Organic cosmetics

Good quality cosmetics shouldn’t cause allergies. On the contrary, they should be totally safe for our health. In case of good quality, organic cosmetics every element matters, as well as the actual source of every single ingredient. But isn’t this name overused by generally available cosmetics?

Outside the law

In the European or Polish law there’s no precise description what ‘an organic cosmetic’ actually is. The European Commission officially says that the most important thing about cosmetics is that they have to be safe. However, they do not specify what organic cosmetics really are. Thus, even if we buy expensive organic products, we don’t have certainty that they are really full of organic ingredients. In Europe and the USA there are independent institutions which are responsible for verifying cosmetics according to specific criteria. If a given company wants to get a certificate, it has to undergo regular quality controls. CBI says that this institution was created by The National Agency for Entrepreneurship Support and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (both from the Netherlands). International demand for natural cosmetics is inreasing and producers want to make use of it so they sell ordinary products as organic.

Independent iniciatives

As there are no special criteria regulating what organic cosmetics really are, there are plenty of independent institutions which thoroughly examine cosmetics. EcoErt from France is the most popular such an institution in Europe. It is also the first institution to check if given cosmetics are organic or not. An organic product does not have:

• genetically modified components
• parabens
• phenoxyethanol
• nanoparticles
• silicon
• chemical fragrances
• animal’s components (except for milk and honey)

Ingredients are crucial but the process of production also matters a lot, as well as packages and influence on the environment. There is always some kind of influence on the environment but it should be minimal. So when a given company advertises their products as totally harmless to the environment, it is rather wishful thinking than the reality.

Organic ingredients should come from plant substances from organic farming at least in 95%.

Did you know…

Natural ingredients cause allergies too, especially from artificially fertilized cultivations or contaminated places such as roads and factories. EcoErt protects us from such threats.

Eco or not eco?

It is easy to read a definition of organic cosmetics presented by EcoErt. But what does it actually mean for an average consumer?

More and more people are conscious to read a label before buying something. They do it not only in case of cosmetics but also before buying food, domestic detergents etc. As we all know, some names of ingredients do sound strange. At first sight, it is hard to say if tecopherol or DMDM hyndantoin are dangerous or not so much. So the easiest and the best option for us to do is check if a given product has a certificate. Thus, EcoErt helps us to choose the right cosmetics with natural and safe ingredients.

No preservatives

Preservatives seem to be totally bad but it is actually not the case. In fact, some of them protect cosmetics from the proliferation of microorganisms. So we don’t have to avoid cosmetics with preservatives but search for those with safe ingredients, such as citric acid or vitamin E. It is actually good if organic cosmetics have these preservatives.

The mono care

Choosing an organic cosmetic means stopping using chemicals. Nowadays, there are a lot of organic cosmetics available on the market. Plant oils like coconut, olive oils or argan oils are also good for us and our skin. The argan oil has a lot of natural and benefitial properties, for example it can protect us from the sunshine. Nonetheless, if you decide to sunbathe, you should still use suncream with UV filters. There are still few natural products with UV whose quality is guaranteed by a special certificate.

Derma Baby Sun

That is the only natural product with UV in Poland. It has the EcoErt and The Astma Allergy Denmark certificate and it is recommended for babies.

From passion and… economy

You can also try to prepare cosmetics on your own. We don‘t recommend it though as special sterile conditions are an absolute necessity to avoid contamination. But the idea of totally natural cosmetics is really great. Nature knows best how to help us take care of our bodies.

A smooth body

All of us have most probably tried cheap and effective body peelings with organic coffee or sea salt. You can actually make them at home, just mix coffee with favourite plant oil and rub the mixture onto your body. Sea salt is another great ingredient that gives our skin a lot of precious minerals.

Shiny hair

Silicon is the main component of many conditioners. It actually creates a kind of a smooth shell on hair. It is just an illusion that it moisturises our hair and makes it look silky. The effect is just temporary. In fact, hair starts to fall out as a result of using silicon. What can we do at home to nourish our hair?

After evening bath, put your favourite plant oil on your hair. In the morning the next day, just wash your hair using shampoo again. That is how you will have light and moisturised hair without chemicals.

Rough heels and elbows

The easiest and the fastest way to get rid of rough heels and elbows is to cut a lemon in half and rub it on the heels and elbows. Fruit acids gently soften our scarfskin. Our skin feels fresh again. You may also try taking a cool bath with sea salt.

Text: Anna Siódmak