Jul. 12, 2020

Organic and natural products

We are becoming increasingly aware of the influence of cosmetics on our health, resulting in a kind of "hype" around natural products. Nowadays everything has to be natural, pure, organic and cruelty-free. But what do these terms mean and what does it have to offer in terms of added value for your skin? An open conversation with Kim Maes, make-up artist with years of experience in skin care. Kim has her own webshop 'Blos', where she gives customers personal advice on selecting the right skin care products.

HOW DID THE HYPE START

Kim Maes: "The hype for organic has blown over from America to Europe. In America, many more chemical raw materials and ingredients are permitted than in Europe. As a kind of protest for the lax legislation, a 'green movement' has emerged. The green movement mainly poted against ingredients present in food but later also against ingredients present in cosmetics and other beauty products".

SOME DEFINITIONS

'Natural'

The word itself says it all: 'natural' means that the ingredients are of natural origin. Within the term 'natural' there are many gradations, so you have products that are 100% natural to products that are only enriched with natural ingredients. On the contrary, there are the synthetic ingredients that are created through a chemical process.

'Biological/Organic'

Biological and organic mean the same thing. Such products use only natural ingredients produced without the use of synthetic pesticides. So biological or organic goes a step further than natural. Again, there are gradations such as the percentage of ingredients that are organic/organic. You can compare it to an unprocessed apple that is picked in the garden versus an apple that you buy in the supermarket.

'Cruelty-free'

The term 'cruelty-free' is also often mentioned on packaging. It means that the final product and the ingredients were not tested on animals. It is important to know that animal testing of cosmetics and ingredients is prohibited by law in Europe since 2013. Products with a cruelty-free claim therefore simply follow the legislation just like all other products in Europe.

LEGISLATION

There is currently no legislation in Europe concerning the use of the terms 'biological and organic'. There is no list of properties that a product must comply with before it can use the claim 'organic/organic' or 'enriched with organic/organic ingredients'. This therefore makes it difficult for consumers to know which products are truly organic and which only use the claim as a marketing strategy.

Kim also explains to us that there is such a thing as 'labels' that are currently applied in some countries pending legislation in Europe. For example, you have 'Ecocert', a French control and certification organisation. For products with an Ecocert label, at least 95% of the ingredients must be of natural origin. Synthetic perfumes, dyes, silicones and glycols are forbidden and no animal raw materials may be used. The only major disadvantage with these labels is the cost price. There are several suppliers and producers who offer perfectly natural and organic ingredients but do not want a label because of the expensive cost price. It is therefore extremely important that there are clear regulations as soon as possible regarding the use of the terms 'natural, organic and organic'.

"Products which indicate exactly what is meant by the claim 'natural/organic' are generally more reliable than products which are not'.

Kim Maes

HAS ORGANIC OR NATURAL ADDED VALUE FOR YOUR SKIN?

Natural and organic products are not necessarily better for your skin. Harmful or irritants can also be present in natural/organic products. Natural ingredients, like synthetic ingredients, are composed of molecules. There are hundreds of molecules present in nature that are toxic to our body. So it is certainly not the case that natural is always safer than synthetic. This is a misconception that is taught to us by mis-marketing.

Kim Maes: "It's best to look at the list of ingredients to know what ingredients are present in the product. It's smarter to look at which ingredients actually do what for your skin instead of focusing on natural or organic products."

"It is all about balance."

Kim Maes

IS ORGANIC OR NATURAL BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

Many organic and natural beauty brands use sustainable or recyclable packaging. This offers no added value for your skin but is of course better for the environment. So this can also be a reason why people consciously choose natural.

Always make sure that the packaging of your product contributes to the stability of your product. Packaging plays an important role in the effectiveness of products. At Nomige, we believe that it is best to opt for air- and light-tight packaging. What you should not choose are open (glass) jars: besides the fact that it is not exactly hygienic, many ingredients cannot 'survive'. They oxidise too quickly, which reduces their effectiveness.

Kim Maes: "Moreover, many natural beauty products also contain natural preservatives. These have a less powerful effect than synthetic preservatives, so the shelf life is often shorter.