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 things natural is, it seems, much more than a fad. What was once seen as an old-fashioned, responsible approach to taking care of the environment has become part of a much more modern lifestyle of taking care of 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 added momentum from a long list of celebrities, it looks like things will continue. But why should we bother with organic skincare and who says it’s better than the usual list of suspects?
“The fact is that about 60% of the products we use on our skin get absorbed deep into the system, so we’re as affected by what we rub or rinse as by what we eat or drink,” says Pur. Linda Jones, director of natural skin care. “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 build up and store in parts of the body where you’d rather they didn’t. But how does organic skincare work?
Linda explains: “In simple terms, if we keep toxins out and introduce the right combination of naturally beneficial compounds, we are improving and boosting the skin’s natural rhythm of repair and renewal.” So by going organic, are we fighting a winning battle? Unfortunately, things are never that simple.
All breakthroughs have their knock-offs, and due to a lack of strict controls over 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 item?
“Organic certification is a good place to start,” says Pur’s marketing director, Simon Ford, “but even here we need to be cautious because, by their admission, many certification agencies verify 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 label helpline and we’ll be happy to help.”
In the meantime, here is a brief summary of the most common suspects to avoid:
AHA – Alpha-hydroxy acids
parabens
phthalates
sodium lauryl sulfate
DEA – diethanolamine
