organic and natural living

How do we know OrganicOrganic CosmeticsCosmetics what we are buying forfor NaturalNatural Beauty!Beauty! is really? natural?

s the number of people who are concerned about toxins in our environment grows, APRICOT CREAM Amore and more companies are Natural or Organic ingredients include: jumping on the natural and organic bandwagon. 1. Water (Deionised), But what does natural and organic mean when we 2. Isopropyl Palmitate (Palm Oil Derivative), see them on a product label? 3. Apricot Kernel Oil, How do we know what we are buying is really 4. Bis-Diglyceryl Caprylate/Caprate/Isostearate/ natural and organic? What are the natural Stearate/Hydroxystearate Adipate (Vegetable alternatives to chemicals? And is natural really Triglyceride), better for us? 5. Glyceryl Stearate SE (Vegetable Derived), Our skin is the largest eliminatory organ in the 6. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Glycerin-derived body. It is a two-way membrane. Toxins are emollient), eliminated through the skin via perspiration and Narelle Chenery 7. Ceteareth - 12 (Organic Emulsifier), absorbed through the skin into the body’s Director of Research and Development, 8. Tocopherol Oil (Vitamin E), TM circulation system, through hair follicles and Miessence . email: [email protected] 9. Chamomile Extract, sebaceous glands, but not through the sweat 10. Sage Extract, glands. One square inch of skin contains 11. Linden Extract (Lime Blossom Extract), approximately 65 hairs, 100 sebaceous glands and 12. Balm Mint Extract, 650 sweat glands. compound that contains a carbon atom. Carbon is 13. (From Karite), Skin care manufacturers are not supposed to found in anything that has ever lived. By using 14. Wheat Germ Oil, claim that their products penetrate the skin. If this definition of organic, they are saying that a 15. Carrot Oil, they did, the products would then be labelled as toxic petrochemical preservative called Methyl 16. Cetyl Alcohol (Organic Co-emulsifier), “drugs” and would be governed by much stricter Paraben is “organic” because it was formed from 17. Sodium Hydroxide (pH Adjuster), regulations. However, it is now recognised that leaves that rotted over thousands of years to 18. Sorbic Acid (Organic Compound), the skin does absorb many ingredients in skin become crude oil, which was then used to make 19. Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E Derivative), care preparations. This is both good and bad. this preservative. 20. Methylparaben (Organic Compound), Good, because it means our skin can be nourished An increasing number of companies are now 21. Propylparaben (Organic Compound), from the outside with some wonderful claiming to use “organic” herbs in their products. 22. Imidazolidinyl Urea (Organic Compound), ingredients. Bad, because some skin care But, what about the rest of the ingredients? Are 23. Fragrance, manufacturers can use harmful ingredients that they safe? Isn’t there an authority that governs the 24. FD&C Yellow No. 5, D&C Red No. 33. would never be allowed to be taken orally, but are use of the term “organic” on labels? The simple Content: Apricot Oil (2.5%) still absorbed into our system, through our skin. answer is NO. However, the term “certified organic” IS governed Take note of the last point that says “Content: by a number of internationally recognised bodies. Apricot Oil (2.5%)”. Notice that Apricot Oil is WHAT DOES “NATURAL” AND “ORGANIC” In Australia, the Biological Farmers of Australia number 3 on the list. Because skin care MEAN ON PRODUCT LABELS? (BFA) is the largest. Searching for products with manufacturers are required to list the ingredients Nowhere does the idea of “natural” or “organic” the logo of a certifying body on the label is the in descending order this means everything AFTER take a more gratuitous bruising than in the skin only way you can guarantee the organic Apricot oil makes up LESS than 2.5% by volume. care industry. authenticity and integrity of every ingredient in This means that about 90% of that product is If we look at the term “natural” we would the product. Without this, the organic claim water and Isopropyl Palmitate. Isopropyl probably define it as “existing in, or formed by means nothing, as it cannot be verified. Palmitate, is derived from Isopropyl Alcohol, nature; not artificial”. Many labels have long lists Here are some examples of internationally synthetic alcohol, and Palmitic Acid, a fatty acid of chemical names, some followed by the phrase recognised certifying bodies: from palm oil. It is known to cause skin irritations “derived from …” (some natural substance). This and dermatitis in rabbits and has been shown to is misleading for consumers. have comedogenic (acne promoting) properties. When chemicals such as Cocamide DEA or Nos 4, 5 and 6 are all produced by chemical

Sodium Hydroxysultaine are followed by the Certified Organic reactions between various fatty acids and glycerol words “derived from coconut oil” the consumer is P475 (synthetic glycerine). They are largely synthetic led to believe that these synthetic chemicals must and have been shown to cause allergies and be natural. While this may be true in some cases, dermatitis. it is ultimately irrelevant because what you end HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE BUYING No. 7 is a synthetic emulsifier that may contain up with after the chemical processing is usually IS REALLY “NATURAL” AND “ORGANIC"? dangerous levels of ethylene oxide and dioxane, anything but natural or pure. Fortunately, there is a very simple way to both known carcinogens. To create Cocamide DEA, a foaming agent found differentiate between the hype and truth in skin Nos 8-15 are natural ingredients used in very in some shampoos, requires the addition of a care and that is to read the ingredient list on the small amounts that may have been grown using synthetic chemical and known carcinogen, label. It is a legal requirement that all skin care pesticides and herbicides. Diethanolamine – DEA, to the coconut oil. It is products must be labelled with the ingredients in therefore no longer natural, or safe! No. 16 may be natural or synthetic and has been descending order of their quantity in the product. shown to cause contact eczema. If we look at the term “organic” on a label, we A good rule of thumb is to divide the ingredient usually think it means “grown and cultivated list into thirds: the top third usually contains 90- No. 17 is otherwise known as Caustic Soda and is without the use of chemicals”. That is the 95% of the product, the middle third usually extremely alkaline and corrosive. conclusion most skin care companies would like contains 5-8% and the bottom third, 1-3%. No. 18. Sorbic acid was once isolated from the us to come to. Here is the ingredient list of a so-called “natural” mountain ash berry, but is now chemically Some companies are cynically using the and “organic” body moisturiser from a well- synthesised and is a toxic preservative. chemistry definition of “organic” – meaning a known “natural” skin care company. No. 19 is synthetic Vitamin E.

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Nos 20-22 are toxic and allergenic preservatives. Some Synthetic Emollients Ethoxylated surfactants (eg “- laureth-”) – may No. 23. Probably synthetic, may contain PEG compounds (eg PEG- 45 Almond contain the toxic by-product – dioxane phthalates that have been linked to birth defects. Glyceride) may contain the toxic by-product Synthetic alcohols (eg Glyceryl Coconate, No. 24. Synthetic colours that could be potentially dioxane Hydroxystearate, Myristate, Oleate) have been carcinogenic. Synthetic alcohols (anything that contains the shown to cause allergies and dermatitis. Now let’s look at an ingredient list of a certified phrase benzyl –, butyl-, cetearyl-, cetyl -, Some Natural Humectants organic body moisturiser. This ingredient list says: glyceryl-, isopropyl-, myristyl propyl-, Lecithin propylene-, or stearyl-)