Published: October 3rd,
2012
“Organic” and “natural” are among various labels available on the market, and are
highly sought after as consumers presume an underlying promise of better
results for all skin types. But as is commonplace with the personal care and
cosmetics industry, these words are not well understood.
Let us understand what
natural refers to. Ideally, natural products are made from pure and undiluted
plant derivatives and contain literally
zero additives like mercury, alcohol, DEA, nitrosamines, alcohol, isopropyl
and polyethylene glycol, and preservatives.
It is important to
realize that there is no regulation on the labelling of ‘natural’
products. A company can tag its product as natural as long as a single
ingredient has been derived “naturally” or in other words, a natural source,
but what about the amount of processing that happens in between? In the
instance of being ‘naturally-derived’,
it does not necessarily translate to a safe product.
For example, cocoamide
DEA is said to be derived from coconut oil. But the chemical processing that
takes coconut oil to cocoamide DEA alters it so much that there is nothing
natural about cocoamide DEA. In fact, to create cocamide DEA, a foaming agent
in some shampoos, requires the addition of a synthetic chemical and known
carcinogen, Diethanolamine – DEA, to the coconut oil.
The same can be said
about petrolatum, which comes from crude oil, and is considered naturally
derived because it was taken from the ground. According to this article by Money Talks News, synthetic ingredients are
acquired from many sources and all start off as natural, since we take them
from the environment.
The Natural Seal, certified by the National Products
Association dictates that natural products are those that are expected to contain at least 95% biological ingredients
and are free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic preservatives and artificial
chemicals that pose potential risks to the body. It is important to note
that they need not necessarily use organic materials; just natural ingredients.
Organic is taking
‘natural’ up another notch. Organic products are, again ideally, manufactured
organically from plants of organic sources, from ingredients that do not have
any synthetic relation or affiliation with any genetically modified organisms.
Where biodynamic
products are concerned, its ingredients are cultivated using the
biodynamic approach, which includes an emphasis on integrating farm animals,
the cultivation of crops, and the care of the land; the use of fermented herbal
and mineral preparations as compost additives and field sprays; an emphasis
from its beginnings on local production and distribution systems using local
breeds and varieties; and the use of an astronomical sowing and planting
calendar.
When shopping for beauty
products, look out for certifications. Here are some common certifications and
what they mean:
·
Natural
Seal (Natural Products’ Association) – products use
natural ingredients, avoid ingredients with health risks, don’t use animal
testing, and include a majority of biodegradable or recycled material in the
packaging
·
Contains
Certified Organic Ingredients (USDA) – products that contain less than 70% may
list the certified organic ingredients on the information n panel of the
product package
·
Made
with Organic Ingredients (USDA) – the product must be at least 70% organic and
may not display the USDA Organic Seal
·
Organic
(USDA) – indicates that a product contains at least 95% organic ingredients
·
Demeter
Certified Biodynamic (Demeter International) – products are made from
ingredients that are grown biodynamically, adhering to the cycle of nature
·
Cosmebio/Ecocert
(Both issued by Ecocert Org) – 95% minimum of natural/ naturally originated
ingredients, with maximum 5% synthetic ingredients (click here to see the fine prints
associated with this)
·
Soil
Association organic – at least 95% organic ingredients used
·
Not all certification
standards are created equal; certifiers from some countries use less stringent
definitions of ‘organic’, so it is best to get yourself acquainted with the
various certifying agents, and how they work.
When you are shopping
for safer skincare products or cosmetics, whether you wish to go for natural,
wildcrafted or organic is ultimately up to you, even though organic is
generally seen as more likely to be purer and thus safer for your skin. But
whichever choice you make, ensure you are not fooled by bogus claims and
flowery scents.
For products claiming to
be ‘Organic’ or ‘Biodynamic’, the safest thing to do is to buy them only if
certified. There is no point in giving the products the benefit of the doubt,
in case they do not have the necessary certifications.
For a ‘natural’ product,
always check the ingredients list
before making your way to the cashier, and make sure that harmful chemicals are not part of the deal.
As a rule of the thumb, divide the ingredients list into three parts: the top
third usually contains 90-95% of the product; the middle third usually contains
5-8% and the bottom third, 1-3%. This way you can judge for yourself the
harmful potential of your personal care or cosmetic products.
It is always better to
be safe than sorry. So don’t venture out to buy a product unless you are
completely sure of its safety. If you are not convinced, my recommendation
would be to move on to the next store.
Article submitted by Vaishnavi
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