Before you purchase, know what the product with the "natural looking" label actually contains. Organic usually costs more. But are you really getting what you pay for?
In the United States, labeling of organic skin care products is confusing at best and deceiving at worst. There's one thing I stress: buyer beware!
"Organic" Defined
Organic primarily pertains to farming practices. As defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic is produced without ...
Conventional pesticides
Synthetic fertilizers
GMO (genetically modified organisms)
Sewage sludge
Bioengineering
Ionizing radiation
No additional chemicals are used in manufacture or distribution of the product.
Organic proof
Currently, the best indication of an organic skin care product is the USDA Organic Seal.
In combination with the green and white circular seal, a label that states:
100% Organic is just that. The product must contain 100% organically grown ingredients and nothing else.
Organic indicates at least 95% of the ingredients in the product are organic.
Carrying no seal and labeled:
Made with Organic Ingredients means at least 70% of the ingredients are organic.
To add another twist, not all personal care products can be certified organic. Some necessary ingredients in certain products, i.e. water, are not certifiable as organic. Products that contain a large amount of water, such as shampoos and soaps, are not eligible for organic classification.
There is another point to consider when choosing the best skin care product ...
Nontoxic versus Organic
Due to inadequate standards, an organically certified product may in fact contain questionable ingredients. Unless the product is 100% organic, parabens, urea, and other potentially toxic chemicals can hide in the mix. Only the organic portion of the ingredients is regulated.
Some companies offer safe, nontoxic products yet are not entirely organic. Avalon Organics is a good example. Their philosophy is that safe, nontoxic ingredients take precedence over organic ingredients.
Avalon Organics include no parabens, urea, or other chemicals known or suspected to be toxic. Contrast this with organically labeled products that include suspicious ingredients.
Personally, I'd opt for a natural product with safe ingredients as opposed to an organic one with questionable ingredients.
Organic skin care product confusion
Be forewarned, at this time a lack of strict regulations allows a free-for-all among manufacturers. It is easy to mislead consumers by taking advantage of the "organic" craze... implying a superior, safer product. Yet a few organic ingredients mixed in a chemical soup do not produce a better product.
The future is optimistic, however. Currently the natural products industry is working with consumer groups. They are developing a set of regulations that presumably will end the confusion.
In the meantime, read a review of these trusted organic brands: