Why You Need To Read The Labels On Cosmetics And Skin Care Products ( Part 2)

Despite the known dangers associated with many of the ingredients in cosmetics, skin care and personal care products, some manufacturers continue to use them. This is because they are inexpensive and can be used to produce items that can be marketed successfully at huge profits. Health doesn't appear to be an issue.

You can of course check the safety data of products as Federal regulations require ingredients to be listed on labels in descending order by quantity. Usually if you break the list into thirds, the top third will be 90 – 95% of the product, the middle will be 5 – 8% and the bottom will be 1 -3%.

You can check the safety data sheets on all ingredients but problems occur when the manufacturers do not list the recognised INCI (International Names of Cosmetic Ingredients). Instead they use either made up names or complex chemical trade names making it very difficult for the average consumer to look up.

The list of potentially harmful ingredients is long. The best advice is to read the labels on your toothpaste, shampoo, moisturizer, deodorant and cosmetics. If you can't pronounce them – don't use them!

Of course the safest course of action is to seek out natural and organic products but even here you have to beware. Some unscrupulous manufacturers mislead their customers with false labels. The industry's definitions (whilst legal) are not the same as those in the dictionary and which the majority of consumers would expect.

For instance the chemical definition of "organic" is 'a compound that contains a carbon atom'. Since carbon is found in anything that has ever lived, certain cosmetic companies use synthetic chemicals derived from petroleum products and describe them as "organic preservatives".

Also you will find descriptions of "derived from (some sort of natural ingredient)" which lulls you into a false sense of security. You see it means a chemical process has taken place and it is no longer "natural".

The only way to ensure you get 100% synthetic chemical and toxic free products is to look for the recognized Certified Organic logos.

In order to be Certified Organic, products must contain at least 95% organically produced agricultural ingredients (excluding water and salt). The remaining 5% can be non agricultural substances or non organically produced agricultural ingredients with strict processing criteria, e.g. NO GMO's and absolutely NO SYNTHETIC
CHEMICALS.

Organic products only have to contain at least 70% organically produced agricultural ingredients (excluding water and salt) but again the remaining 30% have to follow the same strict processing criteria, e.g. NO GMO's and absolutely NO SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS.

However, currently, body care products are not required to comply with the stringent organic food standards maintained by International certification bodies such as the BFA and NASAA in Australia and the USDA in America. As a result many so called "organic" body care products are on the market. Since water is the primary ingredient in many cosmetics, some manufacturers claim to use organic hydrosols, or floral water, to green wash their products. They then make organic label claims whilst still using synthetic toxic ingredients that would NEVER be allowed in organic food products.

Fortunately one company produces an entire range of skin, personal and body care products which are entirely genuinely "organic". Most of their items are Certified Organic to Food Standards which means you could even eat them and they wouldn't do you any harm although this is not a recommendation.

They are the only company on the planet to have submitted their products for third party independent certification so their integrity is assured. Also you can actually pronounce all the beneficial active ingredients listed.

If you care for your health I recommend you read the labels.