The market seems to be awash with products declaring themselves organic, but what does ‘organic’ really mean?
Most leading manufacturers of organically certified cosmetic and personal-care products have reported consistent sales growth in the Asia Pacific region, Europe and North America over the past five years. However, while there are multitudes of organic skincare products on the market that claim to be organic, they may not be all they allege. While consumers are always warned to be extra careful, being observant and discerning will get you the most for your hard-earned cash.
Seal of approval
There is one simple rule when it comes to buying real-deal natural and organic: purchase only certified products that have been given the nod by an unbiased agency or body.
The Certified Organic stamp means the products have passed the strict standards set by government agencies that regulate the selling of natural and organic skincare lines, which are then verified by an impartial agency to further screen them before they get to you.
If the product you are using claims to be ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ but is not supported by a certifying body’s logo, it means nothing. For example, lanolin, which is manufactured from the grease coating on sheep’s wool, is used in many types of cosmetics. While it is usually of proclaimed natural and pure origin, the sheep have probably been dipped in chemical pesticides to rid them of lice. Unless the lanolin is purified, traces of the pesticides may remain and are easily absorbed by our skin.
Certified Organic products must contain a minimum of 95 percent organic ingredients excluding water, salt and minerals, with a small allowance for natural, non-organic ingredients that must comply with very stringent processing criteria. Judith White, the face behind the JW skincare range, says Certified Organic means that the company – including every ingredient, formulation, manufacturing and filling process – is subject to a yearly independent audit to verify the authenticity of every ingredient and product.
‘This audit process is followed from seed to skin,’ she says. ‘Ecocert (great for skincare) and ACO (great for food and aromatherapy) are two proactive certifying bodies that are working towards a global standard. Both set a bar for manufacturers, stipulating two lists of allowable and non-allowable ingredients for both natural and organic raw materials and ingredients.’
Australian Certified Organic (ACO) is the largest body accredited to certify organic operations in Australia, Europe, Japan, the US, Switzerland and the UK. It is a division of the Biological Farmers of Australia Co-op Ltd, which set and maintain stringent internationally recognised quality standards. The Organic Food Chain system (OFC) is also a common certifying accreditation symbol, along with the AQIS regulatory mark that signifies a product is Australian Government Certified.
In a nutshell, certified organic skincare products not only contain the purest organic ingredients grown and processed according to strict standards but they are environment-friendly, do not include synthetic chemicals and have strict criteria in regards to animal testing.
Designer labels
It pays to remember that if it’s on your skin, you’re still ingesting it! However, deciphering the labels on skincare products is often a minefield. A recent report published by UK-based Organic Monitor found that 89 percent of consumers cited the avoidance of synthetic chemicals as a key reason for choosing products based on natural ingredients. Parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium laureth sulphate were perceived as a potential health risk. But this may as well be Latin to many of you, right?
Long lists of chemical names and those stating they are derived from natural substance can be misleading. For example, Cocamide DEA is derived from coconut oil, but a synthetic – and potentially harmful – chemical called diethanolamine is used in the extraction process. So an ingredient is not really natural if it has been processed in this way. On Certified Organic products you will see a list of beneficial ingredients on the label, in easy-to-understand language as opposed to mysterious ingredients such as methychloroisothiazoinone.
Be aware of the ‘Rule of Thirds’ applying to labels. The top third of the ingredients generally lists those that comprise around 90 to 98 percent of the product, most of which is water. The middle third generally represents approximately five to eight percent of the product and the bottom third around one to three percent.
Certified organic skincare products do not contain nasty and irritating additives such as formaldehyde, imidazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, methylisothiazolinone, synthetic fragrances or paraffin derived from petroleum or coal. They use gentler alternatives like grapefruit seed extract, potassium sorbate, sorbic and ascorbic acid as natural preservatives.
Go green
So why is organic skincare taking off in such a huge way? The quality of the skin is a function of feeding ourselves high-quality nutrients over time and keeping toxin levels as low as possible. When you use high-quality, Certified Organic products, all the ingredients are active and are all beneficial and nourishing.
Since only the purest ingredients are used these products normally stay put, unlike some skincare products containing a cocktail of chemicals that are easily absorbed through the skin and rapidly enter the bloodstream. Many researchers and medical experts believe this may pose a serious threat to wellbeing in the long run. Ingredients such as herbs, roots and flowers that are combined with natural oils and waters make a mighty good argument.
While purchasing certified products is the first step to consumer protection, White warns that the quality of plant-derived ingredients is dependant upon Mother Nature rather than a lab technician. ‘Imagine two carrots: one that struggled to maturity through lack of nutrients and water as opposed to one that thrived in rich organic humus-rich soil, full of nutrients. When analysing their composition both carrots would vary and therefore wear a different price tag,’ explains Judith. ‘You can take that extra step and not only achieve safe, natural and free from harmful synthetics ingredients but also get products that deliver on results with high quality ingredients. These days you truly can have it all when it comes to certified organic skincare.’
