic Safflower oil - Penetrating moisturiser with naturally high content of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that repairs skin and prevents aging. It is though to be lacking in those who suffer from atopic dermatitis. 

Organic Sugar Cane Ethanol - Carries beneficial ingredients into skin. Natural solvent for herbs. 

Non-GMO Lethicin - Skin hydrator and softener. Natural moisturiser. 

D-Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) - Stimulates regeneration of skin and enhances its moisture retention capacity. 

Organic Lavender Essential Oil - Facilitates new skin cell regeneration and soothes skin inflammation. 

Bitter Orange Extract - Non-toxic, biodegradable, natural anti-microbial with broad spectrum activity. Developed for food industry.

 

Miessence does not advocate the use of nanoparticles or titanium dioxide in its mineral powders, as nanoparticles are suspected to act much like asbestos when inhaled, causing inflammation, which sets the scene for a whole range of metabolic health conditions. Nanoparticles are being introduced to many commercial products, including cosmetics. Metallic particles such as titanium dioxide are considered especially dangerous when in nanoparticle form.