‘Natural’ and ‘organic’ are alluring terms for the beauty-conscious and earth-friendly consumers. Safer, chemical-free, non-toxic beauty solutions are the fastest-growing segment within the beauty industry. However, organic and natural do not mean the same thing. So, here’s a black and white breakdown of the green facts.
Natural is a broad and blurry category that has zero regulations. Sometimes, it simply means that the product contains plant-derived ingredients, which are highly processed and even harmful. Do not let names of exotic ingredients deceive you. Labels that read ‘made with’ or ‘contains’ may not even contain ten percent of the natural ingredients mentioned. Even more so, ‘natural’ products tell you nothing about the farming and cultivation practices used to derive the ingredients. There can be any amount of pesticides, herbicides, chemical sprays, and growth hormones in these ingredients.
Organic is a whole new level of natural. It follows strict guidelines and full disclosure. Certified organic products have the most regulated ingredients system in the world. These ingredients are grown, following the organic process – no toxic synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals used. The certification maintains a yearly audit of all registered companies, suppliers, and manufacturers to ensure compliance with the regulations set out by the certification authority. The manufacturing process also does not use chemical toxins. These products are free from parabens, sulphates, SLS, synthetic fragrances, and artificial colour.
Vegan products do not contain any animal-produce, such as honey, dairy, lactic acid, biotin, and lanolin. These are automatically cruelty-free and not tested on animals. Organic vegan products stick to both regulations to ensure that there is no toxic contamination or animal contamination.
In Europe, COSMOS is the internationally recognised cosmetic organic standard that includes the combined agencies: the Soil Association, BDIH, Cosmebio, Ecocert, and ICEA. Products certified by COSMOS have non-toxic ingredients, natural colour, and fragrance, use traceable and sustainably-sourced ingredients and not tested on animals. Don’t be fooled by branding, and always check the ingredients label. Paying a little bit extra for organic products goes a long way. You are not only safeguarding your beauty and health, but also the planet.
At Go Green Salons, we encourage every salon to use organic, cruelty-free, and vegan products.
