5 things to know when buying organic skincare

With so many products available on the market, each with different benefits and promises it can sometimes be overwhelming when decided which brand or product to choose. Organic products especially can sometimes have you wondering what exactly about them are better and is there research behind them. Here are 5 things to know when buying organic products according too Senior Dermal Skin therapist Christie Cameron from SSKIN Clinic and expert for RosehipPLUS:

Is it actually organic?

Always check the product is 100% organic. Some brands claim they’re organic, however don’t have the Australian Certified Organic Certification. This is basically a third party guarantee, and means the ACO will verify ingredients and test them to ensure organic status. When a product is formulated ingredients will be derived from plant materials, so this will test whether any pesticides or fertilisers were used during the growing of the materials which are used as skincare ingredients. For a product to gain the organic status the ACO state that products must be 70-95% organic. This is why it’s important to read the label to make sure your product is labelled 100% organic.

What else is in it?

Always make sure to check what other ingredients are in your product. Just because something is organic doesn’t mean it won’t have other hidden ingredients in it such as preservatives, chemicals or fragrances – always read the label. Good quality organic products should include naturally occurring nutrients that behave similarly to synthetic ingredients.

Natural is not the same as organic

Just because a product is labelled natural doesn’t mean it’s organic. Unfortunately, the word natural is not regulated, so anyone can use it on their packaging. Natural essentially means it could have been derived from a mineral, animal by product, plant, gas etc. but a product could still contain synthetic materials.

Just because it’s organic, doesn’t make it less potent

Just because something says organic doesn't mean it's necessarily safe for your skin type. If you have specific allergies to certain ingredients you definitely still want to make sure you check the ingredient list. Many essential oils can still be irritating. Consider purchasing unscented organic products if you have sensitive skin and always read your labels. Organic ingredients are filled with plant actives that are still potent at manipulating your cell structures so it’s always important that even tho it’s organic to still have a consultation to be prescribed the right ingredients to get the best results without irritation.

You will support organic farmers while you support your skin

Purchasing organic skin care not only limits your carbon footprint, but by supporting organic farmers it will create security for future generations as the organic fields have an innate capacity to capture, store, and use water. Organic farming relies on natural principles like biodiversity and composting instead of chemical intervention to produce healthy, abundant ingredients. So of course, my favourite reason to support organic farming is being kind to the earth.