 Cocamidopropyl
betain.
Methylparaben.
Phenoxyethanol.
These
hardly
sound
organic
—
and
they’re
not.
They’re
synthetic
substances,
and
they’ve
got
health
or
safety
issues
surrounding
them.
But
they
show
up
in
many
products
that
sound
like
they’re
pure
and
natural,
such
as
Alba
Organics
Deep
Sea
Facial
Mask
and
Kiss
My
Face
Obsessively
Organic
Big
Body
Lavender
&
Chamomile
Shampoo.
“There’s
anarchy
in
the
world
of
organic
labeling,”
says
Craig
Minowa,
a
spokesman
for
the
Organic
Consumers
Association.
One
problem
is
that
some
so-called
organic
personal
care
products
don’t
meet
the
same
government
standards
required
for
organic
foods.
While
some
ingredients
may
be
certified
as
organic,
the
product
itself
may
not
be.
What’s
more,
these
products
may
contain
unapproved
synthetic
ingredients.
Some manufacturers confuse the issue by including the word “organic” in their brand name, even though it isn’t clear how much of their product is actually certified as organic. Others promote certified organic ingredients on the label when in fact they may only make up a small percentage of a chemical-heavy formula.
So
how
do
you
pick
out
the
real
organic
cosmetics,
or
at
least
look
at
those
that
don’t
include
potentially
harmful
ingredients?
First,
look
for
an
organic
certification
seal.
Then
see
whether
the
product
is
labeled
“100%
organic”
(it
must
contain
only
organically
produced
ingredients),
“organic”
(it
must
contain
at
least
95
percent
organic
contents),
or
“made
with
organic
ingredients”
(it
must
contain
at
least
70
percent
organic
contents).
Also
see
whether
water
is
the
first
ingredient.
It
may
not
be
worth
paying
extra
for
an
organic
product
that’s
mostly
water.
It’s
fairly
easy
to
find
soaps
and
body
lotions
worthy
of
the
organic
label.
But
the
makeup
is
tricky.
Click
here
to
find
ratings
on
all
kinds
of
products,
including
non-organic
ones
that
may
still
be
worth
considering
if
you’re
determined
to
avoid
slathering
your
body
with
potentially
harmful
chemicals.
Several
companies
told
us
they’re
phasing
out
parabens
and
other
chemicals
and
replacing
them
with
natural
preservatives.
In
the
meantime,
watch
out
for
“organic’
products
that
really
aren’t.
Labels
may
lie,
but
ingredient
lists
are
pretty
straightforward,
and
yet
many
of
those
we
found
on
so-called
“organic”
products
were
eye-opening.
Along
with
ingredients
like
organic
aloe
juice
and
tea
tree
oil
were
potentially
unhealthy
chemicals,
although
the
amounts
at
which
these
substances
become
problematic
are
generally
unknown.
Parabens,
which
were
found
in
many
products,
may
among
other
things
disturb
the
endocrine
system.
Other
examples
include
cocamidopropyl
betain
which
can
trigger
allergic
reactions
and
phenoxyethanol
which
can
irritate
skin
and
eyes.
These
and
other
synthetics,
such
as
disodium
EDTA
and
sodium
myreth
sulfate,
that
aren’t
approved
by
the
government’s
organic
program
just
shouldn’t
be
in
“organic”
products.
So,
before
you
buy,
read
the
labels
front
and
back! |
