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How Organic Is Your Cream?

Organic has a number of meanings. Environmentalists consider organic an effective way of reducing the environmental load on Mother Nature. Poetic types praise organic as a return to cosmic harmony and natural rhythms of the universe. For a chemist "organic" is any compound containing carbon. This makes methylparaben perfectly organic, as it was derived from crude oil, which is formed by leaves and animals rotting over millions of years. Most people, however, would think of organic as something that contains no harmful chemicals such as preservatives, colorings or pesticides.

The cosmetic industry has developed the following definition of organic: a substance made of a plant or animal which is grown, cultivated, and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals such as insecticides, herbicides, and fumigants. As defined by the National Organics Standards Board: "Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony." This means that plants used in organic beauty products are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation.

Certified organic products are evaluated by third parties and comply with strict international standards which cover all aspects of the processing, from seeding, harvesting, and storage through to the packaging of the product. Organic practices, however, cannot guarantee that products will be completely free of residues, but organic methods of manufacturing greatly help minimize pollution from air, soil and water.

Natural, Organic or Biodynamic?
It's not uncommon to find labels such as "Organic," "Hypoallergenic," and "Cruelty-Free" attached to your favorite moisturizers and other skin care products. The labels sound reassuring, but you should be warned: too often these labels have little, if any, meaning. Some products may use the word "organic" yet contain a very small amount of organic herbs and juices almost disappearing in a base of petrochemicals and preservatives. When even organic skincare manufacturers shyly label their products as "78% organic" stuffing them with parabens and triethanolamine, how can you possibly understand which products are truly organic? Here's what each of the organic-related labels mean.

Organic
Not all organic products are created

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