What Does “Natural” Cosmetics Mean?
By Ashley Sachs, Creator of Blended and Custom Blend Specialist
Cosmetic regulations in the US are almost non-existent. Because of this, companies are legally allowed to use the word “natural” freely and with no consequences. So what does “natural” really mean? According to Formula Botanica, the award-winning and accredited online Organic Cosmetic Science School, there are four “shades” of the word.
Shade 1- The purest form of natural cosmetics: The ingredients used in your products were plucked straight from nature and it maintains its original chemical structure. For example, an oil; you pick a seed from a plant, cold press it and it still maintains its original chemical shape and structure.
Shade 2 – Ingredients have been naturally derived: Harvested ingredients have undergone chemical reactions. Generally used in the creation of water based products like lotions, creams, foundations, etc.
Shade 3 – Ingredients are “nature identical”: Ingredients are not derived from nature, they are synthetically processed, BUT the ingredient is identical in its chemical structure to the same ingredient found in nature. For example citric acid; you can derive it naturally, but because of the scale of consumption (in foods and cosmetics) a majority of citric acid is processed synthetically.
Shade 4 – Ingredient is obtained from plant resources but are mimicking a synthetic molecule: The cosmetic industry has created synthetic molecules to enhance the performance of cosmetics. An example is glycol; used as solvents, humectants, dispersants and preservative boosters. Because of their enormous benefits, “natural” cosmetic brands use plant resources that are processed to mimic these synthetic molecules.
I am unsure if the creators of Goliath cosmetic brands actually wear their products, I however, have only been wearing Custom Blended Cosmetics since 2011. Their performance as well as their ingredients are as important to me as they are to you.
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