Have you ever stopped to consider what a “natural” label on products actually means? The truth is that even if the product has a natural label slapped across it, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the product is free from any chemicals or other additives.
Understanding an Unregulated Term
The term natural as it pertains to cosmetics and other skin products is unregulated, and there are currently no standards when it comes to using this term on products. Since there is no regulation or standard, anyone can technically place a natural label on a product and claim it to be so even if they only have one or two of the ingredients that are actually natural.
In addition to that one natural ingredient, the manufacturer may have also added in several other harmful chemicals that saturate the product deeming the product as not chemical free and all natural.
Labeling Laws Overview
More and more people buying skincare products are actively searching for products that contain natural or organic ingredients. However, this is hard to do when the term natural means nothing legally. As long as the company labeling the product is not claiming anything misleading, then they are allowed to use this word on their labels.
Most products labeled as natural contain additives that can be detrimental to the health of our skin and body, so it’s important to carefully read each label and gain a better understanding of the ingredients contained in the products you are planning to use.
Often, people believe that a shorter ingredient list means that the product is safer. The same concept applies to ingredients that they can and can’t pronounce. They feel if they can pronounce it then it must be okay. But again, this isn’t always the case either.
The Shelf Life of Organic Ingredients
Some organic and natural ingredients have a shelf life of approximately one to three years; this is also true for natural products that use essential oils because they are a natural preservative. In natural products that use oils other than essential oils, the shelf life may be shorter. So, if the expiry is far past that mark, then some additives help lengthen its shelf life, and the product can’t be considered natural.
But it is also important to understand the role that parabens play. Parabens are often added to cosmetic products as a preservative. However, there are no regulations on parabens either when used in cosmetics, but some studies have shown that parabens can change your hormonal functions. This was shown with smaller marine life animals that were exposed to parabens.
What to Look For
When looking for natural products, you should be looking for labels that boast of being Vegan, GMO-free, eco-friendly, cruelty-free, free of harmful chemicals, irritants or preservatives, and carefully formulated with all natural, organic ingredients. Look for these qualifiers rather than just relying on what is slapped across the front of the label.
Reading the labels and understanding the ingredients is one of the more certain ways to know what is in a product because some certifications don’t mean what they say.
Meta: Just because a product has a label that claims that it is natural doesn’t always mean that the product is natural. It may contain other additive ingredients mixed in with only one or two natural ingredients.
