Organic September is an annual campaign that encourages people to make consistent changes to their purchasing habits, to chose organic whenever possible. But with the very tricky labels how can we be double sure we’re getting it right, buying the best products, not wasting our money?
HERE’S THE SCOOP
It is not against the law for beauty care labels to fool you, and they do. Companies use terms like all natural, eco- friendly, green ingredients, fair trade and even Natural and Organic. But here’s the thing. Simply using the word organic on a product is not enough. It might mean it contains only 5% organic material. Shocked? Me too. Seems unfair right?…..but there is hope. The label you are looking for must say ‘Certified Organic’ and contain the USDA Certified Seal in green. When you see the seal you are home free. Because this certification and seal are hard won.
There are strict regulations for using the USDA Certified seal. Due to the costly challenges of meeting USDA requirements, there are only a handful of U.S. companies offering an entire line of Certified Organic skin care products. Only these suppliers went through all the dedicated hoops to provide the purest compounds.
However there are limited regulations for simply using the word organic in a products name, label or description. Unfortunately this creates confusion for consumers. For example: you may see a label that reads “Organic Shea Butter Lip Balm” where the Shea Butter may indeed be organic, while the rest of the ingredients are not. Without all the ingredients being organic, the lip balm cannot truly be a Certified Organic Product.
As shoppers it is easy to get tricked up. There are soooo many beauty care products. They are a giant business in Alternative Food Markets.
I once bought All Natural, “Fair Trade” Shea Soap. The advertising campaign was so seductive….so inviting. Sales helped a small village in Africa. Who doesn’t want to be involved in that? I was all excited. I quickly snapped it off the shelf. But when I got home and came to my senses, I looked it up on the Web. None of the all natural ingredients were organic. Fortunately, Whole Foods will take anything back.
It is important to stay vigilant. Skin is your largest organ. Beauty and skin products are absorbed by the skin in 26 seconds. Dangerous toxins such as parabens, petrochemicals, silicones, artificial colors and fragrances can create endocrine and hormonal disruption as well as free radical damage that can contribute to cancer. Unknowingly many women are applying up to 500 chemicals to their skin daily. My suggestion? Do your home work. Find dedicated companies that use the Certified Organic label that your pleased with and support these businesses.
I am a chemo-free cancer survivor. I fought hard to win my life back. I did a strict detox cleanse for 12 months eating all organic raw foods and juices, avoiding any beauty products that contain toxins. The first step in healing the body from cancer naturally is to avoid all toxins. I continue that lifestyle today. I look for providers who go to an extreme amount of effort, dedication and commitment to the mission required to support a toxic free world for all of us.
DO IT YOURSELF
I am a big fan of ‘Organic Cold Pressed Coconut Oil’ in the kitchen and as a beauty product. Here are some great uses for this very versatile oil that is also a Whole Food for both the skin and body:
>Smoothes dry hands
>Shave your legs
>Deep hair conditioner (my personal favorite)
>Remove eye make-up
>Body moisturizer before and after bath
>Antibacterial mouth rinse and gargle
>Lip balm
>Dandruff treatment
BECOME A CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH AT DIET FOR LIVING SCHOOL
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