With rising concerns over the environmental issues, the beauty industry is seeing a rise in “green” products. The terms “natural” and “organic” are being thrown on labels everywhere we look, but what does it all really mean? It is important to understand the benefits and drawbacks these products to become an informed consumer.
Natural
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, there is no actual definition of “natural” pertaining to beauty products. Technically, a product can claim to be natural if it has ingredients derived from plants, algae or minerals. Most products can fall into this category. The FDA says, “There is no list of ingredients that can be guaranteed not to cause allergic reactions, so consumers who are prone to allergies should pay special attention to what they use on their skin.” The bottom line is: if you want products free of synthetic chemicals, don’t just trust the label. Read the ingredient list and look for anything out of the ordinaImage may be NSFW.
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Organic
The term “organic” implies that the ingredients are not genetically modified, and don’t have any chemicals, additives, preservatives or artificial scents/colors. The important thing to know here is that there are 4 levels of organic certification, so don’t be fooled by any marketing schemes. For example, label that says “made from certified organic ingredients” means that it has some organic ingredients, but can be mostly inorganic.
Products that are 100% organic will have a USDA seal. If you don’t see the seal, look for signs of false advertising! In particular, read the ingredient list for any long, unpronounceable words. If the product only meets lower standards of certification, it may not have the qualities you are looking for in your organic products.
Products that are 100% organic will have a USDA seal. If you don’t see the seal, look for signs of false advertising! In particular, read the ingredient list for any long, unpronounceable words. If the product only meets lower standards of certification, it may not have the qualities you are looking for in your organic products.
