Organic Body CareAre organic body care products the way to go? Only if you want the healthiest and best skin. A hundred years ago, there was no need for the term "organic" as a means of differentiating between types of grain, vegetables, herbs or other agricultural products. 
Everything grown was done so without the use of synthetic chemicals or genetic modification beyond the selected breeding farmers had naturally done with their animals and crops for generations. As agriculture moved to a more industrialized state, however, and as technology that had often initially been developed during war efforts began to be applied to farming, there evolved a movement exposing and countering the toxic effects of environmental pollutants such as pesticides and herbicides.Today, with growing interest in wellness and nutrition, organic is moving mainstream—in foods stuffs, the material grown to produce clothing and home furnishing and, of interest to those searching this site, in skin care products. Organic vs Certified Organic The word organic means many things to many people. To those with a science background it can mean any substance containing carbon, to those with some understanding of the environmental impact of synthetic chemicals such as herbicides and growth hormones, it can imply healthier food or personal care products. To those who have been led astray a few times by misleading labeling or advertising, however, it has simply become the latest consumer buzz word, with little real meaning. Because of the growing interest in healthy alternatives and corporations mandate to increase revenues, "greenwashing" or presenting a product as healthier and more natural than it really is has become increasingly common. Thus the need for further and more specific guidelines—organic certification—to avoid confusion and to bring clarity to this growing field. Quite simply, certified organic products are grown and processed without the use of:
The certified organic method of production is not just about testing free from chemicals, however. Certified organic farming encompasses not only how plants or animals are grown, but also requires farmers to meet specific, internationally recognized, and independent third party-audited criteria on how products are prepared, processed and packaged.
The only way today's consumers can be sure the skin care products they are purchasing have been produced without the use of synthetic chemicals and/or GMOs is to buy products that have independent certification for governing bodies such as the USDA (US Department of Agriculture), IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements), Canadian Organic Regime (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) and ACO (Australian Certified Organic). Stringent organic guidelines ensure ingredients are indeed organically grown, are processed according to certified organic standards, have the correct percentages of certified organic ingredients (i.e. usually 95% or more), and make certain any remaining ingredients (i.e. usually 5% or less) fall within specific guidelines. Why Choose Certified Organic Body Care Products? Certified organic body care products are often more costly to purchase than conventionally produced products. Therefore, it is important for consumers to understand the true benefits of buying certified organic. |
