In this blog I'll be looking at the questions I had when I began my organic and natural lifestyle journey. Questions like What is Organic? What is Natural? Why does it matter? I will also be diving into why Organic and Natural matter in hair and skin care products.
There is SO MUCH I could get into, so I will do my best to keep it simple.
What is Organic? Organic is way of growing things- think plants! Things that aren't grown can't be organic. Minerals cannot be organic, water cannot be organic, etc. But there's a difference between food being "organic" and a product being labeled as "Certified Organic." Single food items can be certified organic if all the ingredients used are organic, but can your foundation or shampoo be certified organic? Most likely not, since many cosmetic products also contain minerals, water, etc. Companies can use Certified Organic Ingredients, but that does not mean the end products themselves are "Certified Organic." Be sure to read the labels, learn ingredients.
What is Natural?
Currently there are no regulations in the US on what it means for a product to be called "natural." There is a bill in the House (H.R. 5017) that is attempting to regulate the use of the word "natural" when it comes to cosmetics.
Really though, right now "natural" is just a marketing term. Don't let flowery marketing terms fool you. Read the labels! Learn the difference between marketing verbiage and the truth. That's what I've been doing for years... and it seems like there's always something new to learn!
Does it Matter?
So, if the end product can't be certified organic, and for now "natural" is just a marketing term, does it matter? Does it matter that your products contain certified organic and naturally derived ingredients? Yes. Yes it does.
Why, you ask? Because what goes ON your skin gets IN your body. A large percentage of what you apply onto your skin gets absorbed into your blood stream. And where does your blood go? To all your organs. Remember, skin is your largest organ! If we eat junk, apply junk to our bodies, spray junk into the air we breathe... our bodies are going to become overloaded with toxicity. And that can lead to major health issues (think eczema or even cancer), as well as minor health issues (think allergies or contact dermatitis). It is best to avoid synthetic ingredients that can build up and tax our bodies' detoxification systems (think liver, kidneys). And if we can't detoxify our bodies, our bodies become toxic. Not a good thing.
So, to sum it all up- learn to read labels! Look up ingredients you don't understand (just because you can't pronounce something doesn't mean it's bad!). At the end of the day, who is responsible for your health? You are. Do the responsible thing and research what you put ON and IN your body!
Stay healthy, my friends. And remember, on your journey to a healthier lifestyle, take baby steps. Don't try to change everything all at once, it can be quite overwhelming. Start with one small thing, like swapping out your handsoap, laundry detergent, face wash or shampoo and conditioner!
Keep Growing. :)
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