Make Yourself Look Good

Organic or Natural Skin Care Products – what’s the difference?

Today more and more people are becoming aware of the benefits nature has to offer and are seeking environmentally friendly products in their homes and in their skin care regimen. Therefore, it is no surprise that skin care manufacturers are catering to this wave of eco-friendly consumers and labeling products natural and/or organic.

The words natural and organic are interpreted and implied as the same meaning, however, there are distinct differences between the two.

Natural – this implies that one, some, or all of the ingredients are unprocessed and comes from nature, such as fruits, vitamins and minerals for instance; Aloe Vera is a natural product thus a product with Aloe Vera could be labeled natural. However, that does not mean the natural ingredient was grown organically and it does not mean that the skin care product is not mixed with synthetic/chemical ingredients. The term natural is not regulated in the skin care industry so the term natural is used loosely and extensively in marketing ploys.

Organic – means that no chemicals or pesticides were used during the growth of various plants and herbs. Additionally, the processes to extract the various oils from the plant did not use any type of chemical processing.  If a product with Aloe Vera in it is labeled organic, then the Aloe would have had to been grown without any type of pesticides and there would be no chemical processing to extract the oils from the plant.  Thus the product could be labeled organic.

A good analogy would be a skin care product which lists papaya and Aloe Vera. If the papaya, and Aloe Vera were grown with any type of pesticides then the skin care product can not be labeled organic, however, it could be labeled all natural and still can contain harmful chemicals.

Additionally, just because a product is labeled natural or organic that does not mean you will not have an allergic reaction. A product made with beeswax or honey would not be recommended for people that are allergic to bees, a product with almond oil would not be recommended for people with nut allergies. A skin test is always recommended with any new skin care product whether it be a synthetic, natural or organic product.

The word botanical is used a lot in skin care products too. This implies that the product includes ingredients that are derived from plants and/or trees, such as Aloe Vera and coconut. Again, botanical products can be labeled as natural but does not mean they are also organic.

Currently there are no legal standards for the terms organic and/or natural for personal care products sold in the United States. Therefore, skin care manufacturers are allowed to make all kinds of claims that their products are pure, natural and/or organic. A case in point is Clairol Herbal Essences which gave users an “organic experience”, however there isn’t much about this product that is herbal or organic as it contains more than a dozen synthetic petrochemicals and has a moderate toxicity rating. Visit Campaign for Safe Cosmetics on the web to read more about your skin care products.

The skin care product industry is a billion dollar business and the claims they make concerning their products may or may not be true. Additionally, if you are paying top dollar for cosmetics that read pure, natural or organic, read the label, research and decide for yourself. The most prominent ingredient on the label will be at the top of the ingredient list and the least ingredient at the bottom. So if your natural or organic ingredient is at the bottom of the ingredient list chances are the amount in the product is minute and has no significant value for your skin.

As a personal note, I would like to state that I do believe in the natural and organic concept in skin care products, although if I am buying natural or organic products I expect them to be just, natural with safe synthetic chemicals or truly organic. There are so many chemicals in skin care products that can be harmful to your health and these chemicals are so detrimental to our environment so I read the labels and do the research to find some “green” in the products I use.

For skin care recipes, great skin care articles and wonderful products and ebooks visit Complete Skin Care Therapy   

About the Author

Carol Belanger, author of 300+ Skin Care Recipes

Rejuvenate Worldwide Work at home Information (Home Based Business)

Novell SUNLESS MOBILE START UP KIT Home Spa Salon Business $665.99

Body Wrap Business From Home – Spa Mud Body Wrap Kit – Lose Inches Weight $154.95

Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Decals – Ecology, Hands, Responsibility – Removable Graphic WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l…

Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Decals – Two Hands (help) – Removable Graphic WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l…

MSC094420H Medline 1 EA/EA CREAM,SKIN REPAIR,REMEDY,PUMP,32 OZ Medline MSC094420H $24.07 Medline MSC094420H CREAM,SKIN REPAIR,REMEDY,PUMP,32 OZ Skin Care Products Moisturizers/Lotions/Creams: Skin Care CREAM,SKIN REPAIR,REMEDY,PUMP,32 OZ Remedy Skin Repair Cream. The Cdc Hand Hygiene Guideline Strongly Recommends The Use Of A Moisturizer As Part Of A Hand Hygiene Protocol.* Remedy Skin Repair Cream Helps Protect And Relieve Damage Related To Frequent Handwashing Such As Dryness, Crack…

Kimberly-Clark Purple Nitrile Exam Gloves, Box/100 The PURPLE NITRILE* product family offers a comprehensive line of non-sterile and sterile gloves. The gloves were designed as an alternative for those who may have a Type 1 hypersensitivity to natural rubber latex proteins. The unique COLOR PURPLE* provides quick, visual differentiation from latex and other synthetic gloves. Custom design enhances comfort and fit, and textured fingertips improve w…

Diamond Microdermabrasion Machine 4 in 1 Multifunction 1. The Diamond Dermabrasion. The Diamond Dermabrasion, it is a creative improvement of the Micro-crystal Dermabrasion. The Diamond Dermabrasion provides a non-surgical skin refinish procedure, by using sterile diamond heads to abrade or rub off the top skin layer, then Vacuuming out the particles along with any dirt and dead skin back up. 2. The hot & cold treatment function. The hot side is u…

Organic Body Care Recipes: 175 Homeade Herbal Formulas for Glowing Skin & a Vibrant Self $10.76 Radiantly healthy skin, hair, feet, hands, eyes, and nails. Commercial beauty products make this promise every day and live up to it with varying degrees of success. Stephanie Tourles offers a better solution to everyone frustrated with the endless cycle of expensive, synthetic, famous-name cosmetics that often fall short of expectations. Take control of beauty treatments with homemade products th…

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Making Natural Beauty Products $10.37 A natural treasure for every body. Whether it’s about saving money, living greener, or treating sensitive skin, The Complete Idiot’s Guide(r) to Making Natural Beauty Products has everything the hobbyist will need to create organic, natural beauty products. ?Includes everything from face creams to mineral makeup to shampoo and more ?Each formula is clearly presented in recipe style, with notes o…

The Green Beauty Guide: Your Essential Resource to Organic and Natural Skin Care, Hair Care, Makeup, and Fragrances $9.00 Go green and get gorgeous The promise of beauty is as close as the drugstore aisle—shampoo that gives your hair more body, lotions that smooth away wrinkles, makeup that makes your skin look flawless, and potions that take it all off again. But while conventional products say they’ll make you more beautiful, they contain toxins and preservatives that are both bad for the environment and bad …