Friday, July 06, 2007
Organic Skincare - Why?
Most of what you put on your skin gets absorbed directly into your bloodstream—more quickly, even, than the things you eat. So you may be surprised to know that there are no government regulations for body care products in the U.S. This means that most any company can slap words like organic and natural onto its labels without the ingredients to justify them. “There are more chemicals in body care than you’ll find in most hardware stores,” says Joshua Onysko, founder of Pangea Organics.
To figure out which products are truly clean, take these hints from Organic Consumers Association reps Adam Eidinger and Craig Minowa. Two well known brands —Jasön and Kiss My Face—don’t meet their standards.
Look for the USDA organic seal
Government standards for food can be applied to body care, but products rarely pass muster (they have to be 95 percent organic). “If the seal’s not there,” says Minowa, “read the ingredients to decide if the product is worth the extra money.”
Be skeptical
“Many products labeled organic or natural contain petroleum or parabens, which are known carcinogens—and harmful for our waterways,” says Eidinger. “Avoid prefixes like poly, methyl and ethyl.” Other potentially harmful ingredients include propylene glycol (“an industrial antifreeze”), E216 (a paraben), olefin sulfonate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium laureth sulfate and disodium cocoamphodiacetate. This not a comprehensive list; consult organicconsumers.org for more info.
Look for other clues
“You can tell a lot from packaging,” Minowa explains. “If there’s lots of excess material, that’s a bad sign,” as it could mean the company isn’t making much of an eco-effort. “Also, beware that the recycling symbol means something is recyclable, but is still virgin plastic.”
Avoid ingredients you can’t pronounce—and wouldn’t consume
“You could totally eat Dr. Bronner’s stuff,” laughs Eidinger. “Put it on a cracker. You might even get a little buzz from the alcohol.”
SOURCE
To figure out which products are truly clean, take these hints from Organic Consumers Association reps Adam Eidinger and Craig Minowa. Two well known brands —Jasön and Kiss My Face—don’t meet their standards.
Look for the USDA organic seal
Government standards for food can be applied to body care, but products rarely pass muster (they have to be 95 percent organic). “If the seal’s not there,” says Minowa, “read the ingredients to decide if the product is worth the extra money.”
Be skeptical
“Many products labeled organic or natural contain petroleum or parabens, which are known carcinogens—and harmful for our waterways,” says Eidinger. “Avoid prefixes like poly, methyl and ethyl.” Other potentially harmful ingredients include propylene glycol (“an industrial antifreeze”), E216 (a paraben), olefin sulfonate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium laureth sulfate and disodium cocoamphodiacetate. This not a comprehensive list; consult organicconsumers.org for more info.
Look for other clues
“You can tell a lot from packaging,” Minowa explains. “If there’s lots of excess material, that’s a bad sign,” as it could mean the company isn’t making much of an eco-effort. “Also, beware that the recycling symbol means something is recyclable, but is still virgin plastic.”
Avoid ingredients you can’t pronounce—and wouldn’t consume
“You could totally eat Dr. Bronner’s stuff,” laughs Eidinger. “Put it on a cracker. You might even get a little buzz from the alcohol.”
SOURCE
Labels: organic, skincare, toxins
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