About Organic Skin Care

Why Organic?

Organic and natural ingredients are more effective than the petroleum derivatives & waxes (eg propylene glycol, mineral oil & petrolatum) and synthetic fillers found in conventional skincare. Natural ingredients work in harmony with your skin and body to enhance your body's natural healing and regenerative capabilities.

More and more research is emerging about the richer nutritional benefits of organically farmed products. Organic farming does not deplete the soil's natural minerals, unlike modern farming methods, and so your skin benefits from more potent and effective ingredients.

Organic farming methods avoid the use of unnecessary chemicals & pesticides; chemicals that pollute the environment, our water system and your body - a high proportion of what you but on your skin is absorbed by it.

Ingredients in Organic & Natural Skincare

Organic or bio-dynamic
Organic ingredients are grown without the use of commonly used pesticides and according to strict guidelines issued by various regulatory bodies. Where ingredient listings for products show a particular ingredient to be organic, the ingredient has been grown under approved conditions and given a stamp of approval by an organic standards body.

Bio-dynamic farming goes one step further and uses methods of farming designed to harness the health giving forces of nature. It has grown from a series of lectures given by philosopher Rudolph Steiner (also the founder of Weleda) in 1924.

Natural
The Oxford dictionary gives the following definition of natural;

"of, or existing in, or produced by nature"

A natural ingredient is from a natural source and is either untreated or treated and processed with other natural ingredients. These ingredients will have a latin name on the INCI listing.

Semi Synthetic
Sometimes natural ingredients are treated with synthetic substances to produce the final ingredient - which bares a chemical rather than a latin name. Foaming agents in natural skincare and bodycare products often fall into this category.

The Soil Association recognises the necessity of this when creating certain products such as body washes and shampoos and allows certain semi synthetic ingredients in organic beauty products, such as cocamidopropyl betaine.

Beware though that these ingredients can also be chemically, rather than naturally, derived. Read up about the manufacturer to find out which they use.

Ingredients to avoid
The term 'organic' refers to the method by which an ingredient has been farmed. However 'organic skincare' does not mean that no harmful chemicals have been added to a skincare product in formulation.

Get savvy about the ingredients commonly found in skincare, such as parabens and phthalates, and look for retailers and manfacturers with a clear ingredient policy showing what they don't allow in their products.

find out more....

Read about the ingredients LoveLula.com avoids in organic skincare >>

The Women's Environmental Network in the UK has campaigned for years to raise awareness of the chemicals used in beauty products. Their website has lots of useful information to help you in cleaning up your bathroom cabinet. View WEN website >>

Find out about Demeter and Bio-Dynamic Farming >>

Preservatives

Unlike food, that is consumed within days or hours, natural and organic skincare products need to be made to survive somewhat longer without growing harmful moulds and bacteria.

It is essential that an organic skincare product contains a preservative system to guarantee its safety. Preservatives natural skincare products use include;

Packaging

Airtight packaging that prevents bacteria getting into the product can help to preserve it.

used by: Lavera, Weleda, Naturetis, Kimberly Sayer, suki

Herbs & Essential Oils

Certain herbs and essential oils possess anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties which, in certain preparations, can preserve the product.

used by: Spiezia, suki, Mother Earth

Plant Alcohol

Not to be confused with the ethyl alcohol (derived from petroleum) found in conventional skincare, plant alcohol may be used in natural preparations to preserve the product.

used by: Weleda, Lavera, bod

Vitamin E & Plant Oils

Balms and oils are naturally self preserving and need little or no additional preservative.

used by: Burts Bees, Spiezia, Badger, Trilogy Rosehip Oil

Safe semi synthetic preservative systems