Staying Healthy the "Natural" Way: Read the Label
It's natural, so to speak, to assume that in the pursuit of health and vitality, products that are "natural" are probably better for you than products that are "artificial." The big question: how do you really know which is which? If you're the type of person who gravitates toward "natural" hair care and skin care products under the assumption that they're healthier alternatives, for example, chances are you're getting ripped off. What, other than the claim on the label, makes you think they're actually natural? A recent Yankelovitch study quoted by the fledgling Natural Products Association found that 78 percent of American women think natural personal care is currently regulated or don’t know if it is. At the same time, 97 percent think it should be regulated. And while two of every three women think a personal care product labeled “natural” should contain at least 95 percent natural ingredients, there's absolutely no guarantee that it will.
In fact, at the end of April, the company that makes Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps sued ten competitors over their misuse of the term "organic" in their labeling. The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, says that products made from petrochemicals or manufactured with conventionally grown crops can't by definition be organic and asked that Estee Lauder Inc. and the nine other companies be prevented from using the word.
It will be a precedent-setting case. Right now, any producer of a health or beauty product can label it "natural" or "organic," even if it's synthetic or petroleum-based. That's why the Natural Products Association has taken it upon itself to create a measurable standard, the "Natural Standard," that manufactures of beauty products can adhere to in order to cut through the consumer confusion. The Natural Standard seal will start to appear on compliant personal care products soon.
What will it take to comply?
• The 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 may be included.
• No processes that significantly or adversely alter the purity and effect of the natural ingredients may be used.
• Ingredients must come from a purposeful, renewable/plentiful source found in nature.
• Processes must be minimal and not use synthetic or harsh chemicals or otherwise dilute purity.
• Non-natural ingredients can be used only when viable natural alternative ingredients are unavailable and only when there are absolutely no suspected potential human health risks.
Advisors who helped make these rules come from such manufacturers as Aubrey Organics, Burt’s Bees, Badger Balm, California Baby, Farmaesthetics, Trilogy Fragrances, and Weleda. While one way to go natural is to shop for these brands, of course, the best advice for now is to read labels carefully and find stores that specialize in natural and organic products, keeping in mind that in most cases, when it comes to hair care, skin care, and cosmetics, truly "natural" products can be hard to come by.
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Natural Products Association
www.naturalproductsassoc.org/certifiednatural
