Organic skincare: the natural successor?

Time was the word ‘organic’ that conjured up images of gnarled, humorously shaped vegetables still caked in their mud-encrusted layers. But things are changing, and the growing demand for all-natural is, it seems, much more than a passing fad. What was once seen as an old-fashioned, responsible approach to caring for the environment has become part of a much more modern lifestyle of caring for ourselves.

Nowhere more than in the beauty industry have we seen the greatest change with new products springing up everywhere to meet the demands of an increasingly conscious public. And with the added impetus of a long list of celebrities, it seems that things will continue. But why should we bother with organic skincare, and who’s to say it’s better than the usual list of suspects?

“The fact is that about 60% of the products we use on our skin are absorbed deep into the system, so what we rub or rinse affects as much as what we eat or drink,” says Pur. Linda Jones, Director of Natural Skincare. “Our skin care, like our food, is often infused with a cocktail of ingredients that offer nothing more than a cheaper alternative to the natural ingredients they replace.”

Studies have shown that these little nuisances can accumulate and store in parts of the body where you’d rather they didn’t. But how does organic skin care work?

Linda explains: “In simple terms, by keeping toxins out and introducing the right combination of naturally beneficial compounds, we are enhancing and boosting the skin’s natural rate of repair and renewal.” So by going organic, are we fighting a winning battle? Unfortunately, things are never that simple.

All great breakthroughs have their imitations, and due to the lack of strict controls on labeling, many “organic” pretenders are finding a lucrative niche. It seems that in many cases it doesn’t ‘do exactly what it says on the tin’. So how can we be sure that what we are buying is the genuine, unadulterated article?

“Organic certification is a good place to start,” says Pur marketing director Simon Ford, “but even here we need to be cautious because, by their own admission, many certifying agencies check the paper trails of organic ingredients rather than of the actual product”. But unless you have a Caesaresque flair for Latin, reading the label won’t help much.

“If you want to be sure of what you’re buying, you have to read the label,” says Simon. “We spend a lot of energy translating our labels into plain English, but if you’re still unsure about something, you can call our ingredient helpline listed on the label and we’ll be happy to advise you.”

In the meantime, here’s a quick rundown of the most common suspects to avoid:

AHA – Alpha-hydroxy acids

parabens

phthalates

sodium lauryl sulfate

DEA – diethanolamine