What is Considered Natural? What to look for when buying natural beauty products

How some companies use misleading claims and what you should know in order to become a smart shopper.

The concept of organic and natural products have been appreciated incredibly as of late as individuals are attempting to live healthier lifestyles. The "natural" trend has unsurprisingly made it's way into numerous areas of living, from the food we eat to the beauty products we use. People are waking up to the fact that everything on the market was not made with the consumers wellbeing in mind. With the Natural Hair Movement and with everyone "Going Green", organic and natural products pull in a great deal of attention; but are those products really natural or are you being deceived by big brands looking to profit from the latest trends?

Regardless of the possibility that it can highly influence what consumers think and effect their purchasing decisions, the term ‘Natural’ is a completely unregulated idiom and is regularly utilized for marketing promotions. With expressions like natural and organic, consumers have a tendency to relate them with all-natural ingredients without any synthetic additives, however, the set-up is far from the truth. Both of these terms are frequently used by companies while they have completely different implications and what’s regrettable is that the consumers are being misled by such practices.

In case you are wondering, The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the terms ‘Natural’ and ‘Organic’ for any beauty products. There isn’t any official standard for labeling products as natural. On the other hand, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has some unambiguous directions related to the term - ‘Organic’. Manufacturers cannot label their product with this particular expression until the ingredients meet these conditions:

- Grown and processed without utilizing any pesticides or fertilizers

- Maintain a strict code of hygiene

- No adding genetically tailored organisms

Be that as it may, consumers still suffer from the advertised ‘Natural’ and ‘Organic’ products, because products can legally claim to be a part of an organic listings if it contains even 1% organic ingredients with 99% synthetic components.

So, what are the alternatives?

Start paying more attention to labels and look at the percentage of the green ingredients in those products with legitimate certifications in accordance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA). Natural products are not always organic since they might be processed with fertilizers and pesticides. Organic products, on the other hand, are always natural since they maintain a certain code of conduct. On that note, products with a high amount of green elements are always preferable rather than those so-called natural products.

Look out for products with the components like parabens and other extensively utilized toxic elements and preservatives. Even though these preservatives are used to prevent fungus and bacteria attack, these elements have the tendency to influence the blood circulation system of the body. What’s more, common elements like synthetic colors, artificial fragrances, sodium laureth sulfate, phthalates, triclosan, and propylene glycol should also be avoided thanks to their detrimental properties.

Even though it is impossible to stay away from every bit of synthetic chemical, doing your best in avoiding products with harsh and synthetic ingredients are highly recommended. Most importantly, don’t take the advertisement phrasing for truth without the proper assessment. If you haven't done so already, conduct a simple Google search to get familiar with toxic preservatives and fragrances, you might be surprised at what you find. There are some honest brands out there that work to provide you with products made with the best ingredients, but don't be fooled; check the ingredients and be a more informed and smart shopper.