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's one simple rule when it comes to buying real-deal organic: purchase only certified organic skincare 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 organic skincare lines, which are then verified by an impartial agency to further screen them.

Remember, ‘natural' or ‘organic' ingredients do not mean the same as certified organic. If the product you are using claims to be organic but is not supported by the certifying body's logo it means absolutely nothing. For example, lanolin, which is manufactured from the wool 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 remain and are easily absorbed by our skin.

An organic certification on a product label is the only way to guarantee the integrity of a product. Certified organic products must contain a minimum of 95 percent organic ingredients excluding water and salt/minerals, with a small allowance for natural, non-organic ingredients that must comply with very stringent processing criteria.

In Australia the product range is often certified organic by Australian Certified Organic (ACO) to the highest international organic food standards. The ACO is Australia's largest organic certifying body and is 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 quality standards that are internationally recognised as either compliant with, or exceeding, all international requirements.

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. The entire process of product development is rigorously monitored, beginning with the seed, how it is grown, harvested, stored, transported and processed.

Designer labels

A recent report published by UK-based Organic Monitor reported that 89 percent of consumers cited the avoidance of synthetic chemicals as an important reason for choosing products based on natural ingredients. Parabens, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Laureth Sulphate were perceived as a potential health risk.

In a nutshell, certified organic skincare products not only contain the purest organic ingredients but they are also environment- and animal-friendly. Aside from using ingredients that are grown and processed according to these standards, certified organic skincare lines also do not include synthetic chemicals and have strict criteria in regards to animal testing.

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. Long lists of chemical names and those stating they are derived from natural substance can be misleading for consumers.
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 the nasty additives such as formaldehyde, imidazolidinyl urea, methyl paraben, and methylisothiazolinone, synthetic fragrances or paraffin derived from petroleum or coal. All these common skincare ingredients may cause adverse effects to the skin such as drying, irritation, redness and swelling. Certified organic skincare products contain gentler alternatives such as grapefruit seed extract, potassium sorbate, sorbic acid, 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 for the skin.

Since only the purest ingredients are used, these products only normally stay where they should, unlike some other skincare products which contain 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 - but do not include chemicals that may be harmful to your body or cause unwanted side effects - make a mighty good argument.

Bella Beauty Magazine #17