Ever wonder what “organic” really means? We hear these words constantly: pure, herbal, all natural, botanical. What does that really mean to us? The truth is: there is no legal definition for these terms. The cosmetics law has not been revised since 1938, and there are to date only 10 ingredients that manufacturers are not allowed to use in their products.

All the above terms that are often used in reference to skin product ingredients may all have very different meanings. When we read something is “organic” we assume that product’s ingredients are all grown with no chemicals, pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. That may not be true. The FDA does not regulate the ingredients in personal skin care products, and unless you do your own product research, you can not be sure exactly what percentage of that “organic” product is truly organic.

Some believe if a product is truly organic, it will be identified by its botanical name. Simple ingredients such as avocado, cucumber, papaya, eggs, potatoes, yogurt, honey, oatmeal and herbs are examples of products that will be found in truly natural and organic products.

 Some products claim to be organic,
but are not as natural as they lead you to believe.

The best way to find out if a product is truly organic is to look it up on www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. Many products have been rated already. The rating system is from 1-10 (10 being the most toxic) based on toxicity level of the product. Toxic is defined by many different factors such as which individual ingredients are linked to cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies, neurotoxins, contamination concerns and more.

Some companies may claim they are organic because they use organic materials for 70% of the product, filling the remaining 30% with hidden toxins. Unless you plug in each individual ingredient listed in a product’s makeup, you may never know if the company is completely "non-toxic".

Also, be careful of public appearance. Companies, who use chemicals linked to cancer, may also participate in charities such as donating a portion of their proceeds to breast cancer. Although they never claimed to be “organic” or non-toxic, this grand-standing gives a public appearance that can be very misleading to a consumer when they are shopping. Don't assume because they support a charity that their products are "non-toxic". 

Pros of organic skincare: 

• Better for the environment

• Healthier choice for your body

• If truly organic it will be made without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals 

Cons of organic products: 

• More expensive

• Products are not regulated by the FDA so you may not be getting "true" organic products.

• People believe that if something is organic or all natural that it cannot hurt you. Too much of a good thing can be bad for you if you are not using it properly.  

Pros of traditional skincare:

• Traditional skin care products can offer stronger solutions to skin conditions you need addressed such as acne or aging.

• Ingredients such as benzole peroxide, sulfur, and salicylic acid help with acne but will not be found in an organic product.

• Glycolic acid is a natural exfoliant (however made synthetically) which is made from sugar cane and found in many traditional products that aid with the anti-aging process.

• Hydroquinone/tretionin/retin A -all controversial ingredients in anti-aging products, bleaching creams and skin lightening agents are proven in clinical studies to lighten brown spots and reduce the signs of aging. 

Cons of traditional skincare:

• Products often contain ingredients linked to cancer

• Traditional products contain toxic ingredients such as FRAGRANCE, PHTHALATES, NEUROTOXINS, SYNTHETIC MUSKS, PARABENS, PEGS, SLS, 1,4 DIOXANE, FORMALDEHYDE

  • FRAGRANCE/PERFUME/COLOGNE: Can hide over 600 chemicals compounds. These toxic chemicals may or may not be listed on a label by their chemical, and may simply be listed under "fragrance". This leaves you with no way of knowing which of the 600 toxic chemicals are in the product. Fragrances are also more likely to cause skin reactions. Because fragrance can contain pretty much anything the hazard scale should be considered a 10.

  • PHTHALATES: chemicals linked to hormone disruption, can affect fertility and development.

  • NEUROTOXINS: chemicals toxic to the brain.

  • SYNTHETIC MUSKS: disrupt hormones, have been found in umbilical cord blood.

  • PETROLEUM BYPRODUCTS: cancer causing 

Be sure to visit us again next month, when Melissa discusses if organic products are as beneficial as traditional products, and if so, which ones.