Many people who are health conscious are turning to organic products such as the food they eat and the liquids that they drink. However, we often neglect the skincare products that we use. The government regulations allow virtually any ingredient to be used in the manufacture of products that we use daily on our skin, hair, and nails, and in the water we drink. It only makes sense for us to google to search for healthier options, which are clearly certified organic products. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) establishes the regulations and standards in the United States regarding the manufacture of drugs & food. The problem is that they do not pay as much attention to skincare and make-up as they should, thereby allowing some very harmful chemicals to be used in creating almost every skincare product that is being marketed and sold to the consumers.
Some of the harmful ingredients that are used frequently in manufacturing the most common non-organic skin care and make-up items include:
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
- Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40)
- Polyethylene Glycol
- Polyethylene eth-
Most of these compounds are easily absorbed by the skin but our body does not have any way of getting rid of these chemicals. The toxins remain in your intestine and will spread throughout the body, damaging our organs if we use these non-organic skincare and make-up products regularly and excessively.
It is expedient that we read what our skincare and makeup products are made of. We should read the ingredients printed on the skincare and makeup products diligently to protect ourselves from being exposed to harmful chemicals. We should be fastidious and careful about the products that we use, thus we should proactively read the ingredient labels and choose the correct products which are suitable for us. Once we get into the habit of reading ingredient labels, it is not hard to choose a good and certified organic range of skincare and makeup. The sooner you become familiar with the “bad” ingredients that are commonly used in skincare products, you will be able to recognize the difference between synthetic & natural products. Becoming a more informed consumer will allow you to make clever and astute choices while shopping for your organic skin care products.
The rule of thumb is that the ingredients should be listed in descending order according to the amount that they make up the formula. Hence, if you have a product that is 88% aloe and 90% water, the water would be listed first, the numbers show there’s more water than aloe in the product. Alphabetic listing does not override this.
The most common ingredients that is present in many type of skin care products, including organic skin care products & organic make-up are emollients, humectants, emulsifiers, surfactants and preservatives. The important thing is that we must differentiate between synthetic and natural ingredients. It is also important to note that synthetic ingredients are harmful to the body so we have to read and make sure that the products we use contain only natural ingredients in their production.
Some examples of the lawsuits filed in USA against these unethical companies include the lawsuit filed by The State of California in May 2008 against Avalon Natural Products, makers of Alba, Un-petroleum and Avalon Organics, Beaumont Products which makes Veggie Wash, Clearly Natural brands, Nutribiotic, makers of grapefruit seed extract personal care products, and Whole Food Market of California, Inc., which sells the 365 brand products in the market. The lawsuit was filed because these companies either manufacture or distribute body care and household cleaning products that have tested positive for the cancer causing chemical 1,4-dioxane.
On 1st May 2008, the Forbes Magazine also published that another lawsuit was filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco accusing four companies, Kiss My Face, Stella McCartney America, Estee Lauder and Hain Celestial Group. The lawsuit accuses the companies of advertising that their products are organic, when in fact they are not.
Therefore, we as consumers, must be proactive to search for the certified organic labels when buying organic skincare products. The certified organic labels should and must be printed on the skincare containers. Many companies, in their efforts to get in on the organic movement, will use tactfully worded statements to describe their products as natural or organic. In doing so, they are able to work around the fact that their products also contain toxic chemical ingredients. If a product does not display one of the certified organic seals then check the ingredients very carefully. A vast majority of the products in the market which use one form or another of the words “organic” or “natural” on their label, actually contain toxic chemicals. If a product contains less than 95% certified organic ingredients, they cannot be certified as natural and organic.
During my recent trip to France, I have learned that most of the products in France are natural and they have to pass through many laboratory tests in order for the products to be sold in the French market. I am happy and grateful to be given an opportunity to work with a natural and organic skincare company which is Eco-cert certified and labeled by Cosmebio. The company is aptly called Oh’ quil est Bio, or “How Organic It Is!”.
Based on job specifications that were filed with the Ministry of Industry in 2002, the Cosmebio charter offers transparency as to the type of ingredients and the manufacturing procedures used to produce the organic cosmetic products. In accordance with Cosmebio’s charter, the products bearing the ORGANIC or ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY logo contain mainly natural ingredients or ingredients of natural origin. The entire composition of an organic product is carefully controlled and must comply with strict rules. It must contain at least 95% of natural ingredients, ingredients of natural origin or stemming from organic farming (in all cases the proportion is always more than 95%).
Although many consumers will find it cumbersome to read through ingredient labels or search for the certified organic label, it is worthwhile to do so because we are protecting ourselves, our children and our family from harmful synthetic and inorganic materials. So be cautious and be mindful about what we eat, drink and use for skincare and makeup. We are what we eat and what we use.
(References made from Global Healing Centre, Natural and Organic Choices and Skincare Pro- Cosmebio)