by Karyn B Jules

Created on: March 04, 2008   Last Updated: September 25, 2009

The trend towards natural and organic cosmetics has produced some wonderful healthy alternatives for our daily skin and body care regimes. Unfortunately, due to a lack of any governing authority to regulate and police the use of such terms as "natural" and "organic" in the labeling of these products, this trend has also led manufacturers to misuse the terms on products which contain very little, if any, healthy or beneficial ingredients.

When the word "natural" appears on the label of a product such as a facial cleanser, you would expect it to contain ingredients that come directly from nature, where, in reality any chemical which has been derived from nature could be construed as being natural. Manufacturers will take advantage of this fact when labeling a product as containing natural ingredients. Take, for example Cocamide DEA, a foaming agent used in some cleansers. The label will tell you that it is derived from coconut oil. In fact, the addition of a synthetic chemical and known carcinogen, Diethanolamine DEA is needed to create Cocamide DEA from coconut oil. The end result is hardly a natural, or safe, ingredient for use in skincare.

Organic, on the other hand, is defined in chemistry as being any compound containing carbon. This covers every substance that originates from the earth, including petrochemical preservatives such as Methyl Paraben, which are made from crude oil formed from leaves which have rotted over thousands of years. Organic, maybe, but I would rather put it in the car than on my face.

The only way to ensure you are buying a 100% healthy skincare product is to look for the Certified Organic logo. The term "certified organic" is governed by a number of internationally recognized certifying bodies. It guarantees every ingredient in the product has been grown and processed without the use of chemical agents. No artificial fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide residue, no chemical alteration of raw ingredients, no synthetic preservatives and additives. Just pure mother nature at her finest.

A typical certified organic skincare range will include ingredients such as Aloe Vera juice for its healing and regenerative properties, cold pressed fruit and nut oils for moisturizing, lecithin to prevent moisture loss, and essential oils for fragrance. Compare this to a so called "all natural" supermarket brand ingredient list which could include Isopropyl Parmitate, a known skin irritant, Sodium Hydroxide, another name for highly corrosive Caustic soda, Propylene Glycol, a carcinogenic substance used in radiator coolant which has been shown to cause kidney and liver disorders, and synthetic colours and fragrances.

Every single thing we put onto our skin is absorbed into our body. Synthetic chemicals in so called "natural" products used by a large percentage of the population, including children, are unhealthy enough on their own but up to fifteen different products might be used by one person in a single day, each containing a nasty cocktail of these chemicals. This increases the risk of allergies and other illnesses many times over. I know which of the above lists I would prefer to see on the products I use everyday on my own and my children's skin.

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