Ever wondered what is actually in your skin and hair products? How can you know if there are any synthetic detergents, emulsifiers, artificial colours or fragrances, petroleum by-products, tar derivatives, GMO ingredients, and if it has really been tested on animals or not? How can you be sure if ‘organic’ really means grown and cultivated without the use of chemicals?
Most cosmetic companies using the term ‘organic’ on their label are using the chemistry definition of organic – meaning a compound that contains carbon. Carbon is found in anythings that has ever lived. So by using this definition of organic, we could say that a toxic petrochemical preservative called methyl paraben is ‘organic’ because it was formed by leaves that rotted over thousands of years to become oil, which was used to make this chemical preservative.
If ingredients are listed in brackets or indicate they are derivatives of a natural ingredient [eg coconut oil], this means they are the synthetic version, produced using a chemical process. Often, so called natural products have long lists of chemical names or compound ingredients. Eg, those with the letters ‘eth’ [eg Sodium Laureth Sulfate or Dimethicone], undergo a manufacturing process creating dangerous levels of ethylene oxide. Europe has actually outlawed the use of some of these ingredients for many years.
Note the order of ingredients, they should be listed in descending quantity order. The top third generally constitute 99.95% . The base of most skin care products and cosmetics have been refined, deodorised and bleached. Depending on how they are processed or diluted, any so called natural or organic added ingredients either have little benefit or are lost amongst the other synthetic ingredients and chemicals.
For organically processed foods and personal care products, only minimal processing is permitted, with a limited number of non-agricultural but natural or traditional ingredients allowed. Hence no synthetic chemicals, unnatural dyes, colouring, flavourings or other additives are permitted.
‘Certified organic’ is the way for consumers to be assured of the authenticity and integrity of ‘organic’ and ‘natural claims. Looking for the logo of the Australian Certified Organic [independent third party] certifying body on their label is the only way to guarantee that the product has undergone stringent quality standards and traceability requirements of a certified product.