“Most certification bodies
require thorough testing or
vetting so that you can be sure
certification claims are valid.”
— asHlEy PraNgE, founder, au Naturale cosmetics
buying organic groceries: easy.
buying organic cosmetics: not so easy.
The same goes for any sort of personal care product, from body
wash and shampoo to moisturizers, peels and scrubs. While
spas have long known the value of natural products, the general
public has been slow to adopt them. The reasons for switching
to natural or clean products are many. In addition to potentially
easing any skin and immune system sensitivities, clean products
are also free of substances like preservatives and parabens
whose long-term effects are not yet well-documented.
Now, though, green is mainstream, says Ashley Prange,
founder of Au Naturale Cosmetics: “With green
and clean becoming more and more of a
trend across all industries, it is especially
important for consumers to read
between the lines and take a closer
look at what these terms mean to
each company.” Many manufac-
turers are simply cashing in on the
trend by claiming their products
are clean, green, natural, or organic,
even though they may not be.
As a spa professional, it can be
difficult to distinguish the good products
from the bad. How can you tell the truly
beneficial from the blatantly bogus?
though. For personal care products, this means that at least 95
percent of the ingredients are organically produced. These
products will have the distinctive “USDA Organic” seal on
them, and are generally a safe bet in the realm of natural
products. Unlike the term “organic,” the USDA Organic seal can
only be used on those products that actually meet the USDA’s
guidelines.
However, being an official USDA Organic product is not the
be-all-end-all. “Our powder products are comprised primarily of
minerals and our crème products are a combination of organic
ingredients and minerals,” says Prange. Yet, these products
cannot be labelled organic despite being entirely natural,
because “basic lab science says that minerals cannot
be organic, as they were never living.”
“unlike the
term ‘organic,’
buying tips
the usda organic
Prange’s top tip when looking for green,
clean or natural products is to simply look
seal can only be used
at the label: “Veer clear from ingredients
on those products
you can’t easily pronounce.” Alternatively,
that actually meet
look for non-USDA certifications. With
regulation of personal care products being
the usda’s
essentially nonexistent, several entities have
guidelines.”
stepped up to fill the void, certifying products
the Wild, Wild West
In the United States, all organic food is regulated and certified
organic by the USDA under its National Organic Program.
Personal care products are not regulated by the USDA. Although
these products can be USDA certified organic, the USDA does
not enforce the use of the word “organic” on them. For
example, if a vegetable calls itself organic but isn’t, the USDA
can take action against the manufacturer. When an eye cream
calls itself organic but isn’t, the USDA is powerless.
Beauty products can still be certified organic by the USDA,
according to different standards than the USDA. “Most
certification bodies require thorough testing or vetting so that
you can be sure certification claims are valid,” notes Prange.
It’s also a good idea to do research on the product maker.
Most companies who take being natural, clean or green
seriously will have a portion of their website dedicated to
explaining their green mission or highlighting their ingredients.
With so many companies attempting to cash in on the natural
beauty trend, it is important to independently research even the
claims that do have a stronger legal footing than natural and
o rganic, says Prange: “It is more crucial now than ever to look
for company-specific definitions of certifications that do have
legal parameters, like cruelty-free, gluten-free and vegan.” n
October 2018
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