Coming Clean (OCA)
Organic Consumers Association to Protect From Organic Fraud (Excerpted from Newsletter)
Hate to break it to you, but these so-called "organic" personal care products aren't really organic and actually contain hazardous ingredients that would never be allowed in products certified to USDA organic standards.
Yesterday, the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), along with certified organic personal care brands Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Intelligent Nutrients, and Organic Essence, filed a complaint with the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), requesting an investigation into the widespread and blatantly deceptive labeling practices of leading so-called "Organic" personal care brands, in violation of USDA NOP regulations.
The complaint, filed on behalf of the estimated 50 million regular consumers of organic products, argues that products such as liquid soaps, body washes, facial cleansers, shampoos, conditioners, moisturizing lotions, lip balms, make-up and other cosmetic products produced by 12 different corporations have been advertised, labeled and marketed as "Organic" or "Organics" when, in fact, the products are not "Organic" as understood by the average health and environmental-minded organic consumer.
BOYCOTT THESE FAKE "ORGANIC" BRANDS
Click on the links below to be taken to each brand's entry in the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics Safety Review Database where you'll find a hazard score for each product and ingredient.
Avalon "Organics"
Desert Essence "Organics"
Earth's Best "Organic"
Eminence "Organic Skin Care"
Giovanni "Organic Hair Care"
Goodstuff "Organics"
Head "Organics"
Jason "Pure, Natural & Organic"
Kiss My Face "ObsessivelyOrganic"
Nature's Gate "Organics"
Physicians Formula "Organic" Wear
Stella McCartney "100% Organic"
BUY THESE CERTIFIED USDA ORGANIC BRANDS:
In my research, I have found some therapeuitc grade, professional, products which go beyond what you can purchase at a store. At our clinic we use "Beyond Organic" products such as Young Living Essential Oils, and Pharmaceutical grade products selected for the individual's specific skin care needs, carried by LW, and available by Reisa (Reisa has a passion for quality. She's to skin care quality what I am to supplement quality!)
Below are other products that are certified organic and some such as Mercola and Dr. Bronner's deserve star ratings as well!
Alteya Organics
Baby Bear Shop
Badger
Brittanie's Thyme
Bubble and Bee Organic
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps
Earth Mama Angel Baby
Indian Meadow Herbals
Intelligent Nutrients
Kimberly Parry Organics
Little Angel
Mercola
Miessence Certified Organics
Nature's Paradise
OGmama and OGbaby
Organicare
Organic Essence
Origins Organics
Purely Shea
Rainwater Organic Lotion
Rose Tattoo Aftercare
SoCal Cleanse
Sensibility Soaps/Nourish
Terressentials
Trillium Organics
Vermont Soap
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Reisa Mehlman
Dr. Sarah Lobisco
thank you for this post. You have confirmed
what I have suspected for a long time, that
a lot of 'organic' really isn't organic at all.
I am in full support of the OCA's decision, and thank you, Dr. Sarah, for bringing it to light. I have explained this very thing to clients; in fact, I just did so last week when a client purchased product from the web that contained a specific ingredient that I had recommended. However, what I said to her and will repeat here is this:
Not all ingredients or manufacturer's are equal. Look at the ingredient list. You can have one ingredient that is "organic" and listed as such, but that doesn't mean that every other ingredient is organic too.
My client cited price as a knock against purchasing the product that I recommended -- a Farmaesthetics product that costs roughly $4 per fluid ounce. Instead she purchased a product that proclaimed itself "organic," while having a long list of ingredients (one tip off) but had a cost of less than $1 per fluid ounce.
Sometimes price is a good tip off too, since organic product can be more costly to produce -- though this is not always the case. I try to offer natural and organic product at Living Well which I believe is fairly priced -- but which is authentic. I have found that most of the time, the less ingredients, the better. This is where your trusted skin care professionals can be of service.
Here's the latest link to assess how "organic" your skin care products are: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tilffYceF9_7vHToVFQii1Q&gid=8
Check for the dirty dozen in PCPs:
http://www.ewg.org/node/27438