| Going green seems to be on everyones mind these days. We are constantly bombarded with ads for one type of product after another touting how environmentally friendly they are. Skin care is no different. Many manufacturers are jumping on the 'green' bandwagon and that can make it very hard for the average consumer to know which organic skin care product is truly organic and which is not.
There is very little regulation when it comes to labeling of cosmetics. Food, alcohol, even household cleaners have more labeling regulations than the products you put on your skin like lotions, in your hair such as shampoos, conditioners and even in your mouth, like toothpaste and mouthwashe.
So what do you do as a consumer who wants to drastically cut back on the potentially cancer causing chemicals in the cosmetic and personal care products you buy?
This article will give you some helpful tips on what to look out for when purchasing your health and beauty products. I can't possibly cover everything in this short article but I will give you enough information to get started.
The first thing you need to be on the lookout for is any product that has an ingredient that says 'derived from'. This means that the original, natural ingredient has been chemically modified, possibly to the point of now being toxic. Many companies find it cheaper to substitute natural products with man made alternatives, but they still want to create the illusion that their product is all natural, or organic.
Another thing to be on the lookout for, and one of the favorite tricks of cosmetic manufacturers,is the term 'infusion'. This implies that a wonderful, healthy infusion of a certain organic ingredient has occurred. The reality is that the ingredient has been so diluted as to be virtually non-existent in the product.
It would be like me taking a glass of ice water, squirting some lemon juice in it and packaging it in a wrapper that says 'infused with lemon'. While it might be technically true there is lemon in the product, it's in such a small amount it's inconsequential.
Since the cosmetic industry has a rather loose definition of 'organic' it is difficult, but not impossible to find products that truly are organic.
When most people think of organic products they think of things from nature, without being processed and combined with man made chemicals. There are some manufacturers out there that adhere to this code.
If you really want to make sure the product you are buying is totally organic you can look for labels from a third party. There are many reputable certified organizations, which have followed the manufacturing process of the product, from the way the plant was grown, all the way through to the way it is being packaged stored and shipped.
While many of the greedy cosmetic manufactures, who are trying to cash in on the 'organic craze', make it hard for a consumer to know which products truly are organic and which are not, it's important to remember that there are many fine organic skin care product available. It might take a little looking, but it is well worth the hunt. |