Organic Labeling. What does it mean?

Organic skin care is all the rage right now, but what exactly does "organic" mean when it is on a cosmetic label?

EDIT: All the following are the USDA requirements for FOOD. Currently there are NO regulations for the term "organic" for personal care products. A company can submit for the USDA seal if they wish and must follow the below requirements, but it is NOT mandatory. So any company can use the word organic even if the ingredients are not certified.


Image carries a line called Ormedic, made with organic ingredients. The company states that the line is 75% organic. I know that Image is a reputable line and holds it's products to the highest standards, so I trust their information. This may not be true for some of the companies out there, so all I can say is DO YOUR RESEARCH!!

This info is handy to know even though a lot does not pertain to skin care.

According to the USDA National Organic Program there are several guidelines companies have to follow when labeling their products.


100% Organic
In order for a product to make this claim it must contain 100% organically produced ingredients, with the exception of any added salt and water.

The labels MUST show below the name and address of the handler (bottler, distributor,
importer, manufacturer, packer, processor, etc.) of the finished
product, the statement:
"Certified organic by ____" or similar phrase, followed by the name of
the Certifying Agent. Certifying Agent seals may not be used to satisfy
this requirement.

Organic
These products must be made with at least 95% organically produced ingredients and cannot contain sulfites.
The other 5% can be comprised of non organically produced agricultural ingredients which are NOT commercially available in organic form (including: kelp, cornstarch, lecithin, pectin and gums) and/or other permitted ingredients like added minerals, acids and some synthetic ingredients. (Click here if you would like the full list.)
The label must also use the word "organic" before the ingredients on the list. As with 100% organic, the label must also include the processor and the "certified organic" statement.

Made with Organic Ingredients.
These products must contain 70% organic ingredients with no added sulfites (except for wine).
The product can also contain 30% off the above non organically grown and synthetics listed above with the addition of yeast.
These products CANNOT carry the USDA certified organic seal

Now here is where things get confusing!

To claim a product has some organic ingredients
These products may contain less than 70% organic and may contain more than 30% inorganic ingredients. The product must list the organic ingredients on the ingredient deck only if the percentage is listed in the ingredient statement, but cannot include the processors "certified organic" statement or seal, or the USDA seal.
The product also cannot make any other claims of "organic" on the front display label.

So if the product claims to have 50% organic ingredients, the ingredient deck must list the organic ingredients with the word "organic". No percentage on the front, no need to list the organic ingredients on the back. This is where you would have to ask the company how much of their product is organic.

But the label says...

I thought I would spend a couple of posts deciphering a couple of the statements made on many cosmetic labels.

The first on deck: Non-Comedogenic.

Ahh, the golden child of almost every acne product and cosmetic on the market. Place this beauty on the label to let everyone know that the ingredients will not clog pores and produce acne (note the sarcasm).
The problem with this claim is that it is not defined or regulated by the FDA. It should mean that a product or ingredient does not clog pores, but does it really? The FDA does not provide a list of comedogenic ingredients on their website but does suggest that you stay away from pore clogging ingredients. Confusing.

Since there is no official list, the FDA does not regulate the claim of non-comedogenicy. The result is that any product can make this claim without fear that the FDA will step in.
Take the following product description and ingredient list:

	Moisturizer with Dead Sea Minerals is a rich, ultra-hydrating, non-comedogenic moisturizer. Daily use helps improve skin texture and elasticity by dramatically improving skin´s ability to retain moisture. Formulated for dry to normal skin. Directions: Wash face with an AFA Cleanser. Apply Moisturizer sparingly. Use of a daily sunscreen is recommended. Store at room temperature. No animal testing.
		Ingredients: Water, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Purine, Acidified Amino Acid, L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Dead Sea Minerals, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Now, this moisturizer states that it is non-comedogentic, yet one of the ingredients, Isopropyl Palmitate, is a penetrating oil which is shunned by many an esthetician (myself included) and dermatologists for it's acne inducing properties. Another ingredient to note at the top of the list is Petrolatum, or more commonly known, mineral oil. While this is not an ingredient that can physically clog a pore, it is occlusive and can trap other problematic ingredients (like isopropyl palmatate) on the skin. So, will this moisturizer cause a breakout? Maybe, maybe not. Would I go slathering it on my skin? Why risk it?

Just like everything else in life, you can't always believe what you read. While there is no official list by the FDA, you can find a great reference at Zerozits. Use this list to help you avoid the most problematic ingredients found in cosmetic products. You will be glad you did.