Natural and organic beauty products are rising in popularity and have become more readily available over the past couple of years.
But the terms “organic” and “natural” can be misleading. They are often used interchangeably despite the fact their differences, and packaging can confuse consumers into buying products that are not what they were expecting.
Read on to find out how natural and organic beauty products are different from one another and from products labeled vegan and cruelty-free
A product is considered “natural” when it contains ingredients that are sourced from nature rather than created synthetically.
Synthetic chemicals are produced through laboratory manipulation and are not found in nature, though it is possible to create synthetic versions of natural ingredients (such as Vitamin E.) Natural products generally don’t include ingredients like petrochemicals, parabens, sodium lauryl and laureth sulfates, phthalates, synthetic dyes and synthetic colors.
The main distinction between natural and organic beauty products is that organic ingredients must pass more rigorous standards of purity.
In order to be organic, an ingredient must have been derived without the use of synthetic pesticides, petroleum fertilizers or sewage sludge fertilizers, and it must not be a genetically modified organism (GMO.)
Natural however still allows some percentage of synthetic or chemical up to 10-30% sometimes more.
Labels on organic and natural beauty products can be very deceptive now. In Nigeria , there are little or no regulation of advertising products with the term “natural or organic.
This means that a product with a low percentage of natural ingredients can still be advertised as “natural or even organic.
EXAMPLE ; AN APPLE IS NATURAL , AN APPLE WITHOUT PESTICIDE IS ORGANIC certified organic labels are not at all likely to carry such ingredients. Moreover, while any cosmetic can contain some natural or even organ
The terms “vegan” and “cruelty-free” are not linked to or synonymous to “natural” or “organic,” though there is often some overlap. Vegan is the term used to describe cosmetics free of animal products. Vegan cosmetic brands are also cruelty-free, but it is possible a vegan product could be composed of synthetic preservatives such as methyl- and propylparaben, and therefore not “natural.” Cruelty-free products– or those that have not been tested on animals– are not necessarily vegan, organic, or natural. A number of the big name drugstore and high-end cosmetic companies are cruelty-free, but their products are usually comprised mostly of synthetic ingredients.
Moyo Salami CCAP
(Certified Clinical Aromatherapy Practitioner)