In recent years, it has become popular for companies to use the word “natural” to describe their products. “Natural” and “organic” seem to be the new buzzwords. Unfortunately, while the term “organic” is regulated by the USDA, the word “natural” is not.
Defining Natural
According to Dictionary.com, “natural” means, “Existing in or formed by nature.” It seems like a pretty straightforward definition. Most everyone would agree, for instance, that tempered steel is not natural, but iron ore is.
However, when the definition of natural is being applied to personal care products, it may suddenly seem vague. For instance, to create olive oil castile soap, olive oil is altered from its original state by humans. Despite this, castile soap is considered natural. Yet, sodium lauryl sulfate, a detergent that can be derived from coconut, is not.
The Difference Between Natural and Organic
Natural does not mean organic, and vice versa. The term “organic” is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In order to be able to use the word “organic,” products must follow a strict set of production and handling guidelines. Meanwhile, the word “natural” remains unregulated.
Generally, organic products are produced without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, are free of hormones, and are not genetically modified. On the other hand, natural products are generally derived from natural substances, although those substances aren't necessarily organic. For instance, a natural product made of corn may still be made of corn that is sprayed with pesticides.
Deceptive Labeling
Because the word “natural” is unregulated, companies may use it to fool consumers into buying a product that is really not natural at all. Even some well-known and trusted brands may throw the term “natural” on a product that has only a handful of natural ingredients.
By scanning the ingredients label, shoppers can rule out the majority of fakes. Here are some of the more popular synthetic ingredients that can be found in so-called “natural” products:
- Petroleum products. Mineral oil, petrolatum, petroleum jelly, and paraffin are the most common. These are often the base for lubricating products, like lotion and lip balm.
- Sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate. These are detergents that can often be found in shampoos, soaps, toothpaste, and other sudsing products.
- Propylene glycol. A humectant, which means it is a substance that attracts water. It is widely used as a moisturizing component. According to “A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients” by Ruth Winter, polyethylene glycol – abbreviated as PEG – is a safer glycol that is being used to replace propylene glycol. However, it is just as synthetic.
Don't forget to read all the way to the end of the ingredients label. A synthetic ingredient, like phenoxyethanol, may be hiding out behind a list of natural ingredients.
Synthetic ingredients often have hard-to-pronounce chemical names. However, not all unfamiliar, difficult-to-pronounce ingredients are synthetic. If you have a question, you can always check the name against the Natural Product Association's list of permissible ingredients.
The Natural Products Association Seal
This year, the Natural Products Association launched a voluntary certification program for natural products. Any product submitted for its approval that meets a strict set of guidelines may bear the NPA’s seal. This will alert shoppers that the product is truly natural.
Here is a few of the guidelines that products must meet in order to display the seal:
- Product must be made up of at least 95 percent truly natural ingredients or ingredients that are derived from natural sources
- No ingredients with any potential suspected human health risks
- No processes that significantly or adversely alter the purity/effect of the natural ingredients
- Ingredients that come from a purposeful, renewable/plentiful source found in nature (flora, fauna, mineral)
- Processes that are minimal and don’t use synthetic/harsh chemicals or otherwise dilute purity
- Non-natural ingredients only when viable natural alternative ingredient are unavailable and only when there are absolutely no suspected potential human health risks
--from "What's Natural When it Comes to Personal Care Products?"
Christie Bailey - Christie is an RN, BSN with a passion for holistic health. Currently, she is pursuing her masters degree to become a holistic nurse ...
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