Organic Skin Care
The term organic is commonly used to refer to foods and products that are wholesome and natural. Organic skin care products have become the latest rage for people who are interested in avoiding the harmful chemicals of traditional products. But what does the term organic really mean? And how can you be sure that the products you are using are truly organic? Read on to learn more about the standards of organic skin care products and what to look for when checking if your products fit the bill.
What Is Organic?
“Organic” is the term used to describe food that is grown without synthetic pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, fertilizers or other synthetic or toxic substances. Organic foods must be free of artificial flavors or colors. Nor will organic certification be granted to foods that have been irradiated or to foods that are based on genetically modified organisms.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, in order for products to be considered organic, they must be free of all of the harmful substances for at least three years. In October 2002 the U.S. Department of Agriculture passed a new national standard for organic labeling. This new standard includes three label classifications.
100% Organic. This USDA (US Department of Agriculture) Organic seal can be used only by products that exclusively contain organically produced ingredients.
Organic. Products labeled "organic" must contain at least 95% organic ingredients.
Made with Organic Ingredients. These products do no qualify to bear the USDA Organic seal. But in order to make this advertising claim, they must contain at least 70% organic ingredients.
Why Buy Organic?
Organic farming is an environmentally friendly approach to agriculture. Farmers who utilize organic methods don’t rely on synthetic chemicals or harmful toxins to grow and manufacture their products. Instead, organic farmers prevent pests by planting a diverse range of crops, rotating their crops, and using natural, biological methods.
Hence, organic farming helps to conserve natural ecosystems. No artificial pesticides, no herbicides, no hormones and no growth promoting agents are administered; and this means that these harmful ingredients will not make their way into the food chain.
At the present time, the Food and Drug Administration does not closely monitor the labeling of organic skin care products. However, this may soon change, as many manufacturers and consumers are demanding better transparency and accountability for organic skin care products.
In particular, many consumers are hoping to avoid the toxic chemicals and synthetic ingredients found in most traditional skin care products. But unfortunately, most products that are labeled "natural" or even "organic" cannot be fully trusted.
Many traditional skin care products have an ingredient that includes a long list of chemical names, some followed by the phrase "derived from …" (some natural substance). The manufacturer of these products may consider them "natural," but the average health-conscious consumer would not. For example, chemicals such as Cocamide DEA or Sodium Hydroxysultaine may be listed on a product and followed by the words "derived from coconut oil." This misleading statement suggests that these synthetic chemicals are natural. However, this is not the case. Cocamide DEA is a foaming agent commonly found in shampoos. In order to produce this synthetic chemical, coconut oil must be reacted with another chemical Diethanolamine (DEA.) DEA is a known carcinogen. This chemical may be derived from coconut oil, but it is far from natural, or even safe.
Identifying Organic Skin Care Products
According to FDA, "...a cosmetic manufacturer may use almost any raw material as a cosmetic ingredient and market the product without an approval from FDA" (FDA 1995).
While some companies make products that would be safe enough to eat, other companies choose to use known human carcinogens or developmental toxins like coal tar and lead acetate. The best way to differentiate between truly organic skin care products and those that just claim to be so is to carefully read the ingredient list on the product label. All skin care products must legally list their ingredients on their packaging, in descending order based on quantity by total volume. A good rule of thumb is to divide the ingredient list into thirds: the top third usually contains 90-95% of the product; the middle third usually contains 5-8% and the bottom third, 1-3%.
The most confusing thing about reading the ingredients label on your skin care product is that all of the products will be listed by their chemical name. So unless you're a chemist, it’s unlikely that you will readily recognize the benefits or safety concerns associated with each ingredient listed. But with the help of your local library, or the internet, you can easily assess the safety of any ingredient listed on your skin care product.
For every chemical produced, there is a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) published that contains information about the chemical and its overall safety. The MSDS lists a summary of the chemical facts and summarizes the hazards to human health, first aid measures, precautions when handling the raw material, exposure limits, and what medical action should be taken if the chemical is accidentally touches skin. The MSDS will also list any other names by which the chemical is known. You can obtain an MSDS for any given chemical by entering its name into the Google search engine.
About the Author
Dr. Edward F. Group III continues to develop and sell exclusively high-end natural and organic skin care lines to support a wide range of skin conditions. The products he promotes are free of toxic tag-along herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, heavy metals, fumigants, irradiation, liver-toxic glues, binders, or gelatin capsules with animal-source risk and toxic preservatives. For more information on skin care, please visit www.skin-care-support.org.
