Organic Essentials

The word sounds good - natural, wholesome, pure - but it hasn't meant much on a cosmetic label except a higher price tag. That hasn't stopped us from filling our bathroom cabinets and makeup bags with organic beauty products. Is the extra expense worth it for your skin and hair? Here's what you need to know before you switch to a green routine.


Surprise: Most organic potions Organic Essentialscontain synthetic ingredients or are processed with them. That's because certain key components - such as glycerin, a moisturizer, and xanthan gum, a thickener - simply can't be grown or produced according to organic standards. About 70 synthetic ingredients have been approved for use in products that make organic claims. Not included on that list are parabens, which are preservatives, and phthalates, which have many uses. Both classes of compounds are controversial because of preliminary research that raised safety questions. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review, an expert panel established by the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association in the U.S. noted recently that phthalates don't appear to be a health concern in the concentrations used in cosmetics. However, about 10% of people are sensitive to them.




Though there's no evidence that organic cosmetics are any more - or less - effective than conventional ones, they usually have fewer ingredients known to cause sensitivity problems. Conventional products tend to contain more preservatives and fragrances, the two biggest troublemakers when it comes to irritation and allergies. Many herbs and other botanicals contribute their own pleasant scent and feel, and that often means these products need fewer ingredients, including synthetic fragrances. For now, the value of organic personal-care products lies mostly in their lighter environmental impact. That may not mean they'll do anything extra to ward off wrinkles, but, you can be assured that there was less environmental pollution created in making that lotion.