Natural Skin Care vs. Organic Skin Care

With so many new products popping up in skin care claiming to be “natural” and “organic” it’s hard to tell which products are the best to use. According to Treehugger, the average person uses 10 different skin care products on their body every day, and because skin acts like a sponge, approximately 60% of what is put on your body is absorbed by your skin. Through the application of products, we expose our skin and body, to a large number of ingredients. Many of these ingredients have not been tested for their long-term effects. Many of the products that we apply to our skin consist of ingredients that can have a negative impact on the body and could even be toxic. So, before determining which products are best for your skin, you should know about the difference between natural skin care versus organic skin care. Although the terms seem very similar, and are sometimes used interchangeably, they are each very different in meaning.

Natural products include ingredients that are sourced from nature rather than being synthetically created in a lab.  Natural skin care products generally do not include ingredients like parabens, aluminum, sodium lauryl sulfates or synthetic colors or dyes. However, in the United States, there is very little regulation for the term “natural.” Advertisers can label their products “natural” even with a low percentage of natural ingredients. Natural products on the market are usually only 50-70% chemical free.

On the other hand, the word organic is highly regulated and legally means that a brand or ingredient has been certified by the USDA. There should be an accompanying logo that confirms this on all organic products. A USDA Organic Seal denotes that a product has an organic content of 95% or higher and has been grown and processed under a very strict code of cleanliness, with no pesticides or fertilizers, and absolutely no genetically modified organisms.

However, there are also product labels such as “Made With Organic Ingredients” which are not equal to products labeled “certified organic.” Products with 70% or greater organic composition can be labeled “Made With Organic Ingredients.” This means that products claiming to be made with organic ingredients could potentially also contain harmful synthetic ingredients. Complicating the matter are independent certification organizations, such as Ecocert and NSF, who create their own standards to which companies may comply.

With all of these terms used for natural and organic skin care, it may seem overwhelming to know what skin care products are best. It is important to know what is in the products your body is absorbing every day and Federal Package is here to help. Beyond the USDA claim guidelines, Federal Package has also created their own Organic, Natural and Vegan guidelines to follow to always ensure the highest quality products possible for their customers.