It's a fact that the cosmetics industry is highly unregulated in the U. S. The use of the terms natural and organic have been abused by the industry. Deceptive advertising and packaging have led the unsuspecting and uninformed consumer to purchase products that are less healthy than they are claimed to be.
In Europe, cosmetics are more regulated. There are ingredients banned from use there that are being used in the U.S. on a regular basis. However, what I found interesting is that in France, the home of Ecocert, the European Organic Certifying organization, their definitions for organic and natural are very lax. To be certified organic, a product just needs 10% of its ingredients to be organic. For the natural label, it requires only 5% organic ingredients.
So, no matter where you are in the world, the bottom line is: Read the ingredients list on the label and know which ingredients are safe and which are not.
Learn how to determine the safety of the ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products.
About Me
- Dr. Christine H. Farlow, D.C.
- Dr. Christine H. Farlow is "The Ingredients Investigator." She is a Doctor of Chiropractic who has helped thousands improve their health through nutrition and the elimination of harmful ingredients from food, cosmetics and personal care products. She's a veteran at helping people solve their health challenges naturally, without the use of drugs. The study of nutrition has been a passion for Dr. Farlow since 1975. Before becoming a doctor, people were coming to her unsolicited, asking for nutritional advice. She’s been counseling patients professionally since 1984 and researching ingredients in foods, cosmetics and personal care products since 1991. Dr. Farlow is the author of three health and nutrition books: FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... HEALTHY EATING: For Extremely Busy People... DYING TO LOOK GOOD Her books evolved out of her experience counseling patients back to health and wellness.