Why ‘organic’ beauty might not be so saintly

When shoppers see the word ‘organic’ on a shampoo bottle or pot of skin cream, they tend to believe they are buying a product that will be as good for their skin as the environment.

But the truth could be very different, according to the Soil Association.

It has launched a campaign against ‘greenwashing’ — where consumers are given the impression their beauty favourites are more organic than they are.

The organisation claims major brands including Boots, Dr Organic and Faith In nature all use this type of marketing.

It is a very different story in the food and grocery aisles of the supermarket.

Before a lettuce or beef joint can be labelled as organic, it must be approved by an organic certification body which regularly inspects everything from labelling to production methods to ensure that rules about pesticides, antibiotics, animal welfare and additives are obeyed.

Packaged products, such as tinned beans, can be sold as organic only if at least 95 per cent of ingredients are from organically produced plants or animals.

But there is no legal definition for organic beauty products.

As a result, a product can say it’s organic without having to satisfy any set standards. You can pop 0.01ml of organic lavender oil into a cream and say it’s ‘made with organic lavender’, but that doesn’t mean ingredients derived from petrochemicals aren’t included.

This is why the Come Clean About Beauty campaign for better product labelling is highlighting brands that use the word ‘ organic’ for products which also contain ingredients that could damage health or the environment.

Market analysts Mintel found that as standards for organic food are so tough, consumers believe the same is true for organic beauty products. When people see something labelled ‘organic’, 53 per cent expect it to be ‘free from chemicals’.

however, there is some protection for consumers. Misleading claims are illegal and Trading Standards is responsible for enforcing the cosmetics regulations, while the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has the authority to enforce the Codes of Advertising Practice.

But a search of the rulings section of the ASA website shows that in the past five years, only a handful relate to mislabelled organic beauty products.

With the £61.2 million UK organic health and beauty market growing — sales were up 20 per cent in 2016 — some firms may think it’s worth being economical with the truth when risks seem low and gains high.

even actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop range — which claims to ‘nurture your skin with powerful organic ingredients’ — features some products that contain ingredients which are derived from petrochemicals.

So, how can we know what we’re getting with organic beauty products? The Soil Association has teamed up with european certification bodies ( BDIH, Cosmebio, ecocert and ICEA) to develop the Cosmetic Organic Standard or COSMOS.

Since January new products requesting certification must be COSMOS approved.

This means at least 95 per cent of all ingredients must be organic if it says ‘made with organic’ ingredients, or 20 per cent for leave- on products and 10 per cent for rinse-off products.

The production process must also have a minimal impact on the environment, non- organic ingredients must have natural colours and fragrances, and petrochemicals must be restricted. Jen Collins, Soil Association beauty campaign manager, says you should be suspicious of certain products.

‘It’s very hard to make organic haircare because you need detergent ingredients to make an effective shampoo,’ she says.

She also advises scrutinising sun protection claimed to be organic — they often contain ingredients that not only wouldn’t be certified organic, but could also cause allergies, skin irritation and even have an impact on hormone levels.

But on the plus side, Jen says organic make-up is often certified as such.

Can’t be bothered to read the label? See the box above for our list of organic saints and sinners.