"Organic" and "Natural" Defined

We discussed what ingredients to look for in labels, now let's dig deeper into terms like synthetic vs. natural. As you already know from my Ingredients To Avoid post, there are lots of synthetic ingredients in cosmetics. What you might not know is that terms like "natural", "organic", and even "herbal" have no legal definition on cosmetic labels. This means manufacturers can put anything they want in in the bottle and stamp an "all natural" or "organic" label on it.

It's hard to tell what ingredients are actually "organic" or "natural"  because truth-in-marketing rules for food do not apply to cosmetics. The only exception to this are products bearing the USDA Organic Seal. These products contain ingredients that come from plants grown without fertilizers and artificial pesticides.

Though the FDA has the authority to reprimand cosmetic makers whose labels make false claims, they never imposed standard definitions for these terms. The term "organic" has not been defined by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act.

Cosmetics can contain as little as a trace of a natural ingredient, while the rest completely synthetic, and can legally label it "all natural".

You must be thinking, "Aren't cosmetics labeled "organic" or "all natural" at least safer?" The answer is no. An ingredients source does not determine its safety. For example, many plants, whether they are organically grown or not, contain substances that may be toxic or allergic.

This is why it's so important to read the ingredients on every product you buy. Manufacturers are smart, they know what catches your eye, and they label products accordingly. These labels can have no bearing on what's actually in the bottle.