Organic beauty

Going organic isn't all about food. What you put on your body is just as important, and we have the lowdown on some of the best organic beauty buys...

Organic beauty is booming. In the last year alone in the US there has been a 37% rise in the number of under-35s buying organic beauty products. Virtually all of your grooming needs, from eye-make-up remover to hair dye, can now be met organically. In fact, good-for-you (and the Earth) beauty brands are among the trendiest on the market. Think of cult skincare range Dr Hauschka. Then there's Aveda, Weleda, Jurilique, E'SPA… and more.On the whole, organic beauty products contain fewer chemicals and are far less toxic than most conventional, mass-produced products

You can even indulge in the multi-goodness of an organic spa treatment, such as the Naturopathica Pure Results facial at Calmia, £70, as enjoyed by Alicia Keys and Denise Van Outen.

And now, here's the science bit....

What is organic?
On the whole, organic beauty products contain fewer chemicals and are far less toxic than most conventional, mass-produced products. It is an unclear area because the EU does not have legal standards for health and beauty products. However, in the UK we have our own strict set of standards launched by the Soil Association (SA) in 2002. The standards state that, amongst other nasties, no petro-chemicals or GM ingredients are allowed in the manufacturing process. Nor are parabens, aluminium or zirconium - all of which have been linked to breast cancer. Once a product has been certified organic it is allowed to display the Soil Association logo - the most widely trusted symbol of organic integrity.

How do I know a product is organic?

  if you find this logo on a product,
then it is 100% organic Wherever you see the Soil Association Organic Standard symbol (pictured) on a product, you can be sure it has been independently certified as organic. Although the largest, the SA is not Britain's only approved certification body. You can also look out for the brown and beige logo of the Non-Food Certification Co logo, part of the Organic Food Federation (www.orgfoodfed.com). Every certifier must label certified organic products with its identification code, eg, Organic Certification: UK 1. It is always UK, followed by a number.

Of course, we buy products from all over the world, so plenty of products are certified organic, but by the equivalent of the Soil Association in their country of origin. Modern Organic Products (MOP), for example, is certified by Quality Assurance International, a body that certifies companies across North America, the EU, Japan, Canada and Latin America.

Unfortunately, because EU law only covers farming and food production, anyone can claim their product is organic. It's up to you whether you trust the makers....

Where can I buy organic beauty products?
The SA currently licences around 200 health and beauty products, including Spiezia Organics, Organic Blue and Green People. You'll find a longer list by clicking here.

What's the difference between organic, and something that is 'made with organic ingredients'?
Organic products contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients – any less and it cannot be labelled organic. Products 'made with organic ingredients' contain 70-95% organic ingredients, with the remaining made of permitted non-organic ingredients.

What's the difference between natural and organic?
While the jury's still out on what the cosmetics companies mean by natural, there is now a verdict on organic, thanks to the SA, and accredited certifying bodies worldwide (see above).

And now for the products....
The trendsetter
Founded in 1981, Neal's Yard Remedies was the first company in the UK to sell certificated organic health and beauty products. Today it is one of the biggest organic brands in the world, and actively promotes fair trading, organic farming, sustainable growth and social responsibility.

The best-seller
American brand MOP is the best-selling haircare range in Harvey Nichols' Beyond Beauty. 'We're called Modern Organic Products for a reason,' says sales and training director Mike Hall. 'Instead of cooking our plants and extracting the oil, we pulp them in their raw state. It is our technology that allows us to use certified organic wholefood ingredients.'

The biggest
Lavera offers over 100 products across its skin, hair, sun, baby, make-up and men's care ranges, all certified by Germany's equivalent to the SA. Jerry Hall, Lady Isabella Hervey and Jemima French are fans, apparently.

The newest
US brand Avalon Natural Products guarantees 70–100% certified organic ingredients. Fresh to the UK this summer is its vitamin C skincare range. Activated vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant proven to boost the skin's natural immune system and defend against the damaging effects of youth-hating free radicals.

 

Now you are enjoying organic products, why not cook organic! Check out these fab recipes at All About You  

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