This week: organic beauty.

When I hear the term "organic beauty," I immediately think of the words “crunchy beauty” and it conjures up images of tree-hugging. To me, "organic beauty" sounds like it should be right up the alley of tree-huggers, and in my mind it doesn’t produce the most sophisticated-sounding products -- just a lot of tree-hugging, crunchy, granola-eating beauty. Usually, there is nothing "natural" about getting made up. We paint our faces with layers of foundation, dark lip color, black eyeliner, etc. We straighten our hair unnaturally with flat irons, or tease it up with hairspray and other hair product gunk. It’s an intense process that’s done to show off our features and play them up. But lately, some companies have really started to enhance, and bring to the mainstream, the oxymoron that is “organic beauty”.  Here are some common questions about this relatively new beauty category.
 
How does a beauty product get classified as organic?
 
We see the word organic slapped on tons of different products. Many of the foods we eat, clothing we wear, and cleaning products nowadays have jumped on the organic bandwagon. The U.S Department of Agriculture regulates what food products can be classified as organic, but skincare and makeup do not fall under that regulation. Many companies label their products organic as a marketing tool. Shady, yes, but people fall for it hook, line, and sinker. If you are interested in using organic beauty products, how in the world can you tell if a product is truly organic? Consumer Reports says to “look for a seal that says the product is certified organic.” It’s not going to be a seal specifically from the U.S.D.A. though, because they don’t allow their seal to be used on cosmetic products. You can also check out the list of ingredients. Some are specific ingredients that are approved by the U.S.D.A. It will usually say whether or not the ingredient is certified organic. If you see a bunch of chemicals or preservatives, then that means it’s most likely not completely organic.
 
What are some common ingredients that have been studied and are known to possibly cause health concerns?
 
At this point, many companies have removed ingredients that have been linked to health concerns. A good example is with nail polish. Many companies lately are removing the Toulene, DPT, and formaldehyde from their nail polishes. Bravo to those companies. OPI just eliminated toluene from its formula. There is a specific extremist website that I won’t mention, but has an extensive list of ingredients thought to cause health concerns. Reading the information on that website just makes people paranoid. Their purpose is to “call for the elimination of chemicals used in the cosmetics industry linked to cancer, birth defects, and other health problems.” It’s a noble movement indeed, but let’s just say I am not overly worried about the ingredients that make up my lip gloss. If you are still concerned here is a basic list of ingredients to avoid that most seriously organic companies don’t use:

• Pesticides
• Petroleum or petroleum derivatives (propylene, butylene glycol)
• Toxic preservatives (parabens - methyl, butyl, or ethylparaben; dizaolidinyl or imadazolidinyl urea; formaldehyde)
• Harsh surfactants or sulfates (sodium or ammonium lauryl sulfate; cocamide dea/lauramide dea)
• Artificial colors or dyes
• Synthetic fragrances
• Phthalates or dibutyl phthalate
• Toluene

If I am interested in exploring organic beauty what are some good companies to try?
 
If you want to check out the website www.b-glowing.com they have an extensive list of companies that are “globally conscious” and sell some of these beauty brands. Companies that practice fair trade, are eco-friendly (high organic content), and cruelty-free (no animal testing) are featured. If it’s hair products you are looking for, I can vouch for John Masters Organics. I am obsessed right now with his Sweet Orange and Silk Protein Styling Gel ($17.50). It’s been fighting some hardcore frizz from all the rainy weather we have been having lately, and it’s an alcohol-free, aloe vera-based gel which smells deliciously like blood oranges.

If you go to Sephora.com and type "organic" into the search field, it gives you four different organic companies. Two of those are Juice Beauty (I have tried their Tinted Lip Balm and it smells so yummy fruity that I want to eat it!), and CARE by Stella McCartney (high-end organic skincare that boasts it’s 100% organic). Nothing but the best for the child of a Beatle, right?