Organic creams. Organic shampoos. Even organic bath bombs. We’re so used to seeing the word “organic” these days that it almost makes us feel guilty when we don’t choose brands with this label. But have you ever wondered what actually makes a product “organic”? How is this different from “natural” or “sustainable”? It’s essential to know what each buzzword means before it guilt-trips you into unnecessary – and often costly – buying decisions.

Here at Glowing Orchid, we predominantly use organic ingredients, but we’ve opted not to use so-called “organic” coconut oil as an ingredient in our products. We found that this is the most sensible decision, both for us as an eco-conscious company and for our customers who are committed to a sustainable, cruelty-free lifestyle. Let’s take a closer look at organic product claims, and what they mean for you.

The trouble is that national standards for “organic” often exclusively cover the food industry, leaving “organic” labelling unregulated in the personal care and cosmetics industry.

For instance, in the United States and Canada, there are no rules or regulations that govern the term “organic” as it applies to cosmetics or personal care products. Each of these countries have their national agricultural agency that regulates organic farm products, but these agricultural agencies don’t regulate cosmetics.

There are independent organisations around the world that offer their own “organic cosmetics” certification based on non-governmental standards. If you’ve encountered the labels COSMOS, Natrue, and ISO 16128, those are examples of these standards. But, as you can see, these standards are varied, scattered, and unregulated. A beauty product that’s certified “organic” by one organisation may not pass the organic standards of another organisation.

In short, there’s no clear basis for the “organic” label in personal care. Any so-called “organic” cream you pick up from the store may not actually be organic in the sincerest sense of the word.

Loosely, in the area of food and agriculture, “organic” means grown without synthetic fertilisers and pesticides; “natural” means free from artificial additives (like flavours and colours); and “sustainable” means protecting environmental health for future generations. “Regenerative” is one step above that and aims to improve environmental health through stewardship and cultivation.

Let’s take apples, for example:

Note that we can only differentiate these three terms in a loose informal sense, because uniform official definitions don’t exist. For instance, in the US, the Department of Agriculture regulates product claims of being organic but not claims of being natural. Also, it only governs the food and agriculture industry. Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also oversees food labels, but it doesn’t have official rules on what products can be labelled organic or natural.

So, once again, the labels “organic,” “natural,” and “sustainable” have no official distinctions in the food industry, much less in the personal care industry.

In a nutshell, no – the “organic” label doesn’t automatically mean a product is better than those not labelled organic.

Doctors conducted a systematic review on organic foods and published their research on the Annals of Internal Medicine. They found that there was no sufficient evidence that “organic” foods are more nutritious than “conventional” foods.

There’s even less evidence when it comes to “organic” cosmetics and body care. As we know now, there isn’t even a clear definition of what an “organic” cosmetic is. In addition, even products that were farmed in the most natural way could still have an unpleasant effect on you. Dr. Rebecca Kazin of Johns Hopkins Medicine points out that the term “organic” isn’t the same as “hypoallergenic,” and that sensitive complexions may still react negatively to organic products.

First, I’ve shared with you above how the word “organic” isn’t actually regulated in the personal care industry. We want to be perfectly honest and clear with you in our ingredients list, so we try to avoid such terms that are so fuzzy in their definition. The truth is that we could simply pick any coconut oil supplier that carries the “certified organic” label, but we wouldn’t be comfortable with this, knowing that that label has no clear basis.

This brings us to our second reason. We at Glowing Orchid do our own in-depth examination of our ingredients and how they are produced. To source our coconut oil, we get to know each coconut plantation we work with (located in the Philippines), ensuring first-hand that they’re cruelty-free and apply sustainable farming practices. Let’s talk more about this in the next couple of sections (click on section titles).

Now we know that “organic” doesn’t really mean much in personal care products. How do you know if your cosmetic and skincare items are clean for the earth and ethical for communities? These are five qualities you should look for:

If you want to be more sustainable and ethical in your lifestyle, you can start just by Googling the product you’re thinking of buying, including its specific ingredients and manufacturer’s name.

You don’t need to do a deep dive (though being well-informed doesn’t hurt!). You can find science-backed articles through a simple search. For example, if you see the ingredients paraben or talc in makeup, a quick search will tell you that they may be toxic! This will help you decide on whether the product is right for you.

Right on! If you want to get a guilt-free glow, then we suggest you try out the goodies from Glowing Orchid. All our products are plant-based, sourced from sustainable, cruelty-free farms, and lovingly made in small batches. We ship them in 100 percent biodegradable recycled mailers, plus each purchase automatically donates to worthy causes around the world!

Here are a few of our coconut-infused products that our customers can’t get enough of:

I’m honestly so happy that you’re interested in alternative beauty brands that provide clean, ethical products. It doesn’t always have to be Glowing Orchid – though we’d be honoured if you chose us! 😉 What’s really cool to me is that more and more skincare-conscious consumers are taking extra steps to be better in their buying decisions. More people are reading beyond product labels, more people are seeking out brands that align with their values.

Thank you for being part of this shift. Stay well-informed, mindful, and glowing!

xx
Judit

Additional reading:

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/OrganicCosmeticsFactSheet.pdf

https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling

https://sites.utexas.edu/think-twice/2021/02/23/the-natural-label-on-food-products/

https://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Article/2022/04/07/Natural-and-organic-cosmetic-certifications-and-standards-for-EU-beauty-industry

https://bareorganics.ca/blogs/news/122037313-organic-skin-care-standards

https://unctad.org/system/files/non-official-document/ditc-tab-112017-vanuatu-RainForest-II-3.pdf

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/organic-food-no-more-nutritious-than-conventionally-grown-food-201209055264

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php